Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the GEM College difference?
At GEM College you aren’t just a number. We put you first and helping you beyond attaining your qualification. We provide advocacy for our students and graduates throughout their career. We can work with you in designing a Professional Development Plan that will empower you to achieve career success towards achieving your highest potential.. We can offer industry advice, support and mentoring, and advocacy to Universities to assist you gaining entry to post graduate qualifications at Master’s level.
We offer a fantastic range of courses to Graduate Diploma level, with electives across project management, Leadership, Management, Workplace Health and Safety, and Vocational Education and Training.
If you’re looking for an RTO that will focus on YOU, and put you first, we will work with you throughout your career.
How do I enrol in a course?
You can enrol in a GEM College program any time. We offer courses through licensed GEM College campuses and online. So you can enrol any time. Our Support Team will assist you throughout your Student Journey, to ensure you are undertaking the course most appropriate to your immediate and your long term needs. To view a list of courses, available dates and to express your interest in enrolling online, go to Click here
How long will my course take?
Different courses take different amounts of time. We have short courses that will take approximately 4 hours, to give you the immediate help you need to address an urgent issue, and we have more than 25 qualifications that can take between 6 months and 3 years. Depending on your needs, your commitment, and your available time (part-time/full-time and your choice of study option) we can provide you with all your learning needs.
Course Inclusions & Support
As a GEM College learner you will be provided with a comprehensive Learner Guide, an Assessment Guide and access to the GEM College Online Campus with an interactive Onscreen Guide, supplemented with additional information, video support and activities. All Guides and full learner support are included in your course fees, and provided on commencement of your course. Our highly experienced, qualified Trainers and Assessors, Online Tutors and Management are available to answer any questions and resolve any difficulties you may have while building your competencies. Always feel free to contact us immediately if you are unsure of any requirements or if you feel you need assistance.
Learning Difficulties or Disabilities
GEM College exists “to assist each individual and corporation towards achieving their highest potential and to help make the world a safer place to work”. We will do our best to cater for all clients as we recognise we are all different and face challenges. Whether you have a confirmed disability, a learning difficulty, a concern about acceptance, or are worried about commencing or completing your training, please discuss your concerns as we walk you through the Student Journey prior to enrolling. We will assist you and find a way to accommodate you as best we can.
How much will my course cost & what is included?
The Course Overview for each qualification clearly sets out the Course Fees. The Board of Directors of GEM College provides full and partial Scholarships each year, under our Each One Trains One program. If you believe you are deserving of a Scholarship (full or partial) we invite you to discuss this as we walk you through the Student Journey prior to enrolling. Depending on the course, a deposit of $500 is required upon enrolment. If cash flow is an issue for you, we are happy to discuss and arrange a payment plan tailored to your situation.
How do I pay for my Course?
GEM College has a range of payment options for industry groups and for individuals, including:
- Industry:
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- 20% deposit
- 30% half way through Group Training
- 30% upon completion of Group Training
- 20% upon final sign off of competent individuals
- Individuals:
- PayPal – select “Yes to pay now” in your enrolment form and complete your payment with a secure PayPal transaction (no fees)
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- Direct Credit – select “No” to the “pay now” question in your enrolment form. We will send an invoice with our Bank Account details.
- VISA or Mastercard Credit Card – select “No” to the “pay now” question in your enrolment form. We will send an invoice and payment can be made at our Reception or by phone. (Note: a 2% fee applies for all Visa/Mastercards)
What fees do I pay if I need to transfer my course to another date?
Individual GEM College Campuses have their own procedures. Generally speaking, GEM College does not charge a transfer fee so long as the GEM College Campus is advised at least 7 days prior to the start date. If advised at short notice a licensed GEM College Campus reserves the right to apply a transfer fee as per its cancellation policy or to offer enrolment in the GEM College Online Campus
We advise that you discuss your circumstances with your local GEM College Campus administrator, as other fees may be incurred in some circumstances, such as:
- cancellation of course without notice or short notice
- Extension to the Term of your Course
- re-issue of Certificates, if lost or miss-placed by you
Will my personal information be safe - Privacy Policy?
Client Records, Privacy and Confidentiality
Our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy applies to all licensed GEM College Campuses’ staff, students, clients and stakeholders, and to the GEM College Online Campus Team. This Policy is available to all students on our website (see LINK) and a hard copy may be made available on request.
GEM College strives for world’s best practice in customer service, transparency and individual support in all we do.
All Student Policies are set out clearly for your information http://www.gem-college.com/
What if I am unhappy - can I appeal an assessment decision or raise a grievance?
Client Records, Privacy and Confidentiality
Our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy applies to all licensed GEM College Campuses’ staff, students, clients and stakeholders, and to the GEM College Online Campus Team. This Policy is available to all students on our website (see LINK) and a hard copy may be made available on request.
GEM College strives for world’s best practice in customer service, transparency and individual support in all we do.
All Student Policies are set out clearly for your information http://www.gem-college.com/
Assessments – Firstly, please discuss the decision and available options with your Scorpion Assessor so that you can fully understand the reason/s for the decision. Following this discussion, your Assessor may decide to reassess the evidence you have provided, and/or ask another Scorpion Assessor to moderate the assessment. You, or the Scorpion Assessor may request independent moderation from GEM College. You may be asked to submit further evidence to demonstrate your competency; and you will be involved at every stage of the moderation process, you and the Assessor will be advised of the outcome, and receive additional feedback to assist all parties in understanding the decision.
Grievances and Appeals
We are committed to ongoing improvements that will enhance the service that is provided to you, the client. Should you have any grievance with the way in which we have conducted business with you, we will listen to what you have to say. By doing so, hopefully, we will improve our service which, will in turn, benefit everyone accessing training through us.
In the first instance, any grievance should be discussed with the relevant Administrative person, Tutor or Facilitator. If they cannot resolve the problem to your satisfaction, it will then be referred to the Campus Manager. If the Campus Manager was your first point of contact or if the issue is still not resolved to your satisfaction, then the National Manager shall endeavour to resolve the matter. If the National Manager does not resolve the matter to your satisfaction, the Director-International Business or the Corporate Leader will be pleased to make an appointment and listen to your grievance. Further detail regarding our grievance and appeals policy is contained in our “Customer Service Charter and Grievance Policy” – refer to link above.
If you do not agree with the result given for an assessment task, you may appeal the assessment decision. You should first discuss the assessment result with your Tutor or Facilitator. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of that discussion, you can access the appeal process through the Campus Manager.
GEM College of International Business together with all licensed GEM College Campuses, hereby gives an assurance that no discrimination shall be made against an individual or organisation lodging a grievance. We view all criticism and suggested improvements as ways that will allow us to improve our service to you.
Formal complaints may also be made directly to the management of GEM College or, if you do not believe you have received fair treatment, to the Australian Skills and Quality Authority.
What is the cancellation policy?
Each GEM College Campus has its own discrete policy based on the needs of its other clients and its individual obligations.
Generally, Terms are:
- if 10 working days or more prior to course commencement – a refund less 20% administration fee applies
- if less than 10 working days prior to course commencement, a refund less 50% late cancellation fee applies
- If after the commencement of the program, NO refund applies
If you want/need to undertaken the course immediately, you may request being transferred to the GEM College Online Campus, so that your studies are not delayed or hindered.
Will my qualification be nationally or internationally recognised?
GEM College and its licensed GEM College Campuses, offer Australian Nationally Recognised Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, and Graduate Diploma courses. GEM College is a Registered Training Organisation (National Code: 0366). We adhere to strict industry standards as set down by the Australian Skills and Quality Authority (ASQA), ensuring your qualifications are recognised not only in Australia, but throughout the world, to be of sound quality and a consistent standard. You can learn more about our Scope of Registration and Managerial Agents, on the Australian Federal Government’s website, www.training.gov.au
When will I receive my qualification certificate?
When you have completed all of Assessment Tasks, and have transferred your competencies into your workplace (or similar organisation), you will be required to submit an Evidence Portfolio, including a Statement of Validation from a supervisor/manager within the workplace. Once your competencies have been assessed as having been met, either a Statement of Attainment or a Certificate of Qualification will be emailed (as a PDF) to you. A hard copy will be posted to you within thirty (30) working days. Parchments for full qualifications have a unique embossed seal ensuring they cannot be readily duplicated.
If you lose your original Certificate or if you do not receive it, you should contact us straight away as we can provide a replacement. There is a charge to replace parchments to cover the costs of printing and administration, re-issue and postage.
If your employer or another 3rd party requires us to confirm your Qualification is legitimate, then please contact us. There is no charge for this validation service, but we do require your written permission to protect your information – as per our Privacy Policy
Where is GEM College of International Business located?
The international office of GEM College is located in Adelaide, South Australia. Licensed GEM College campuses are established in different cities, in different countries around the world. You can see our licensed GEM College campuses here (SHOW LINK). If you are passionate about education, and interested in establishing a GEM College Campus in your city, contact GEM College’s Quality Control Unit Manager
What does a standard training day at a GEM College Campus involve?
Depending on the GEM College Campus, a standard training day would generally run to business hours, ie commencing at 9.00am with scheduled breaks for morning and afternoon tea, and lunch. However, different jurisdictions, different customs and individual GEM College Campuses may operate in different ways to best serve their clientele. Our motto is “Global Resources : Local Focus” and your local GEM College Campus manager knows what works best for you. What you can be sure of is comfortable training rooms with engaging training, group discussions and interactive training facilitated by qualified personnel with sound industry and workplace experience.
Depending on cultural norms, Coffee/Tea/Milo/Milk/Filtered Water will generally be provided for your course, but lunches may be your responsibility. Check with your GEM College Campus Manager to ensure your needs are met. Some GEM College Campuses have vending machines and hot drink facilities on-site; others have a kitchen with fridges for food preparation and storage available to students. Some provide lunch as part of the course costs.
For industry groups, professional catering can be arranged for your workers. Just let your GEM College Relationship Manager know what you require, and we will do all we can to ensure your requirements are met to your satisfaction.
What should I bring to my training?
GEM College will provide you with a Learner Guide, an Assessment Guide and a pen. Depending on your location, and the GEM College Campus layout, you may find that a desktop, laptop or tablet provided for your use, with Microsoft Office software installed. Accessing the GEM College Online Campus will be possible from any GEM College Campus offering e-learning or our Digital Marketing Academy courses. Any additional requirements will be included in your training pack, which may include Protective Clothing, gas/face masks, safety glasses, safety harnesses etc, depending on the course you have applied to undertake.
Your GEM College Campus Manager will notify you of any additional specific requirements you may need for your course participation.
What should I wear to my training?
Depending on the course that you have enrolled for, you may be required to wear special clothing or safety boots. However, generally, the standard required for training is Smart Casual clothing along with closed toe shoes, suitable for an office/administration work place.
Do I need to do anything before my training starts?
Different courses have different requirements. However, at the least, you will need to have completed an enrolment form, executed an Agreement to abide by GEM College Policies and provided any disclosures as requested by the GEM College Campus Manager.
Some courses involve prerequisite learning, as set down in the Course Overview others will require you to have completed preliminary workplace activities that are compulsory. If your course involves prerequisite learning, this will be clearly stated to you and any prerequisite material will be delivered to you in plenty of time, before the course begins, with clear instructions. If there is such a requirement, but you have not completed it prior to attending, you will not be able to commence the course. This will be for your own safety and the wellbeing of others who will be attending the program with you.
If you are working in an industry relevant to your study, you may wish to prepare some questions or real-life scenarios to bring with you. Our facilitators are ready to help you with any situations that may occur for you at work and we enjoy having up to the minute industry examples for YOU, our students.
How do I study by distance or online e-learning?
Most of our nationally recognised training is available through the GEM College Online Campus, or if you do not have access to the internet it can be provided by distance education, where we provide hard copies of the training materials to you. You can study from your home or remote location, with assessments required to be completed within a 12 – 36 month time frame from your enrolment date. You will be issued with Learner Guides for no more than 2 or 3 Units at a time, so that you do not feel overwhelmed.
To view a list of courses or to express an interest in enrolling online
Studying by Distance Education will involve materials being delivered to you via personal collection or by postal services – or if you have an email address, by email as pdfs.
e-Learning is facilitated through the GEM College Online Campus. You will be welcomed by our GEM College Online Campus Manager – and provided with your unique log in and password. You can contact your training facilitator at any time throughout your course for queries, assistance, support or explanations by email, phone or by personal appointment.
Your learning is flexible and self-paced, and where a licensed GEM College Campus is in your area, you may convert to a classroom option, in most cases, without any fee penalty.
Note: to avoid being swamped, and to ensure your learning needs are monitored and met, Online Learners are provided with access to limited number of Units at a time.
Can I use previous study or workplace experience towards my qualification? (What is RPL?)
Yes! In many cases you can apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) towards a qualification. This process is designed to map any Units of Competency or Qualifications you have gained earlier and your existing competencies or work skills to gain credit status towards a given qualification. This should be undertaken after enrolment, and prior to commencement of study.
You should have an interview with your GEM College Campus Manager, or a member of the GEM College Administration Team, to walk you through this as part of commencing your Student Journey. To commence this process simply email a copy of your resume including details of any training or qualifications you have already undertaken. This will give us a starting point for discussion with you.
A formal application for Recognition of Prior Learning will require Certified copies of all Statements of Attainments, Certificates or Qualifications. This is a legal ASQA requirement. The formal RPL Assessment will not commence until enrolment has occurred, and a course deposit has been paid. RPL Assessment is an exacting task, it typically involves a 2-3 hour interview, submission of evidence of competency, and the production of an RPL Report. Once your eligibility for RPL has been determined, we will discuss the most suitable pathway to the qualification you seek.
The RPL Report and Records Administration may take 7 – 10 days to be finalized, and your final, discounted course fees to be determined. However, that need not stop you from commencing your course once enrolment has occurred.
If You Would Like to Know More, Enquire Here.