Introduction
The Certification Issuance Policy was formulated taking cognisance of the Division 2- Compliance Standards, 2025 Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), the Student Identifiers Act 2024, and the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Qualifications Issuance Policy.
The policy applies to the finalisation of learners’ assessment and the issuance of all AQF certification documentation.
Scope and Application
This policy applies to all learners of the college, who:
- Successfully complete all requirements for the units of competency in a qualification
- Successfully complete all requirements for a number of units of competency in a qualification and are entitled to a Statement of Attainment
- Enrol in and successfully complete a specified unit of competency and are entitled to a Statement of Attainment.
This policy is to be applied to the issuance, by the College, of all testamurs, including digital and physical certificates, (certificates), digital or physical records of results (record) and Statements of Attainment to learners.
Overview
The College’s primary purpose is the provision of quality vocational education and training programs to learners.
To specify the conditions under which the College will apply its Certification Issuance Policy to finalise learners’ results and issue all AQF certification documentation, including verifying learners’ Unique Student Identifier (USI).
The College will apply this policy consistently and fairly across all programs and any learner enrolled into a program at the College, ensuring alignment with digital integration requirements under the 2025 RTO Standards, such as AI-enhanced assessment tools for personalised feedback.
Policy
In compliance with the 2025, Standards for RTOs, the College has implemented an assessment system that fulfils the requirements of the relevant training package. All assessment instruments are mapped and training products validated (both pre- and post-assessment) to ensure assessment is conducted in accordance with the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.
Learners must successfully complete all required units of competency to be awarded certification for the nationally recognised qualification in which they are enrolled.
Learners who do not complete the course in its entirety will be issued a Statement of Attainment for the units in which they successfully demonstrated competency.
Graduation and Certification
In accordance with the Compliance 2025 Standards for RTOs, the College issues Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) certification documentation:
- only to learners who have fully demonstrated competence in all training product requirements, and
- evidence of this has been demonstrated, and
- has paid to the College all agreed fees associated with the training product.
The College recognises that inappropriately issued certification poses a significant risk to the College’s reputation and to the VET sector. To reduce this risk, the College has a centralised process for issuance of certification.
The College will issue AQF certification documentation to a learner within 30 calendar days of the learner’s being assessed as successfully meeting all requirements of the training product.
Where the learner requires a physical copy of their Certification, they may do so upon request to the college, to their nominated Australian address, at a cost to learner.
AQF qualifications
The College complies with the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy by ensuring all learners who complete a program of learning that leads to the award of an AQF qualification receive the following certification documentation on award of the qualification:
- a certificate, and
- a record of results.
Learners are entitled to retain their certificates and records of results once they have been issued unless the AQF qualification is revoked under the terms of the College’s policy.
Certificates issued by the College for all AQF qualifications are identified using an AQF logo authorised by the AQF Council. The AQF logo is not used on certification documentation for non-AQF qualifications.
The College provides information on the certificate and record of results sufficient to ensure the documentation can be authenticated and to reduce fraudulent use. The certificate and record of results contains the information needed to correctly identify the:
- Issuing organisation – name, RTO code and RTO logo
- Learner who is entitled to receive the AQF qualification
- Awarded AQF qualification by its code and full title
- Date of issue/award
- AQF and NRT Logo
- Person/s in the organisation authorised to issue the documentation, and
- College’s embossed seal as an additional authentication and security measure
- Individual certificate number
Statement of attainment
The issuance of a statement of attainment recognises that learners do not always study a complete AQF qualification. Learners who have completed one or more accredited units in these circumstances are entitled to receive a statement of attainment. A record of results may also be issued.
The statement of attainment correctly identifies the person entitled to receive the statement, the accredited units by their code and full title and the date issued.
The College ensures the statement of attainment is in a form that ensures it cannot be mistaken for a certificate for a full AQF qualification. It includes the statement:
‘A statement of attainment is issued when an individual has completed one or more accredited units’.
Learners are entitled to retain the statement of attainment once it has been issued unless it is revoked under the terms of the College’s policy.
The College understands it is responsible for authentication and verification of a learner’s statement of attainment and has in place mechanisms to reduce fraudulent reproduction and use of the statements of attainment it issues.
The College has a policy that permits the replacement of statements of attainment and takes responsibility for authentication and verification of any replacement documentation.
The College includes the following information on a statement of attainment:
- issuing organisation – name, RTO code and RTO logo
- learner who is entitled to receive the statement of attainment
- awarded AQF qualification by its code and full title
- date of issue/award
- NRT Logo only
- the words ‘A VET statement of attainment is issued by an NVR registered training organisation when an individual has completed one or more accredited units or modules’
- where units of competency form part of a VET course/qualification the statement – ‘These competencies form part of [code and full title of the relevant VET qualification/course]
- where units of competency have been attained in course of completing a VET course – the words, ‘These competencies were attained in completion of [VET course code] course in [full title of the VET course]’; and
- person/s in the organisation authorised to issue the documentation, and
- the College’s embossed seal as an additional authentication and security measure.
Note: The College does not include the learner’s USI on its certificates, statements of attainment or records of results, consistent with the Student Identifiers Act 2014 and 2025 Standards for RTOs.
Revocation of qualifications and Statements of Attainment
The College may require the return of a certificate, record of results or Statement of Attainment in the following circumstances:
- In an instance where an alleged fraud or dishonesty has been substantiated, the CEO may revoke the qualification or Statement of Attainment and require its return on the grounds that the qualification or Statement of Attainment was improperly obtained.
- When a request for replacement of an original record of results or Statement of Attainment is submitted: in cases where a graduate makes an application for a replacement certificate due to damage or legal name change, the graduate is required to return the original document prior to being issued the replacement.
- Due to an error, that is, where the College’s record of results or Statement of Attainment was issued erroneously or contained incorrect details, the College will request the return of the documentation.
- In the unlikely event that the College is directed by the national regulator to revoke a qualification or Statement of Attainment issued to learners
Record retention
The College maintains the following in accordance with the AQF qualification Register Policy:
- All AQF qualifications the College is authorised to issue, and
- AQF qualifications and VET statements of Attainment issue by the college.
The AQF Certification records are maintained in an accurate and retrievable manner and includes sufficient information to identify the following:
- The holder of the qualification or statement
- The qualification or units issued by full and correct title
- The date of issuing
- The certificate number or other unique identifier allocated to by the College
- And if the certification documentation is an original or a reissue.
The College retains records of all AQF certification documentation issued for a period of 30 years.
The College ensures that current and previously enrolled learners are able to access copies of their retained AQF certification documentation on request.
Replacement, authentication and verification
The College permits replacement or re-issuance of the AQF certification documentation where the original document is lost, stolen or damaged or destroyed, subject to identity verification and payment of an applicable fee.
The request must be submitted to the College.
Administrative fee may apply for replacement or re-issuing AQF Certification.
Prior to processing replacement or re-issuance request, the College may require verification of learner’s identity. Verification may include:
- Learner’s identity
- Registered email address
- Course enrolment period
- Unique Student Identifier (USI)
- Passport or other valid government -issued identification
- And any other form to ascertain the claim