Any questions?

How much is the Student Priority Package?

It will not cost students anything! It is valued at $3000 and we will be covering the costs of inclusions.

What do I have to do to get this Student Priority Package?

All students have to do is accept their offer by December 31st 2020. You will be then be automatically eligible for the Student Priority Package. No need to enrol for now, just accept.

Is this applicable to both the Brisbane and Gold Coast Campus?

Students studying at both campuses will be awarded the Student Priority Package.

What will happen if I defer after accepting my offer? Will I stay on the list?

Yes, as long as you accept before 31 Jan you will stay on the list until international students are allowed to come into Queensland.

How can I be in contact with the travel advisor/organiser?

We have a partnership with Letz Travel to provide advice to our students exclusively. They will be in contact with you once we know when students are allowed to travel into Queensland.

How will I know who to meet at the airport?

Someone will be waiting to welcome you holding up a “Griffith College” sign upon your arrival at the airport.

Will this accommodation be part of the quarantine requirement on entering the country?

If there is a quarantine requirement then yes this package will be applied to the time students are required to do this.

Where is the accommodation located?

We have a partnership with Student One in Brisbane City who will be providing accommodation for students from both campuses. Once you have completed any quarantine requirements you will then have transport available to you to take you to the accommodation you book at either in Brisbane or the Gold Coast. You can also choose to remain at Student One.

Can I let you know about my dietary requirements?

Absolutely – once we have details for when students are allowed to arrive in Queensland, we will have our accommodation partner Student One contact you for all of your requirements.

Will I live on my own for the 2 weeks?

We are waiting to see what the Government allows us, especially if there are any requirements around Quarantining. Once we know more information we will let students on the list for this package know details for their accommodation.

Will my Overseas Health Cover (OSHC) now be cheaper because I am getting my first Trimester free?

Yes we will still require students to pay a full year of Health Cover as per visa requirements, however we will credit you for the first trimester of your study.

Does this change how much I should be paying up front to accept my offer?

No you will still have to pay the fees outlined in your Offer. You will be able to redeem the benefits of the package once we know when students are allowed to travel back into Queensland.

What if I am no longer studying at Griffith College when they allow students to arrive in Queensland?

The package is only eligible for students who are enrolled to study at Griffith College. If you complete your study at the College before being able to use this package then you can access offers the University will have available to you.

When can I access the inclusions of this package?

Once international students are allowed to travel into Queensland, and we know more information about the requirements for any quarantining, students on the Priority Package List who are enrolled in study at Griffith College will be able to access their benefits and we will be in touch on how to do this.

I have already accepted my offer, will I still be eligible?

Yes – all students who have already accepted their offers for Trimester 3 2020 or Trimester 1 2021 will automatically be added to the Studenty Priority Package list.

I am currently studying at Griffith College, will I get this package?

If you have started in trimesters previous to Trimester 3 2020 then you are not able to access this package as it is more than likely you will finish your degree at Griffith College before international students are able to return to Queensland.

Does it matter which country I am coming from?

No – this package is available to all international students travelling into Queensland to study at Griffith College.

What English testing do you accept?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Griffith College will temporarily accept the following English test results for students applying for online learning:

*For degrees that require higher English standards to meet the requirement of the professional registration bodies, conditional offers can be made subject to provision of required English language proficiency results.

Please note: The Department of Home Affairs may require evidence of English language proficiency as part of a student visa application. You should check acceptable forms of evidence on their website.

Students from high risk countries may need to provide evidence that they have obtained a certain test score in an English test language approved by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) or fall into an exemption category at the time they submit their visa application.

How old can my English result be for it be accepted?

At this stage Griffith College will accept IELTS and TOEFL IBT results that are up to 3 years old.

Will study gaps resulting from COVID 19 be overlooked for future admissions?

At this stage Griffith College will assess study gaps on a case by case basis.

How can I provide certified documents?

For international students, your agent is there to assist us with verifying the authenticity of all documents submitted.

Academic Requirements for unconditional offers –The College proposes the acceptance of:

• screenshots of documents from official institutions, schools, and MOE websites.
• predictive results for International Baccalaureate and GCSE (O, A and AS levels) scores,
• a combination of year 11 and 12 marksheet results for students unable to complete year 12 final examinations and who identify as meeting admission requirements,
• acceptable uncertified copies of official academic documentation or unofficial transcripts submitted on-line.

For Domestic students, at this stage we have removed the need for official academic transcripts to be certified as we understand that access certifying services such as a Justice of the Peace will be limited.

Can I continue Diploma in Trimester 3 (Oct) even though the visa has been refused?

Students will commence your study from your home country whilst travel restrictions are in place. Once these travel restrictions are lifted, students will be expected to transfer to on-campus study within an acceptable time frame.

What happens if I complete a Diploma via online learning, then get a visa refusal for a Bachelor Degree?

What will happen if the travel restrictions are lifted during the trimester?

Once you have been granted a visa and it is safe to travel, we recommend that you travel in either the mid trimester break or in between trimesters, to avoid any disruption to study and classes.

For domestic students and international students already in Australia, once it is safe for our campus to open, you will transition back to face-to-face learning from online learning on the Digital Campus. There will be a transition period to allow time to arrange any changes to your personal schedule to make attending class possible.

Is the fee for online learning mode the same as on campus mode? Will it be discounted?

As the level and quality of delivery of learning will remain the same whether online or on campus, there will be no change to the fees.

Are any scholarships or bursaries being offered?

Griffith College is offering the Welcome Scholarship; 4 weeks free accommodation for all new international students commencing a Foundation or Diploma in Brisbane, studying at our Mt Gravatt campus. If the travel restrictions are not lifted during Trimester 2 2020, Griffith College will make the Welcome Scholarship available for Trimester 3 2020.

Will a smart phone or tablet suffice, or will I need a laptop or desktop?

While an iPad or tablet is fine to view classes and lectures, a laptop/desktop will give you the best learning experience.

How fast does my internet connection need to be to study online?

Approximately 5Mbps internet speed should be adequate to engage in online learning. Obviously the faster the better, please go to www.fast.com to check your connection speed.

What internet usage do you think I will need, if I have a limited data plan, what would you recommend I increase to?

The online learning requirement would be 3-5 hours per subject per week on average. This would mean that you will be using 4-8 of gigabytes per subject on a weekly basis. This is just an average and some subjects may require less while others more.

Is there any financial support available?

Financial support for Local (Australian) Students: The Australian Government has also announced its special Coronavirus Supplement will be extended to eligible Abstudy, Austudy and Youth Allowance (student) recipients. The $550 supplement will be available for an initial six months, with the possibility of a further extension. Eligible students will also receive the first $750 one-off economic stimulus payments being provided to income-support recipients, pensioners and other eligible concession cardholders. See the Government’s Coronavirus Supplement announcement for more details.

Financial support International Students: Griffith College recognises that many international students have been directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and require financial assistance. A limited number of Hardship (COVID-19) Grants are now available to support eligible individual international students short-term and are aimed at providing temporary relief for unforeseen circumstances. Approved students are eligible for one (1) Hardship (COVID-19) Grant. Further information about the application process will be provided in the coming days.

If I withdraw, will it cost me money?

If you have chosen to withdraw after the census date (check key dates), the refund policy will apply to your cancellation fees. You can find the refund policy here.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

Online Study:

During COVID-19 travel bans you will commence your studies in an online delivery mode. You will be required to obtain a Student Visa once travel bans are lifted and on-campus classes have re-commenced; with a Student Visa you will be able to continue with your studies in face to face delivery mode. Students who commence study outside of Australia and whose subsequent Student Visa application is not approved will be able to complete their studies online while an online mode of delivery is being offered by the College. Students that have commenced their study and subsequently wish to apply to withdraw from enrolment, due to non-approval of a Student Visa, are referred to Section 5, Griffith College Refund Information and the College Refund Policy.

Refunds:

Table A: Visa refusal

*Student commenced study in an online mode while outside of Australia, prior to obtaining a Student Visa.

**Student has studied for a period of time, online or on campus, with a valid Student Visa.

When classes open back up on campus, how much flexibility will there be in my timetable and how much notice will I receive?

As soon as we are informed that our campuses can reopen, we will communicate with all students immediately and advise how on-campus and online learning classes will proceed. We expect that if campuses re-open in the middle of Trimester 3, we may have a mix of online and on campus classes to ensure the least amount of disruption possible for students.

Is there an Orientation event for students who study online?

Yes, we will conduct the event online and make sure it is effective, supportive, fun and interactive. This is to ensure students receive the best support to study online. Once campuses reopen, we will also hold an event for all students to familiarise and refamiliarise themselves with the campus, and meet each other in person.

What support services will be available? How can students get access to these services?

All students have access to our digital campus where you will be able to book appointments with our Learning Advisors and Counselling team, we also organise a range of online drop-in sessions and training events to assist students with adapting to the learning environment at Griffith College or transitioning to Griffith University.

How can students engage with staff and other students online?

Are any of the Griffith Campuses still accessible for students?

As of the Friday 17 April 2020, all Griffith College buildings have been closed. Computers and printing facilities have been made available in room 2.06 Building N72 Learning Centre, Mimosa Creek Road on the Nathan Campus. As government restriction levels change, they will be promptly communicated through the appropriate channels.

I will be graduating this trimester can I get my certificate and attend a Graduation Ceremony?

What is Griffith College currently doing to reduce risk of students and staff exposed to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)?

The College will continue to email you directly with updates as well as provide this information via this website. You can always call us at 07 3735 6900 (Mount Gravatt) / 07 5552 8500 (Gold Coast) or email us at admin@griffithcollege.edu.au

I’m feeling sick, what should I do?

Please ensure you follow the directions of the Australian Government:

• Contact 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) immediately; and
• Call ahead to the medical centre or doctor’s surgery, advising of your symptoms (if attending a surgery)

Please make sure you continue your studies while you are at home. You can always email your teachers for help if you need assistance with anything.

I need to go home / I don’t want to study any more this trimester?

I’ve gone home already, but haven’t submitted a program withdrawal. What do I do?

What kind of academic support will be available through the Digital Campus?

Will the course accreditation be affected by the online delivery of programs?

Can I continue online learning when the borders are open again?

Once the travel restrictions are lifted, students should obtain a visa and travel to study in person. All students will be allowed a reasonable amount of time to organise their visa applications and living arrangements. Griffith College is in constant contact with students and will advise when it is safe to travel to Australia.

Can students study Diploma online?

Can students study MQP online?

Can students study Foundation online?

Yes, the Griffith College Foundation Program is currently being taught via online mode.

Are there any disadvantages to online learning?

While there may be an initial adjustment period, Griffith College utilises world class digital technology that ensures quality of learning for each of our students.

Do I interact with other students, or is it just a lecturer talking at me?

Both! All Griffith College courses are now offered in a small modular format and designed to assure high-quality education in both digital and face-to-face modes. While many lectures will be recorded in advance for you to view at your own convenience, there will be classes and tasks that require interaction with both the teacher and fellow classmates.

Do I need to be online at set times? what if you are not in Australia and in a different time zone?

Griffith College courses are designed to allow you to learn and complete tasks at your own pace and in your time. There will be some learning required to take place “live” and will be scheduled at a suitable time for international students.

Will exams be online?

Will I need textbooks to study online?

Where possible, Griffith College instructors will now use teaching materials that can be accessed digitally. In many cases, you may be asked to purchase the digital version of a textbook that is also available as a hard copy. While you may elect to purchase assigned texts as a hard copy, it is recommended and often cheaper to purchase the digital copy.

How do we do study groups and do group assignments?

Griffith College instructors always include group tasks in their course design. However, the specific requirements of these tasks will vary considerably by discipline and teacher. For group tasks completed in class time, Griffith College prefers instructors to use resources available through Zoom or Moodle. Again, this will vary based on class size, internet accessibility, time constraints and the specific requirements of the task.

How do I undertake lab classes?

In some instances, virtual labs replace existing labs. In other courses the focus moves towards the practice and theory behind the lab activity that is pre-recorded by the tutor.

What is online teaching? What is a virtual classroom?

The online learning environment at Griffith College delivers teaching with no physical or on-campus class sessions and will continue to do so until it is safe to be back on campus. During the travel ban, we will conduct courses via Zoom, a communication platform that offers an online virtual classroom.

Will all the same academic policies apply to our online study as they do to on campus study?

What are the minimum and maximum subjects I can do online?

If you have a current student visa and you are studying online in Australia or from your home country, you are expected to study the equivalent of a full-time load (3 or 4 subjects). The maximum any student can undertake in any one trimester is 4 subjects. If you are an international student without a student visa intending to study online while you are outside Australia, you would be encouraged to study a full-time load to ensure that you can complete your study in a timely manner. Requests to undertake reduced study load requires College approval.

Can Masters Qualifying Program (MQP) students complete the entire program online if they can’t arrive on campus?

Can a student get an extension to the deadline for an assessment task?

The maximum extension of time for an assessment task (that is not an exam) has been increased and compassionate circumstances have been broadened to allow extensions for students who have been impacted by COVID-19. These include difficulties with accessing online resources, or submitting assignments online. If you experience difficulties in obtaining a medical certificate to support a deferred assessment or a special consideration application, please discuss your individual circumstances with your course convenor. The College will also offer supplementary assessments to students due to graduate in Trimester 1 2020 who have not passed a final course.

How will my academic progress be impacted?

In order to minimise the impacts of COVID-19 on your academic progress, there will be no reviews of student performance resulting in exclusion on academic grounds. We understand that students will face some unexpected challenges and we will be looking at students’ circumstances on a case-by-case basis. Students are advised to communicate regularly with their teachers, with the Student Learning Advisors or the Welfare Counsellors if they face specific challenges that prevent them from doing their best in this new environment.

What is Griffith College’s plan for moving subjects to online study?

The College has now moved all classes to 100% online delivery and you will be able to access your learning content via myStudy.

What is the situation with exams for this Trimester(1)?

There will be no on-campus examinations during Trimester 1 and, with a small number of exceptions, our end-of-trimester 1 exams will be conducted online, as take-home open book examinations or redesigned as other forms of assessment. Affected students will be advised by their Program Convenor.

Will studying online affect my attendance?

Can I fly home and continue to study my subjects online?

Can I stay in Australia and continue to study my subjects online?

Our recommendation would be to stay in Australia and continue your study online, this means that once the current restrictions are lifted, you will be ready to come back on campus.

Australian government

Stay informed. Download the official government “Coronavirus Australia” app.

• Apple app store
• Google Play
• Whatsapp channel

Queensland government

• Study Queensland
• Tenants Queensland – seeks to represent the concerns of all Queensland tenants who live in rental accommodation, including caravan park and boarding house residents

Health and wellbeing

• MyAus COVID-19 – A resource app for information about the COVID-19 virus and how it impacts you in Australia in over 20 languages.
• Department of Health: Head to Health – Discussions and concerns around the coronavirus outbreak and practising self-isolation can be stressful and impact our mental health and wellbeing.
• OHSC: Telehealth Service – Allianz Global Assistance offers OSHC and OVHC members a service that allows you to speak to a qualified doctor 24/7 via phone or video call.
• Practical Help: Ask Izzy – When you’re looking for support, Ask Izzy can help you to find the services you need, now and nearby.
• Action for Happiness – Action for Happiness helps people take action for a happier and kinder world
• Healthy diet guides