1. When does the Shafston HSP program start?
Shafston is ready to welcome students from 18 April 2022 for Brisbane Campus and 1 August for Gold coast campus.
Students can commence any Monday from these dates, but recommended start dates, you can refer our calendar: Link
2. Preferred start dates are listed on the website, are these the only dates I can commence my course?
- Students are welcome to commence any Monday
- As all students are tested on orientation day, 1st day of the school, the student will be placed accordingly into the class which matches their proficiency level after the test and orientation session, and can then commence class.
- All students are catered for regardless of ‘when’ they commence as there is weekly assessment and student progress is closely monitored and tracked by the teachers.
- Shafston wishes to offer ease of entry and flexibility for students wishing to enrol and study in this long-term intensive English preparation program.
3. What is the minimum number of weeks I can study?
- Shafston will accept students into the PEP/HSP program who study for a minimum of 2-weeks full time. However, these are a serious school pathway preparation course for Australian school entry, it is not designed for short term enrolments, so it’s not recommended for the short-term enrolment less than 5 weeks.
4. What is the maximum number of weeks I can study?
- The Shafston PEP program (107819A) and HSP Program (106230E) has been accredited for a total of 40 and 64-weeks respectively.
5. How many holidays will I have during my course?
There is school Christmas holiday of 2 weeks each year.
Up to 1 week is permitted after whole program with Shafston and before the starting of pathway schools, as per the accredited course. The DOS will speak to the student 3-weeks before the ‘break’ to discuss the student’s intentions over the ‘break’ period.
The intended one week break is to enable the student to prepare for entry and take up their offer at an Australian schools. This means, the student can purchase the school uniform, books, meet with the Year level coordinator, etc. However, if the student is NOT entering an Australian schools:
- The student is permitted to take break as per the accredited course as long as subject to satisfying the welfare conditions;
- If the student does not wish to have a break – the DOS will confirm with the student that the student is to continue in regular class; the student must attend full time, and no extra fees will be payable in this instance.
- Other – case by case and discussed with DOS.
6. Do I need to attend classes 5 days a week? (Monday to Friday)
Yes, the student must attend 5 days a week and satisfy all visa conditions.
7. Is there an entrance test that I need to pass to be enrolled?
Yes, there is a compulsory on-shore placement test and the students is tested on his/her first day at Shafston and interviewed by the DOS.
Students can also take the off-shore test which is available on the Shafston website. This test is also available via an off-shore agent, or upon request from a Shafston marketing staff member.
8. Are new applicants required to take the offshore test on application?
It is optional for prospective students to take the offshore test. However, we strongly advise all students to try the test and send the test to our DOS (Director of Studies) who can then recommend the number of weeks you ought to study, as well as assist you with any questions about your level of English.
9. Can I study this course on a tourist visa?
Yes you can study on a tourist visa and enrol for a minimum of 2 weeks but recommended to enrol more than 5 weeks in the Shafston PEP/HSP program.
10. How many weeks can I study at Shafston on a tourist visa?
Minimum number of weeks: 2 weeks in the Shafston PEP/HSP program (but recommended for more than 5 weeks)
Maximum number of weeks: as per tourist visa is 3 months
Click to Know More about Tourist Visa
11. Do I need to have welfare with Shafston or can I satisfy Immigration with welfare from a family member in Australia?
Student visa applicants who are under 18 years of age, must meet the welfare arrangements as stipulated by the Department of Home Affairs.
The student’s welfare must be maintained for the duration of their stay in Australia as a student visa condition.
To maintain welfare, overseas students can either:
- Stay in Australia with a ‘nominated guardian’ approved by the Dept. of Home Affairs, who can be the overseas student’s parent, person who has legal custody, or an eligible relative who is aged over 21 and is of good character; or
- Stay in accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements that have been approved by overseas student’s registered provider. In this case, the registered provider will issue a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter.
If the student has notified Shafston that they do not require Shafston to assist with this – it is important that the student’s eligible relative met the conditions, and have an appropriate visa or have applied for a Student Guardian visa (subclass 590).
An eligible relative is:
- A parent, spouse, de factor partner, brother, sister, step-parent, step-brother, step-sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew, or step-grandparent, step-aunt, step-uncle, step-niece or step-nephew; and
- Nominated by a parent of the applicant or a person who has custody of the applicant; and
Aged at least 21 years; and
- Of good character, and show this by providing a police clearance from the countries in which they have lived for more than 12 months in the past 10 years after the age of 16; and
- An Australian citizen, permanent resident or be eligible to remain in Australia until the overseas student’s visa expires of the overseas student turns 18 years of age (which ever happens first).
The Department of Home Affairs will assess the nominated arrangements according to the Migration Regulations 1994, and if approved, the parent, legal custodian or eligible relative will be the overseas ‘nominated guardian’. The registered provider is not involved and must not issue a CAAW letter.
12. If my welfare is provided by a Shafston homestay family, can I request additional breaks between my study and continue to stay with homestay family?
No.
- No extra additional breaks are permitted unless there are extenuating circumstances (for example documented health issues by a GP/specialist)
13. Am I required to attend Orientation before I commence my course?
Yes it is compulsory. All students are required to attend orientation at Shafston and complete the day one requirements.
The Orientation program is a very important part of your Shafston Orientation Program Check Point. There is a page in the Shafston COMPASS Diary for our staff to sign off with you.
14. Do I need to have an upcoming enrolment at an Australian High School to enrol to study at Shafston?
- No. Some of our students will have an pathway and an on-going pre-conditional offer to enter one of our partner high schools. Some students are still looking for a partner high school – so we can help you with this important decision.
- Shafston can assist all HSP students to apply for entry into a local Brisbane and Gold Coast high schools. The student is advised to bring the necessary documentation (previous school reports from his/her home country, for at least the previous two years).
- (If you are applying for entry into an inter-state high school, please speak to Shafston staff for more information and assistance).
15. Can I study this course if I am over 18 and I have a pre-conditional offer to enter an Australian high school?
Yes. Remember to speak to Shafston staff and show us your pre-conditional offer letter, so we can work together to assist you with your transition to high school after you complete your Shafston preparation course.
16. What happens if the Shafston HSP student turns 18 during the course of their Shafston HSP program and are living in homestay? Can the student move out?
No, Shafston does not allow independent living even if the student has turned 18 years of age. The student must remain in the Shafston approved homestay or continue to live with the parent, legal custodian or relative approved by the Australian Government.
17. What if the student is able to commence a pathway offer before the Shafston HSP course has ended?
If the student meets the pre-conditional offer of the pathway high school before the end of the Shafston HSP program and there is written acceptance for the student to commence and take up this offer then the student must provide written proof of this, with the commencement date for their high school pathway course.
- The student will not be able to accept the offer if it is entry into another ELICOS-HSP program, as these are essentially the same sector preparation programs.
- The remaining unused weeks will be held in credit at Shafston for one-year.
- Please refer to the Shafston refund policy for further information.
A student who is under 18 and is enrolled in two or more courses with different providers must show evidence that they have continuous welfare arrangements in place. If the education providers are approving these arrangements, there must not be a gap in between the dates nominated by both providers.
Shafston is obligated by the National Code to advise the Department of Home Affairs as soon as possible in the event that the under 18 year old student has changed his or her living arrangements or the registered provider no longer approves of the arrangements.
If Shafston reports the student for changing his or her living arrangements and the provider approves of the changed arrangements, the Department of Home Affairs will be informed of the change but no further action will be taken.
If Shafston reports the student for changing his or her living arrangements and the provider no longer approves of the arrangements, the student is in breach of student visa condition 8532 and their visa may be subject to cancellation.
Remember to check this for more information: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500/welfare-arrangements-students-under-18
18. "I have an enquiry from an agent – they would like to send a 15 year old to study for 8 weeks in the full time HSP program, in their school holidays January – February. The student will be on a visitor visa, and will be in homestay."
Shafston would still like the student to:
- Complete the off-shore placement test.
- Live in extra-care homestay
- Please make sure you have discussed the sample HSP timetable and the student understands that this is a serious academic pathway program to prepare students for entry into an Australian high school.
- We recognise that by joining this program, the student may possibly return in the future to study in this program on a student visa, so it can also be a great taster-experience for the student to be part of this program.
- It may be 'holidays' in the student home-country, it is important to stress that it is not a 'holiday' on this program.
Questions / more information – please contact Shafston International College.
19. I am only in the course for eight weeks, do I need to pay the uniform fee?
The uniform is included as part of the learning material fee.
20. "My Homestay family won’t be picking me up until 4.30 pm, am I allowed to leave the campus and then be back in time for my family".
No students in the Shafston HSP program are permitted to leave the campus at any time. Students must go to the "afternoon club" and are fully supervised by a member of our Shafston team E.g. Homework Club.
21. Am I allowed to smoke?
No. Students in the HSP program are not permitted to smoke.