NSW Fair Trading Minister, Linda Burney, today warned young people who did not get into their preferred university course to be wary when selecting an alternative avenue of study.

Ms Burney said with the university admissions process in full swing, the reality is dawning for many students that they won’t be able to follow their dream.

“Over the next few weeks we will see advertisements for all sorts of training courses and young people must be careful to avoid being duped into paying for so-called qualifications that are not worth the paper they’re printed on,” Ms Burney said.

“Students should take the time to do their homework before signing up for private courses.

“Last year, Fair Trading received 318 complaints regarding training and educational courses, mostly disputes over fees and refunds, misleading information and course quality.

“Some students discover too late that their private course ‘qualifications’ are not recognised in the relevant industry and they have wasted their time and money.”

Ms Burney said students should check that any private training providers are registered and that the course is properly accredited and recognised.

“Details of registered training organisations, and thousands of accredited courses can be found on the National Training Information Service website at www.ntis.gov.au.

“Also, most industries have member associations who can usually provide information about their industry and the courses and qualifications they recognise.”

Ms Burney said students intending to do any course should:

• shop around for the course that best suits their needs
• find out what courses are offered through TAFE -  www.tafensw.edu.au 
• be wary of making large up-front payments for private courses
• read the contract carefully, especially cancellation and refund conditions.

Students who have a complaint about a course or a company offering courses are encouraged to lodge a complaint online.

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