Terms and Conditions – Organisation Portal
Applying for a USI on behalf of a student
These entities may apply for a USI on behalf of a student under sub-section 9(2) of the Student Identifiers Act 2014.
- Registered Training Organisations
- VET admission bodies
- registered Higher Education Providers
- Tertiary Admission Centres
All users must agree to the terms and conditions below before using the USI Registry System.
If your organisation is eligible, you are required to give the student a privacy notice explaining how their personal information will be used
You must not:
- create a USI without the student’s permission
- activate a student USI account by setting a password and check questions
- find, view or update a USI without the student’s permission
- ask students to disclose their USI account password and check questions
Protecting personal information
The personal information you collect from students and provide to the Student Identifiers Registrar, is protected by the Privacy Act 1988. The collection, use and disclosure of a USI is protected by the Student Identifiers Act 2014.
Your organisation must handle student personal information in accordance with the requirements of these two Acts.
For further information, see the Student Identifiers Registrar’s Privacy Policy
Applying on behalf of a student – privacy requirements
When applying for a USI on behalf of a student, you declare that:
- you have given them the following privacy notice
- the student understands and consents to the privacy notice
- you have advised the student that if they do not provide all the information requested, or if it is inaccurate, it may affect the Student Identifiers Registrar’s ability to provide them with a USI.
Privacy Notice for students
The information you provide through the USI application process:
- is collected by the Student Identifiers Registrar for a number of purposes
- may be disclosed to a number of organisations, departments, regulators and other persons where it is reasonably necessary for the purposes of performing functions or exercising powers
- will not otherwise be disclosed without their consent unless authorised or required by or under law.
Detailed information on the use of your information can be found in Division 5 - Collection, use or disclosure of student identifiers of the Student Identifiers Act 2014.
Further information for students
Students can find out more about how the Student Identifiers Registrar collects, uses and discloses their personal information:
- in the Student Identifiers Registrar’s Privacy Policy
- by emailing the Registrar
- by calling 1300 857 536 or from outside Australia +61 2 6218 0994
The Student Identifiers Registrar’s Privacy Policy contains information about:
- how students can access and seek correction of the personal information held about them
- how to make a complaint about a breach of privacy by the Registrar in connection with the USI
- how complaints are handled
The student can also make a complaint to the Information Commissioner about an interference with privacy pursuant to the Privacy Act 1988. This includes the misuse or interference of or unauthorised collection, use, access, modification or disclosure of USIs.
Disclosure to overseas recipient
If you disclose a student’s personal information to an overseas recipient, you must ensure that the recipient complies with the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988 as if it were an agency and that it complies with the requirements of the Student Identifiers Act 2014. If such a disclosure is made, you must ensure the student:
- is aware of the countries in which their personal information will be disclosed
- consents to the disclosure of their personal information to an overseas recipient
You may advise the student that if he/she consents to the disclosure by you of personal information to an overseas recipient, you will not be accountable under the Privacy Act 1988 in relation to disclosure of their personal information to an overseas recipient and the student will not be able to seek redress under the Privacy Act 1988.
See further information to help you provide a privacy notice to students.
Collecting personal information
The Student Identifiers Act 2014 authorises the Student Identifiers Registrar to collect personal information about USI applicants. If eligible to apply for a USI on behalf of a student who has given authorisation, you will need to provide personal information about them. This includes:
- name, including first or given name(s), middle name(s) and surname or family name or single name
- date of birth
- city or town of birth
- country of birth
- gender
- contact details.
If the required personal information is not provided, a USI cannot be assigned.
Verifying identification
When you apply for a USI on behalf of a student you will need to verify their identity. You must do so through the Document Verification Service (DVS) in the USI Registry System. Students can prove their identity with a range of documents including:
- Australian passport
- non-Australian passport (with Australian visa)
- Australian birth certificate
- Australian driver’s licence
- Medicare card
- certificate of registration by descent
- citizenship certificate or ImmiCard
If the student does not have any of these identity documents and your organisation has been authorised to do so by the Student Identifiers Registrar you may be able to verify their identity by other means.
Retention and destruction of information
You declare that you will ensure the security of USIs and all related documentation under your control. This includes information stored in your student management systems.
If you have contracts with third parties under which you will be disclosing information collected for the purposes of the Student Identifiers Act 2014, you must ensure that any personal information is treated in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 and the Student Identifiers Act 2014.
In accordance with section 11 of the Student Identifiers Act 2014, you declare that you will securely destroy personal information which you collect from students solely for the purpose of applying for a USI on their behalf as soon as practicable after you have made the application or the information is no longer needed for that purpose, unless you are legally required to retain it.
Disclaimer
Definitions
- harmful code means any form of harmful surreptitious code or other contaminants, including viruses, bugs, trojan horses, spyware or adware
- loss means loss, damage, cost or expense (to any person or property) including consequential or indirect loss or any loss of profits, data or revenue
- you and your means the user of the USI Registry System
- our, us and we means the Student Identifiers Registrar
The Student Identifiers Registrar:
- strives to protect information you provide on the USI Registry System. We will use all reasonable endeavors to ensure that the USI Registry System and your information are not compromised. However, we cannot guarantee that harmful code will not enter the USI Registry System. You should be aware of the risks associated with using systems or websites.
- recommends that you use appropriate and up-to-date firewall and anti-virus software to protect your computer systems
- advises that if you experience a problem or loss that is caused by the information you send to or via the USI Registry System, your computer being compromised in some way or by something beyond our control, we cannot take responsibility for causing the problem. We will do our best to help you if we can.
- advises that where connection to a system or website outside our control compromises the objectives of the USI Registry System we may sever links to that system or website.
Security Statement
The Student Identifiers Registrar will strive to ensure that:
- the data you give us is safe
- your data is stored at a secure facility
- regular backups of data are performed to ensure it can be recovered in case of a disaster
- all access to the system is logged
- if any unauthorised behaviour occurs, the logged data will help us identify and resolve the issue
Giving false or misleading information
Giving false or misleading information in relation to a USI account is a serious offence under Division 137 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.