The government has announced legislative and other changes to deal with rogue training providers and better protect students.

The new measures will intent to:

• stop providers from offering incentives to students, like cash and laptops, to get them to sign up to courses that they don't need
• stop marketing agents and brokers 'freelancing' to sign up as many students as possible, without being covered by any regulator
• give students more information that helps them understand that VET FEE-HELP loans are real debts that impact their credit rating and have to be repaid
• make it impossible for providers to levy all fees in a single transaction, giving students more opportunity to consider their options before VET FEE-HELP debts can be incurred
• protect vulnerable students by requiring providers to properly assess students before enrolment

The government has produced the fact sheet VET FEE-HELP to help students make informed choices about undertaking VET courses of study.

Targeted audits of Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) will address allegations of unscrupulous marketing and other practices intended to exploit the Australian Government's VET FEE-HELP program.

Assistant Minister for Education and Training Senator Simon Birmingham said the national regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), would undertake a total of 23 audits of RTOs including of providers who had been identified through complaints made to the authority.

"Our government is determined to stop training providers ripping off vulnerable students and taxpayers through the VET FEE-HELP program," Senator Birmingham said.

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