CaseTrust for Education

CaseTrust for Education and Student Protection Scheme is aimed primarily at the Private Education Organisation (PEO) sector in Singapore which is a key provider within the education service industry to greatly enhance best student protection and welfare practices.

CaseTrust for Education

ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) has attained CaseTrust for Education in August 2005.

The CaseTrust for Education scheme has been customised specifically by CASE for the education industry in Singapore. The scheme will enhance the confidence of international students and their parents in the quality of education in Singapore.

The regulatory framework focuses on building trustworthiness, professionalism, as well as business and academic excellence. It has two tiers. First, an essential or mandatory tier, which requires Private Schools to ensure high quality student welfare practices and standards and gives Private Schools the right to enrol international students. Second, a voluntary tier, tied to privileges, is focused on enhancing business and academic excellence. CaseTrust for Education is part of the essential tier under the regulatory framework.

A PEO that achieves CaseTrust for Education is certified as an organisation that has adopted the good practices for student protection and welfare practices and standards. The good practices that PEOs need to put in place under CaseTrust include:

• Clear Fee Policies
  Clearly articulated and documented policies on course fees and fee refund which are fully disclosed to the student and adhered to according to the terms and conditions of the contract between the PEO and the student.
  
• Well-Defined Student Redress Practices and Systems
  A student-redress system with proper and clearly defined dispute resolution mechanisms for the student and the PEO. This will include mediation by CASE mediation centre and recourse to the Small Claims Tribunals and the Courts, if necessary.
  
• Disclosure of the PEOs' Commitment Quality
  A self-declaration by the Chief Executive Officer of the PEO clearly spelling out quality criteria such as the school's student-teacher ratio, the student fee, refund and redress policies, the size and number of the classrooms in the PEO, the number of full-time teachers/lecturers and other relevant information that will be of interest to all its students. This information will be made easily available for all (e.g. in the PEO's website).
  
• Well-Trained Personnel
  PEOs must ensure that it has strong academic and administrative staff who are capable of delivering quality educational programmes as well as providing excellent student services.

Since 1 September 2005, all PEOs that want to enroll international students need to have CaseTrust for Education status.

View ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) CaseTrust for Education Certificate

Student Protection Scheme (SPS)

The SPS serves to protect the students' fees in the event a PEO is unable to continue operations due to insolvency and/or regulatory closure. It also protects the student if the PEO fails to pay penalties or to return fees to students arising from the judgments made against it by the Singapore courts. There are two schemes under the SPS that PEOs can choose:

• Student Tuition Fee Account (Escrow) run by DBS Bank or HSBC.
  Tuition fees paid by the students to the PEOs will have to be left in the custody of a third party, in this case the CASE-endorsed banks, DBS Bank and HSBC, participating in the Student Tuition Fee Account (Escrow) scheme. When specified conditions for its release have been met, the banks will disburse the tuition fees on a regular basis to the PEO. The disbursement will stop if the PEO is unable to continue operations due to insolvency and/or regulatory closure or if the PEO fails to pay penalties or to return fees to students arising from judgments made against it by the Singapore courts.
  
• Student Tuition Fee Insurance run by NTUC Income.
  The Student Tuition Fee Insurance indemnifies students for their tuition fees paid in advance to the PEO for the following events:
  
  • When the PEO is unable to continue operations due to insolvency and/or regulatory closure or if the PEO fails to pay penalties or to return fees to students arising from judgements made against it by the Singapore courts, or
    
  • Upon death or total permanent disability of the student.
    

ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) has taken up the Student Tuition Fee Account (Escrow) run by HSBC.

Click here to view ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence)’s Master Escrow Agreement with HSBC.

View Student Protection Scheme Application

For more information please visit http://www.case.org.sg

Refund Policy

For withdrawal from a course, the existing Student Pass will need to be submitted to ICA for cancellation – the student must not overstay in Singapore, unless with the approval from ICA

Withdrawal for cause: Subject to force majeure, the Student shall be entitled to immediately withdraw from the Course by giving written notice to ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) of his/her intention to do so under the following circumstances:

1. ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) fails, for any reasons, to commence the Course on the Commencement Date;
   
2. ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) fails, for any reasons, to complete the Course by the Completion Date;
   
3. ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) terminates the Course for any reason prior to the completion of the Course;
   
4. ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) is in material breach of its obligations under this Agreement
   

Refunds for Withdrawal for Cause:

ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) shall, as soon as practicable after receiving the Student’s notice of withdrawal for cause (and in any event no more than fourteen (14) days after receiving such notice) refund to the Student:

1. the entire amount of the Tuition Fees; and
   
2. the Non-Tuition Fees and/or Additional Fees*;
   

less any applicable bank administrative charges properly payable/paid under Clause 3.

Withdrawal Without Cause and Refunds:

Where the Student withdraws from the Course for any reason other than those set out in Clause 2.1 or Clause 6, the PEO shall, subject to Clause 3.4, as soon as practicable after receiving the Student’s written notice of withdrawal (and in any event no more than fourteen (14) working days after receiving such notice) refund to the Student the entire amount (100%) of the Deposit (less all such deductions which the PEO is entitled to make in accordance with Clause 1.8) together with the following sums (less any applicable bank administrative charges properly paid/payable under Clause 3):

Student Contract

1) All international students enrolling in ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) are required to enter into the Standard Student Contract (International) endorsed by the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) with the ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence). A sample of this contract is available at - HERE

2) Local students may (optional) enter into the Standard Student Contract (Local) endorsed by the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) with the ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence). A sample of this contract is available at - HERE

Grievance Procedure

If you have any grievances or complaints, you should report to Student Services as soon as possible by completing the Student Feedback Form. This is available at the Student Service Counter at 343, River Valley Road, ERCI.

The following is the process for handling grievances/complaints:

• Upon receipt of a grievance/complaint, Student Services will look into the matter.
  
• If Student Services is unable to resolve the grievance/complaint, it will be escalated to the respective Academic Head.
  
• If the Academic Head is unable to resolve the grievance/complaint, it will be escalated to the Chief Operation Officer.
  
• The student shall receive a final decision or formal reply within 14 days from the date of receipt of the grievance/complaint.
  

In the event that the student and ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) are unable to resolve a dispute in accordance with the grievance procedure, the Student and ERCI (formally known as Asian Centre for Professional Excellence) shall refer the dispute to the Case Mediation Centre for mediation prior to instituting any legal action or proceedings.

Download Student Tuition Fees Insurance Policy