Student Achievement Component

• • Variable credit values
  • National certificates and diplomas
  • Studying extra courses
  • Full-year programmes
  • Studying integrated programmes
  • Studying more than normal learning hours
  • EFTS value - accelerated or compressed programmes
  • EFTS value - convergence of methods
  • EFTS value of qualifications
  • Course size
  • Additional courses
  • EFTS factors of courses

Additional courses exceeding qualification EFTS value

We recognise there are circumstances when the EFTS[1] value generated by a learner's enrolment may legitimately exceed the EFTS value of the qualification.

Such circumstances may include when a learner:

• fails an individual course, retakes that course and pays the appropriate tuition fee
• decides to change electives within a qualification and needs to study additional papers to complete the qualification
• undertakes additional optional courses offered within the qualification during the normal period of study.

Rule SAC058[2] outlines the process by which TEOs[3] may submit on their SDR[4] additional EFTS units based on the courses taken for learners whose enrolment legitimately exceeds the EFTS value of a qualification.

We may examine TEOs’ additional claims for EFTS units to ensure they reflect the performance of exceptional learners and are not an inappropriate setting of EFTS values. These additional claims remain subject to the TEO's total level of SAC[5] funding agreed in its Investment Plan.

• [1]

  Equivalent Full-Time Student (EFTS)

• [2]

  Rule SAC058: EFTS value of courses - where courses taken exceed EFTS value of qualifications

  Tertiary education organisations (TEOs) may submit, as Student Achievement Component-related enrolments in Single Data Returns, additional Equivalent Full-Time Student (EFTS) units based on the courses taken for learners whose enrolment legitimately exceeds the EFTS value of a qualification, provided that:

  • exceeding the EFTS value is an exceptional case resulting from learner choice
  • the TEO can demonstrate the EFTS units claimed adequately reflect additional teaching inputs, rather than simply additional self-directed study.
• [3]

  Tertiary education organisation (TEO)

• [4]

  Single Data Return (SDR)

• [5]

  Student Achievement Component fund (SAC)