How to apply to add a Foundation Program to CRICOS

Foundation Programs

Foundation Programs for overseas students are nationally recognised courses that provide an academic entry pathway to first-year undergraduate study or its equivalent.

Only education institutions registered under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act) and listed on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) can enrol overseas students to study in Australia on a student visa.

TEQSA has regulatory responsibility for Foundation Programs delivered by registered higher education providers, and Foundation Programs delivered by education providers with an entry arrangement with at least one registered higher education provider. TEQSA is the ESOS agency responsible for registering and renewing registration on CRICOS by these providers.

Foundation Programs must comply with requirements set out in the:

• ESOS Act
• National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (National Code 2018)
• Education Services for Overseas Students (Foundation Program Standards) Instrument 2021 (Foundation Program Standards).

Self-assurance report

TEQSA requires that providers seeking to add a Foundation Program to their CRICOS registration or renew an existing Foundation Program submit a self-assurance report.

A self-assurance report is an opportunity for providers to demonstrate the effectiveness of their self-assurance mechanisms.

The self-assurance report should consist of no more than 5 pages outlining how the provider’s governing body assures itself of the quality of its education operations in relation to its Foundation Program, and that it meets and will continue to meet the requirements of the ESOS Act, the National Code 2018 and the Foundation Program Standards.

Note: All claims made in the self-assurance report must be substantiated by evidence, with reference to specific supporting documents in-text. Wherever possible, supporting evidence should be directly accessible via in-text hyperlinks, included as attachments to the report where specified, or otherwise listed in an index for later submission on request.

Adding a new Foundation Program

As part of the self-assurance report, providers wishing to add a new Foundation Program to CRICOS should:

1. Provide evidence of how risks have been identified, managed and mitigated, and how the provider will manage these risks going forward, including areas for continuous improvement, and associated actions and measures to monitor success.
2. Demonstrate how the provider manages key sector risks in the following areas:

Note: TEQSA expects that providers specialising in the delivery of Foundation Programs will adapt advice addressed to the higher education sector to the needs of their student cohort.

3. Outline the findings, actions arising, and resulting outcomes of at least one review by a suitably qualified discipline expert that verifies that the course is compliant with the Foundation Programs Standards. A copy of the review should be included as an attachment to the self-assurance report. See the section Commissioning a review of compliance with the Foundation Program Standards below for further information.
4. Provide evidence of the course’s approval and oversight through the provider’s internal quality assurance mechanisms.
5. Outline whether the program is delivered as a standard or extended Foundation Program.
6. Outline whether the program is delivered as a streamed or generalist program.
7. Verify that the scheduled English language hours are compliant with requirements under Standard 5 of the Foundation Programs Standards.
8. Provide evidence of the formal measures the provider has implemented to ensure that assessment outcomes for the English language subjects are comparable to other criteria used for admission to the available higher education pathways, or for admission to other similar courses of study.

Renewing an existing Foundation Program

TEQSA requires CRICOS-registered providers who deliver Foundation Programs to apply for re-accreditation of their Foundation Program(s) at the same time they are applying to renew their CRICOS registration. For these providers, the application to renew their Foundation Program(s) is integrated into the application to renew their CRICOS registration.

These providers will submit 2 self-assurance reports as part of their CRICOS renewal: one focused on the CRICOS re-registration requirements, and the other on the Foundation Program requirements.

• Access further information on applying for CRICOS renewal

As part of the self-assurance report, providers wishing to renew a Foundation Program should:

1. Provide evidence of how risks have been identified, managed and mitigated, and how the provider will manage these risks going forward, including areas for continuous improvement, and associated actions and measures to monitor success.
2. Demonstrate how the provider manages key sector risks in the following areas:

Note: TEQSA expects that providers specialising in the delivery of Foundation Programs will adapt sector-wide advice to the specific needs of their students.

3. Outline the findings, actions arising, and resulting outcomes of at least one review by a suitably qualified discipline expert that verifies that the course is compliant with the Foundation Programs Standards. A copy of the review should be included as an attachment to the self-assurance report. See the section Commissioning a review of compliance with the Foundation Program Standards below for further information.
4. Provide evidence of the course’s approval and oversight through the provider’s internal quality assurance mechanisms.
5. Outline whether the program is delivered as a standard or extended Foundation Program.
6. Outline whether the program is delivered as a streamed or generalist program.
7. Verify that the scheduled English language hours are compliant with requirements under Standard 5 of the Foundation Programs Standards.
8. Provide evidence of the formal measures the provider has implemented to ensure that assessment outcomes for the English language subjects are comparable to other criteria used for admission to the available higher education pathways, or for admission to other similar courses of study.
9. Outline any changes that have been made to the Foundation Program since it was last approved by TEQSA or another ESOS agency:
   
   1. where the provider has made significant changes that entail any of the following, if the changes are to be implemented at the time of reregistration the provider is to outline those changes, and the rationale for their implementation:
      
      1. changes, whether incremental or at one time, to more than 25% of the total number of course units or subjects from the time the Foundation Program was last approved by the ESOS agency for the provider
      2. substantial variations to course delivery, or
      3. substantial changes to course nomenclature, duration, entry requirements, outcomes or structure.
   2. where the provider has made any other changes, the provider will need to submit evidence of their approval by the provider’s academic board.

If significant changes are made to courses at any other time, providers are reminded of their obligation to notify TEQSA via a material change notification outlining the changes, and the rationale for those changes. See TEQSA’s website for further advice on notifications required of CRICOS-registered providers.

Commissioning a review of compliance with the Foundation Program Standards

TEQSA strongly encourages providers to commission a review by a suitably qualified discipline expert to verify their Foundation Programs’ compliance with the ESOS Act, the National Code 2018 and the Foundation Program Standards. Commissioning a review can be an effective way for a provider to check that the design of their Foundation Program and their institutional policies, procedures and practice are fit for purpose.

The engagement of an independent expert should be seen primarily as an opportunity to contribute to self-assurance and the continuous improvement of the organisation, rather than a method to meet TEQSA or other requirements. TEQSA expects providers can show how they have reflected on the recommendations made and identified and implemented improvements, both of which are critical elements of a healthy self-assurance and quality improvement process.

Reviewers’ professional experience and qualifications should match the requirements of the review task, and reviewers should be briefed before the assignment and given clear specifications for the task. TEQSA has prepared a sample brief for reviewers, to indicate our expectations in relation to the scope of the review.

• Access the Foundation sample review brief
• Access the sector update: Engaging an independent expert to undertake a review

Application for exemption to enrol students under the age of 17 in Foundation Programs

Providers seeking to apply for an exemption to enrol students under the age of 17 (minimum acceptable age is 16) in a Foundation Program must apply to TEQSA detailing arrangements in place to support younger students.

The application must meet the regulatory requirements, include all requested information, and be submitted through the provider portal. If approved, the exemption will be aligned with the provider’s CRICOS registration, and valid until the CRICOS registration end date. No fees apply for seeking an exemption.

More details on accessing the application forms can be obtained by emailing cricos@teqsa.gov.au.

Further information

For more information or assistance with applying to add a Foundation Program to CRICOS, please contact the CRICOS team at cricos@teqsa.gov.au.