CaseTrust for Education

CaseTrust for Education, launched on 1 September 2004, aims to recognise Private Education Organisations (PEOs) that have good student welfare practices and high quality standards with the following mechanisms in place:

Clear course fee policies
Well-defined student redress practices and systems
Disclosure of its commitment to quality
Assurance of well-trained academic and administrative personnel

It is a collaborative project of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), Economic Development Board (EDB), SPRING Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA). This scheme forms part of the Education Excellence Framework by the Singapore government to provide the highest possible standards of academic, organisational and student protection and welfare practices.

The CaseTrust for Education is mandatory for all PEOs with international students. It came into effect from 1 December 2004.

The CASE-Approved Student Contract is a legally binding contract between MDIS College and MDIS College students that embodies the following mandatory requirements:

Clear definition of course details - course title, pre-requisites, qualification awarded, course duration
Full disclosure of all costs for tuition / non-tuition fees
Commitment to Student Protection Scheme (MDIS College has adopted LONGPAC Insurance BHD scheme for its students)
Clear definition of refund policies
Clear definition of dispute resolution mechanisms

Student Protection Scheme

Under CaseTrust for Education, the PEO must provide a Student Protection Scheme (SPS) for all international students (compulsory). Local students may also choose to take up the insurance scheme.

The SPS serves to protect the international and local student’s fees in the event that a PEO is unable to continue operations due to insolvency and / or regulatory closure. Furthermore, the SPS protects the student if the PEO fails to pay penalties or to return fees to students arising from judgements made against it by the Singapore Courts.

MDIS College has put in place the Student Tuition Fee Insurance as its SPS for international and local students. The Student Tuition Fee Insurance offers insured students protection against the following events:

Loss of tuition fees paid in advance by the insured student to MDIS College and not refunded, if the student cannot start or complete his / her course as a result of MDIS College becoming insolvent or being required by the Singapore authorities to stop operations.
MDIS College’s failure to pay sum awarded by Singapore Courts to the insured student, where such award relates to a dispute between MDIS College and the insured student on tuition fees paid by the insured student to MDIS College.
S$10,000 benefit payable covering the insured student’s accidental death or total permanent disability by accident.

Fee Protection Scheme

With the introduction of the Private Education Bill, all students' fees will be insured under the Fee Protection Scheme (FPS). This new scheme will supersede the Student Protection Scheme (SPS). Students who had originally opted out of the SPS at the time of enrolment are liable to pay the FPS premium upon implementation of the Private Education Bill. For more information please log on to the following website: http://www.mdis.edu.sg

Certificate of Student Insurance

Upon payment of the insurance premium, LONGPAC Insurance BHD will issue a Certificate of Student Insurance to MDIS College for the insured student.

Claim

The insured student needs to produce his / her Certificate of Student Insurance and original course fees receipts when submitting a claim under the insurance. LONGPAC Insurance BHD will notify all insured students of the relevant claims procedures to be followed.

MDIS College students will be issued with a CASE-approved Student Contract upon enrolment into a course / programme.

For more information on SPS or CaseTrust for Education, please refer to www.case.org.sg or www.singaporeedu.gov.sg/htm/stu/stu0109b.htm