According to SBS, some foreign students were told they might have to pay hundreds of yuan in fines if their homework was submitted late.
Keaton Hulme-Jones says his girlfriend is a Thai studying in Sacred Heart International College, Melbourne. Earlier this month, she heard about the fine at the entrance ceremony.
Hulme-Jones `s girlfriend has even signed a form to approve all fees, one of which says that if the homework is handed in a few hours late, the student will pay a fine of 300 yuan.
"obviously, they don`t care about the students at all," Hulme-Jones said. If you treat students like this, it`s not a school at all. " He also said his girlfriend`s immigration agency recommended the school, saying it costs less than other schools, but it doesn`t seem to be the case at all.
For students like his girlfriend, the fine may not be affordable at all, Hulme-Jones said. Because international students have to bear the higher pressure to study, but also to work to earn money to support life in Australia. "sometimes it may just need to be postponed, especially for foreign students who work in restaurants, who don`t make much money at all. Her school is very important to her visa. If she doesn`t study at school, she loses her visa. It`s like visas are in danger at all times, and they`re almost blackmailing. "
The media have tried to reach out to Sacred Heart International College for their views on the matter.
According to the national vocational education and training regulator, the school`s fine appears to meet the requirements.
The Australian Technical quality Authority says registered training providers must provide international students with fee information before the recruitment or assessment process begins.
Written agreements between training providers and students must be written in concise English about possible non-tuition costs.
However, the board also admitted that it was unusual for students to pay fines for late homework.
In a statement, the Australian Technical quality Authority said: "in ASQA`s experience, it is not a common practice for registered training institutions to impose fines for late submission of homework by students. The school often charges students for reassessment. "
The agency also said students could file a complaint with the ASQA if they believe that the training institution may have violated the rules, such as failing to provide the appropriate cost information.
