All students studying an accredited national recognised course within Australia will need to obtain a USI. A Unique Student Identifier (USI) is a reference number made up of numbers and/or letters that gives you access to your USI account.
For students it is easy as the steps say… follow these 6 simple steps
STEP 1: Have at least one form of ID ready: Driver’s License, Australian Passport, Medicare Card, Birth Certificate, Visa (with non-Australian Passport), Immigration Card or Citizenship Certificate.
STEP 2: Have your personal contact details ready: Address, email and/or phone number.
STEP 3: Visit usi.gov.au and click on ‘Create a USI’.
STEP 4: Agree to the terms and conditions and follow the steps.
STEP 5: Write your unique number down and keep it somewhere handy and safe.
STEP 6: Bring this number with you when you enrol.
There even is a video out to make life easier:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRYaaF-B7Ho
BUT what about your RTO?
Well there are couple of areas you need to consider.
October – December 2014 is the Official USI core IT system launch, making it available to all RTOs and new and continuing students. Then 1 January 2015 the formal USI requirements will commence.
Do you need a separate policy for the implementation? I would recommend at least a new procedure for your Administration staff and/or Trainers to follow.
Do you need to have a USI ID to be recorded on the enrolment form? Will your RTO make it compulsory that the student has a USI before enrolment, or will you assist them to get it once enrolled?
Then you need to consider how it is to be input from your end.
The environment for testing RTO or vendor SMS integration with the USI system is now available and will be available on an ongoing basis.
For more information on the Student Identifiers Bill 2014, please visit the website http://www.industry.gov.au/usi