Debt Recovery · Education & Training
Recover unpaid tuition fees, RTO course debts and private school fees.
Education providers — from private schools to RTOs — face a specific collections challenge: the person who owes you money is a student or the parent of a student. Recovery has to be handled with sensitivity to the educational relationship, the potential for hardship, and the reputational risk of being seen to pursue students aggressively. Recovia's education recovery process balances these concerns against the genuine need to recover fees for services delivered.
Industry challenges
Why Education & Training businesses struggle to collect.
Student hardship
Students in fee arrears are often experiencing genuine financial difficulty. Education providers have a reputational interest in handling hardship carefully — aggressive recovery of a struggling student's fees is a media story waiting to happen.
Course withdrawal disputes
Students who withdraw mid-course dispute the fees owed on the remaining enrolment. The enforceability of the fee obligation depends on the enrolment contract and the withdrawal policy.
VET Student Loan issues
RTOs that accept VSL students sometimes face complications when a student disputes their VET debt or disputes the quality of training. ASQA obligations and VSL compliance are relevant to how the debt is pursued.
Parent-school fee disputes
Private school fee disputes often involve parents who have separated — disputes over which parent is liable for school fees are common and complicate the recovery process.
How Recovia helps
Recovery built for Education & Training.
Hardship-first approach
Student accounts are assessed for hardship before any escalation. Students with documented financial difficulty receive a structured fee payment arrangement — this reduces complaints and often recovers more than aggressive pursuit.
Enrolment contract review
Before first contact, we review the enrolment agreement, withdrawal policy, and fee schedule — identifying the documented entitlement and anticipating the debtor's likely objection.
Course withdrawal recovery
We recover fees for completed portions of a course where the student has withdrawn, based on the enrolment contract and attendance records.
Parent liability handling
For private school fees where both parents are liable, we handle the account in a way that's appropriate to the separation context — targeting the liable party without involving the other parent unnecessarily.
No win, no fee
Commission-only on what we recover. Education providers pay nothing upfront.
Bulk placement
Upload your outstanding fee accounts from your SMS or student management system. We segment by amount and age and begin contact within 24 hours.
FAQ
Common questions about Education & Training debt recovery.
Can you recover fees where a student has withdrawn mid-course?
Yes. The enforceability of the fee obligation for the remaining course depends on your enrolment contract and withdrawal policy. Where the obligation is documented, we pursue it. Where it's ambiguous, we advise on a negotiated resolution.
How do you handle student hardship?
Student accounts flagged for hardship receive a structured payment plan offer. Genuine hardship is documented and a repayment arrangement agreed — this approach recovers more in the long run and generates far fewer complaints.
Do you work with RTOs on VET student debt?
Yes, with the caveat that VSL-funded debts have specific ASQA and compliance requirements. We work within those requirements and advise on what's recoverable through a standard collections process versus what needs to go through the VSL dispute pathway.
What about unpaid school fees where the parents are separated?
Where both parents are named in the school fee agreement, both are potentially liable. We handle separated parent accounts carefully — contacting the liable party and avoiding situations that escalate what is often an already difficult personal situation.
Ready to recover your education & training debts?
Commission-only, no upfront cost, and a team that understands your industry. Place your accounts today.