Unique Participant Identifier Policy

 1. Purpose 

The USI is a form of file number that will link participants to their training records held in the national training collection. Participants will access their records online, download them and share them with future training organisations electronically. 

With the student’s permission, Aspen Medical as a training organisation will view participants’ entire nationally recognised training record commencing with records collected in 2015. 

The majority of information required for a USI is collected and reported through AVETMISS and used for day-to-day business training. 

2. Objective 

The USI is a requirement under Commonwealth legislation and conditions of registration for training organisations. Aspen Medical as an RTO must ensure all participants have supplied a valid USI before the student is issued a statement of attainment after any RTO recognised training. This applies to: 

  • New participants 
  • Pre-enrolled participants 
  • Continuing participants 
  • School participants completing nationally recognised training 

 3. Definitions 

Term Meaning
AQF Australian Qualifications Framework

A government body that specifies the standards for educational qualifications in Australia.
DVS
 Document Verification Service

This is a web service provided by the Attorney General’s Department that assists in identity verification processes by confirming the validity of IDs provided for state and federally-issued documents (e.g. passport, driver’s licence).
DVS Override
This is used if the student does not have a form of ID or acceptable by the DVS system. This right must be applied for by the Organisation to the USI Office and is granted for a period of time and closely monitored.
ID Identification Document (e.g. Passport, Driver’s License)
Immicard Immigration Cards are an official immigration credential that contains a photograph and personal details and can be used as a form of ID in the USI system.
RTO Registered Training Organisation

A provider of accredited VET courses that can assist applicants in obtaining a USI can verify a USI and access educational information with the student’s permission.

 
Participant A person undertaking Vocational Education and Training and who will require a USI from January 2015

 
Transcript A participant’s record of all the nationally recognised training undertaken or completed after 1st January 2015.

 
Training Record A record of results or statement of results is a document that outlines the units completed, and the outcomes received.

 
USI Unique Student Identifier

An exclusive ten-digit number consisting of letters and numbers and linking a student’s USI account to their training records.

 
USI Participant System This system has been developed for VET participants to:

·       create a USI whilst undertaking Vocational Education and Training

·       assign permission for a training organisation to view and/or update their personal and contact details.

 
VAB Vocational Education and Training Admission Body

This is an organisation (not an RTO) that assists participants to apply for a USI account.

This Organisation can also use the USI Registry System to:

·       create a USI on behalf of a Participant with their permission

·       verify a USI

·       view selected reports (e.g. listing of Deactivated records).

 

Examples may include (but are not limited to):

•               Apprenticeship Centres

•               Schools Authorities with participants undertaking VET courses

•               Tertiary Admissions Centres
VET Vocational Education and Training

 

4. Policy 

4.1 Who needs a USI? 

  • Participants who are enrolling in nationally recognised training for the first time 
  • Participants continuing with nationally recognised training 

Once a participant creates their individual USI, the participant will be able to: 

  • give their USI to each training organisation they study with; 
  • give their training organisation permission to view and/or update their USI account; 
  • give their training organisation view access to their transcript; 
  • View and update their details in their USI account; and 

4.2 Role of Training Organisations 

Aspen Medical has an important role to play in collecting and verifying USIs for their participants. 

All participants applying to attend training with Aspen Medical must obtain their USI on their own and provide the details to the Aspen Medical training team for recording and verification. A USI is necessary to issue the Statement of Attainment and/or Certificates upon completion of all the course requirements. 

Aspen Medical training will record a USI for their participants at the time of enrolment. 

Aspen Medical training must ensure that they have recorded a valid USI for each participant when they report on training activities or issue an AQF certification document, such as a qualification, statement of attainment or testamur. 

Participants only need to create a USI once, and Aspen Medical training is only required to verify USI participants once. 

4.3 Privacy policy and Storage of Data 

Aspen Medical collects information from participants to meet the service requirements and the National Standards for RTOs 2015. Aspen Medical holds personal information to ensure the security and integrity of the information is maintained and that prevents unauthorised access or use. Please visit our website to access our Privacy Policy and our Document Management and Storage Policy. 

4.4 Participant Access and Setup of a USI Account 

A USI account contains participants’ nationally recognised training records and results from 1st January 2015. 

When applying for a job or enrolling in further study, participants will often need to provide their training records and results. One of the main benefits of the USI is that participants will have easy access to their training records and results throughout their life. Page 4 of 7 

Once participants have created a USI account, they will need to provide the USI number to the Aspen Training Department. 

4.5 Steps for a student to create a USI Account 

The following steps show how to create a USI: 

Step 1 – Have at least one and preferably two forms of ID ready from the list below: 

  • Driver’s Licence 
  •  Medicare Card 
  • Australian Passport 
  • Visa (with Non-Australian Passport) for international participants 
  • Birth Certificate (Australian) 
  • Certificate Of Registration By Descent 
  • Citizenship Certificate 
  • Immi Card 

IMPORTANT: To ensure we keep all of your training records together, the USI will be linked to your name as it appears on the form of ID you used to create the USI. The personal details entered when you create a USI must match precisely with those on your form of ID. 

Step 2 – Have your contact details ready (e.g. email address, mobile number, or address). 

Step 3 – Visit the USI website: http://www.usi.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx 

Step 4 – Select the ‘Create a USI’ link and follow the steps. 

Step 5 – Agree to the Terms and Conditions. 

Step 6 – Follow the instructions to create a USI – it should only take a few minutes. Upon completion, the USI will be displayed on the screen. It will also be sent to your preferred method of contact. 

Step 7 – You should then write down the USI and keep it somewhere handy and safe. 

4.6 No form of ID or an ID that the DVS does not accept 

If a participant does not have an ID from the above list that the USI Registry System can use, in that case, the participant must contact the Aspen Training department, who may sight another document. To use alternative documentation, Aspen will need to apply for a DVS override. 

The DVS override functions in the USI Registry system available for Aspen to use in limited circumstances. Aspen applies for a USI on behalf of a student who does not have, or cannot obtain, one of the required ID documents needed for the DVS check. 

The DVS override should not be used because of an individual: Page 5 of 7 

  • does not have a DVS document available on enrolment day 
  • is not sure where they have put their documents 
  • needs to speak to a family member to get access to a DVS document. 

Categories of participants who may be less likely to have access to the required DVS ID documents include, for example: 

  • Indigenous participants living in remote areas of Australia: the unique circumstances of people living in remote places mean that some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander births may not have been registered correctly and people changing their names for cultural reasons. This could hinder the ability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to obtain approved identification that complies with legislative identification processes. 

The USI Registry system allows the DVS override to be granted to an RTO and VAB, subject to application and acceptance of the terms and conditions. 

To apply for DVS override, you must read and accept the Terms and Conditions on behalf of your Organisation and apply to the Participant Identifiers Registrar. 

The Participant Identifiers Registrar will inform you of the outcome. 

Some documents that are acceptable forms of ID if a training organisation has been granted DVS override include: 

  • Centrelink document (CRN) 
  • Member of an Indigenous Corporation 
  • Proof of Age Card (Over 18 Card) 
  • Working with Children card 
  • Seniors Identity Document. 

The complete list will be provided to Aspen after the application has been submitted for DVS override. 

DVS Override is available at http://usi.authprod.ind/Training-Organisations/Pages/proof-of-id.aspx. 

4.7 Verifying and Finding a Participant’s USI 

Aspen should undertake verification during or soon after enrolment as this is the easiest time to work with the student to correct any errors. 

To verify a USI through the USI Registry system, select the Verify USI tile on the Home Page. 

When using the USI Registry system, you need only to enter the USI and First name, Family Name and Date of Birth, and then select the Verify button at the bottom of the screen. Page 6 of 7 

Aspen, who has permission from a participant to view and/or update their personal and contact details or see their training records, can find a student’s USI. 

Find USI allows an RTO to: 

  • search list and view a USI 
  • update and view the student’s details if they have permission 

5. Resources 

  • DVS Override Application Form – http://usi.authprod.ind/Training-Organisations/Pages/proof-of-id.aspx. 
  • Unique Student Identifier (USI) System Access Request Form – https://forms.business.gov.au/smartforms/servlet/SmartForm.html?formCode=USI-SysAccess 
  • Training Organisation Login – http://www.usi.gov.au/Training-Organisations/Pages/training-organisations.aspx 
  •  Unique Student Identifier Website – http://www.usi.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx 

6. References 

 

Download the Aspen Medical Training Academy Unique Student Identifier Policy