If students have a concern or complaint about an individual student/staff/ educator / BTI administration, academic or safety and wellbeing issues, in the first instance, students are encouraged to resolve the issue at the level it occurred with the person concerned. If not resolved, direct it to your Cohort Mentor/Programme Lead, then to the Head of School. If the issue is still not resolved, or if you are not satisfied with the outcome,  you can make a formal complaint to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT).

Please thoroughly read and understand this policy before submitting your concern or complaint.

Student Concerns and Complaints Policy

Student Concerns and Complaints Flowchart

Tips for resolving a complaint with your education provider.

External Complaints

If you have concerns about your education experience, please raise any concerns or make a formal complaint to BTI first before engaging with external complaints processes.

Study Complaints /Ngā Amuamu Tauira  (For financial and contractual disputes) 

Study Complaints is a free and independent service to help domestic tertiary learners and international students resolve disputes with their New Zealand education providers.

They can assist with:

• Financial matters – involve money, for example refunds
• Contractual matters – involve agreements, for example contracts to study
• Redress claims – involve requests for money or actions to set things right after an NZQA investigation finds that there has been a breach of the Pastoral Code.

Students can contact the service on:

Phone: 0800 00 66 75 (or +64 4 918 4987  if calling from outside NZ)
Email: help@studycomplaints.org.nz
Visit: www.studycomplaints.org.nz

Making a complaint to NZQA

For concerns about the delivery or quality of education, contact NZQA. Your complaint should be about a specific process or practice that your education provider did that was unfair or inequitable – and as such, might need to be improved to be compliant with NZQA regulations.

NZQA is not a dispute resolution service and it is not their role to act as your advocate, or provide you with personal remedy such as compensation, an apology from the provider, re-enrolment, re-marking of your work, disciplinary action against a tutor, or any other resolution.

This applies even if the provider has not met NZQA requirements. 

You can report any concerns to NZQA about the quality of education or safety and wellbeing at a specific education provider. Information you provide supports them in monitoring of the quality and integrity of New Zealand qualifications and the pastoral care of learners.

Click here to learn more about this and to find out what NZQA can and can’t assist you with.

There is an online form on the NZQA website that you can use to let them know your concerns about an education provider. 

This form can be used to: 

• notify NZQA of concerns about tertiary education providers.
• notify NZQA of complaints regarding meeting the Code of Pastoral Care for international students.  

Learn more about the Code of Pastoral Care

Other complaint bodies that may be able to help

Student loans and allowances:                                                                   StudyLink

Fees free or government funding for your course:                                         Study or train fees-free

Acts and decisions:                                                                                    Ombudsman

How information about you has been stored or used:                                   Privacy Commissioner

Someone’s safety being at risk

For emergencies, call 111 immediately. For non-urgent matters, call 105.         New Zealand Police

Health and safety concerns about your campus or work placement:              WorkSafe New Zealand

Discrimination

Discrimination, racism and harassment:                                                      Human Rights Commission

Other Support

Legal advice -if you would like legal advice, you can contact your local Community Law office or Citizens Advice Bureau.