CaseTrust for Education

CaseTrust for Education was launched by the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), as a trustmark for Private Education Organisations (PEOs). This trustmark ensures that PEOs have fulfilled all the mandatory regulatory requirements that allow them to continue enrolling international students into their programmes and courses. SMa Institute of Higher Learning (SMa Institute) is pleased to be certified by CASE as an organisation that possesses the foundation for good quality student welfare / protection practices and standards.

To achieve the CaseTrust for Education certification, PEOs have to fulfill two conditions,

(1) The Student Protection Scheme and
(2) Development of a standard student contract.

Student Protection Scheme

The Student Protection Scheme (SPS) as stipulated by the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) serves to protect the students’ fees in the event a PEO is unable to continue operations due to insolvency and/or regulatory closure. Furthermore, the SPS protects the student if the PEO fails to pay penalties or return fees to the students arising from judgements made against it by the Singapore courts.

- SMa Institute has both the Student Tuition Fee Insurance and the Student Tuition Fee Account (Escrow) as its SPS.
- Student Tuition Fee Insurance - with NTUC INCOME Cooperative Limited (NTUC Income)

NTUC Income, being the CASE-endorsed insurance provider, indemnifies students for their tuition fee paid in advance to the PEO in the event:

• the PEO is unable to continue operations due to insolvency, and/or regulatory closure;
• the PEO fails to pay penalties or return fees to the student arising from judgements made against it by the Singapore courts;
• of death or total permanent disability of the student.

>> View SPS Student Tuition Fee Insurance - Master Insurance Policy

Student Tuition Fee Account (Escrow)

Student Tuition Fee Account (Escrow) - with Development Bank of Singapore (DBS)

DBS, being a CASE-endorsed bank, takes into custody the tuition fees paid by students to the PEO and only when specified conditions for release of fees (to the PEO) have been met, will the bank disburse the tuition fee on a regular basis to the PEO.

The disbursement will cease if the PEO is unable to continue operations due to insolvency, and/or regulatory closure or fails to pay penalties or return fees to the student arising from judgements made against it by the Singapore courts.

SPS only applies to students who apply for Student’s Pass from 1 December 2004 onwards. This scheme is compulsory for international students. All international students are required to sign the Standard Student Contract, applying for the SPS.
Local students have a choice to opt to applying for Student Protection Scheme.

>> View SPS Student Tuition Fee Account - Master Escrow Agreement

Standard Student Contract

As part of the requirements of CaseTrust, international and local students are required to enter into a Standard Student Contract with the School prior to confirmation of enrolment and this policy is communicated to the students through our various communication channels, including our website.

While it is only made compulsory for all international students to take up the Student Protection Scheme, the School will grant local students an option to enjoy the benefits of the Student Protection Scheme and this option is clearly indicated in the Standard Student Contract (Local Student).

In summary, the Standard Student Contract is a mandatory document for the enrolment of both international and local students.

More information is available on the CaseTrust for Education website here.