MEDIA STATEMENT FROM THE VICTORIAN REGISTRATION AND
QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY
4
February 2010
Lynn Glover, Director of the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority
(VRQA), issued the following statement in relation to the meeting held today
for students with home-stay arrangements affected by the closure of GEOS
Melbourne.
The VRQA was formally advised on 29 January 2010 of the appointment of Ernst &
Young as the Administrators of GEOS Melbourne Pty Ltd and eight other associated
companies operating training colleges in Australia.
After the necessary preliminary meetings with the administrator and a meeting of all
students enrolled at GEOS Melbourne at the Melbourne Town Hall on 3 February, a
further meeting with students with pre-paid home-stay accommodation was held on 4
February.
There are approximately 4,500 students studying across the GEOS companies in
Australia, with 536 in Melbourne. The number is still being verified, but about 80% of
students have student visas, with the remainder on tourist and working visas.
The majority of students are from are Colombia, Turkey, Brazil, South Korea and
Thailand and are undertaking English language courses.
The first concern of the VRQA is the welfare of the students. Students will be
advised of alternative course by English Australia, the TAS provider shortly.
The VRQA has identified 82 students who have prepaid home-stay arrangements.
GEOS Melbourne had been packaging their English language courses and offering
home stays and airport pickup services.
The Minister for Skills and Workforce Participation has instructed the VRQA to assist
those overseas students in home stay arrangements that have paid accommodation
fees directly to GEOS Melbourne.
Accommodation providers will be paid an amount of up to four weeks home-stay fees
to support students during this difficult period and allow them to remain in existing
accommodation. To access this support a student who has pre-paid home stay fees
to GEOS will be required to assign to the VRQA any accommodation claim they may
have against GEOS Melbourne. Payments will not be made directly to students. The
VRQA will then be a creditor in any winding up of GEOS Melbourne.
This action is strictly limited to GEOS Melbourne. The VRQA is assessing the extent
of any other education providers’ exposure in the home stay market with a view to
minimising any future risks to overseas students and home stay providers.
For more information:
Lynn Glover
Director VRQA
03 9651 3201
NEWS 
