Verification of Study Online | Training for Tertiary Education Providers

THE VERIFICATION OF STUDY PROCESS When a student applies for Student Allowance and/or Student Loan, StudyLink requires their study details as part of confirming their entitlement. To collect this, we send a Verification of Study request (known as a VoS request) to the student’s education provider. That education provider can then complete the relevant study details and return the information (known as a VoS response) to us, so that we can assess whether the student qualifies. A VoS response should reflect the student’s enrolment, for the period we’re requesting. We need to know their course(s), their start and finish date, the EFTS value of the papers/modules they’re studying, and any vacation periods/semester breaks that go for longer than three weeks. For more information about what a VoS response should look like, and what it should contain, refer to your VoS Rules and Processes for Education Providers document, or contact the StudyLink Helpline. Any required evidence is received; the Student Allowance is Pre-Approved and/or the Student Loan is Post Contract StudyLink receives an application for a Student Allowance and/or Student Loan The application is approved or declined based on VoS details StudyLink sends a VoS request to their education provider to confirm study details The education provider replies with a VoS response The VoS Process

VOS ONLINE VoS Online (also known as the Online Institution Interface or OII) is a website operated by StudyLink where VoS requests are loaded for easy access and completion by education providers. Using this system ensures the information is read correctly and can be processed swiftly, in order for us to confirm an outcome for the student. To use VoS Online you will need to submit a VoS Online user access form to the StudyLink Helpline, which gives you authorization to confirm enrolment and attendance details on behalf of your provider.

VOS ONLINE ›The address for VoS Online is vos.studylink.govt.nz At the login screen, enter your allocated User ID and password. The first time you log in, your password will be a temporary one provided by StudyLink. The User ID and password fields are case-sensitive - if they contain uppercase letters, then each time you log in you’ll need to use them. ›The first time you login to VoS Online, you’ll be required to nominate your own new password, and be asked if you want to complete a challenge question and answer. ›Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the login process. If you do forget your password, there is a link on the login page to allow you to reset it, as long as you have set up a challenge question and answer. If you haven’t sent up one, you will need to contact the StudyLink HelpLine on for your password to be reset. ›Once logged in, you’ll be taken to the Home Page. When navigating VoS Online, please DO NOT use your browser’s navigation buttons – this can have an adverse affect. Instead, click the links within the site, or use the navigation buttons at the bottom of some pages.

VOS ONLINE HOMEPAGE ›Home: Returns you to the homepage ›Reference: Holds documents such as the Information Matching Agreement, Memorandum of Understanding and VoS guides. ›Contact us: Contains instructions on how to contact StudyLink ›Help: A basic help guide ›Change Details: Lets you change your password or challenge question ›Logout: Logs you out of VoS Online ›Download files: Lists VoS request, status report and payment schedule files uploaded by StudyLink ›Upload files: Here you can upload your VoS response and refund schedule files for StudyLink ›Blank VoS: Using this section, you can initiate a VoS response to StudyLink to advise of any changes in a student’s study. You can only use the Blank VoS option for those students who have had a VoS request from StudyLink loaded to VoS Online previously.

DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD FILES Download Files ›Lists zip (compressed) files containing the files uploaded for your provider by StudyLink each day. ›Files are removed from this when you click the Delete link, or automatically after 14 days. We recommend you store them on your for future reference before that period expires. Upload Files ›Used to upload your response and schedule files to StudyLink ›Files are removed from this when you click the Delete link, or automatically after 14 days. We recommend you store them on your for future reference before that period expires The VoS Rules and Processes for Education Providers, and VoS Technical.Guide for Education Providers documents discuss the VoS process in greater detail. Both are available in the Reference section.

SENDING A VOS, WITHOUT A REQUEST

Blank VoS Blank VoS is the term given to the process where an education provider sends VoS details for a student without receiving a VoS request from StudyLink. There are only four instances when you should use the Blank VoS function to send StudyLink a student’s VoS details: ›A student who StudyLink has previously sent a VoS request for, has withdrawn from their course of study ›A student who StudyLink has previously sent a VoS request for, has a change in their study details - for example, when a student has dropped papers from their course. ›StudyLink has specifically asked for one – this could be because our requests are not being received correctly, or waiting for a system-initiated one could put the student into hardship ›The VoS your system will send does not accurately reflect the student’s actual enrolment, and only a blank VoS will do this Blank VoS responses are applied to the student's applications automatically, typically within an hour of submittal. However, if the study start date (lower case) does not match on the blank VoS does not match that of the previous VoS return sent to StudyLink, the VoS will not apply. In this case manual intervention will be required, and StudyLink will need to be contacted.

Completing a Blank VoS Select Blank VoS on the VoS Online home page. The Blank VoS page will display, with the field Student Withdrawn? defaulted to Yes. If the student has withdrawn from the course, complete all the relevant fields (with the End Date being the date the student withdrew) and then submit the VoS. If this VoS is for a student who has not withdrawn, change the Student Withdrawn? field to No. Additional fields will appear, along with a Segments button, for you to provide the updated enrolment details. Complete all the relevant fields. COMPLETING A BLANK VOS Student Withdrawn? - NoStudent Withdrawn? - Yes

REMEMBER ›A VoS request is StudyLink asking for a student’s enrolment details. The information you provide in return is a VoS response. ›Keep your User ID and password details safe, and set up a Challenge Question and Answer in case you ever forget your password. ›Don’t use your internet browser arrows to navigate – click the links or navigation buttons within the site. ›Remember to logout once you have finished. ›If you experience any issues or have any queries, contact the StudyLink Helpline on