Nikola Cowin, an Adelaide resident, found herself in a precarious situation after receiving a cold call from a recruiter during a challenging period in her life in 2014. At that time, Cowin was pursuing a science degree at Flinders University and was seeking employment. The recruiter aimed to enrol students in the now-defunct training provider, Franklyn Scholar, by targeting job seekers like Cowin.
Believing the recruiter had obtained her contact details from job search websites, Cowin felt vulnerable. The recruiter persuaded her to sign up for an online business management course, claiming it was government-funded and would enhance her job prospects. Despite her initial scepticism, she accepted, as she was quickly given login details and connected with a trainer, leading her to doubt her suspicions regarding the legitimacy of the offer.
Over the following two years, Cowin juggled her university studies alongside this course, thinking little of the implications. It wasn’t until 2019 that she learned the shocking extent of her financial obligation related to Franklyn Scholar. In a discussion with a friend about HECS debts, Cowin discovered that hers was unexpectedly high compared to her university-only education.
Upon further investigation, she found out she had accumulated a debt of $35,880 under the VET FEE-HELP scheme, despite having never filled out any official loan forms. Cowin was bewildered, especially since she knew that a Commonwealth Assistance Form was required for such loans. This prompted her to delve deeper into Franklyn Scholar’s operations, only to discover that the institution had been deregistered by the Australian Skills Quality Authority for unethical practices in 2017.
Reports indicated that many students had been enrolled without their knowledge, and aggressive marketing tactics were common among certain providers in this sector. While the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission took action against some fraudulent practices, Franklyn Scholar students who completed their courses, like Cowin, were not eligible for debt waivers from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
Cowin, feeling unjustly treated, has spent six years fighting to have her debt erased, making appeals to various authorities, all of which have been unsuccessful. The Department of Finance recently upheld her debt, citing that the necessary forms were reportedly on file even if she could not locate them, and suggesting she should have received notifications about her loan at the time of enrolment.
This outcome has left Cowin and her partner, Matthew Smart, feeling betrayed by the system, particularly as they navigate life as young parents with limited incomes. Their frustrations highlight ongoing concerns about the accountability of educational providers and the protective measures needed for students in similar situations. The couple is determined to keep pursuing justice, advocating for a change to the current approach regarding debts linked to misleading enrolments.