Assignments & Helpful Hints

Helpful Hints for Completing and Submitting your Assignments

Assignments must be submitted by email to assignments@nibacollege.com.au. You will need to zip your files before sending - attachments that are too large for processing will be returned to you. (See below for instructions)

For an update on what is happening with your assignment check the Notes section, under Personal Details on NEO. Click here for the Quick Guide to using NEO

Remember to attach an assignment cover sheet
Results will not be available until 4 weeks after the assignment is received at NIBA College.
(To view the date received go to Personal Details > Notes on NEO)
ALWAYS keep a copy of your assignment as it will not be returned to you.
Your results and any comments from your Assessor will be posted to the Notes section of NEO
When submitting your assignments please remember to include your name, student number and the course you are doing in the subject of your email for example: Jamie Baker, 2003/6432, Tier 1.
Always update your information on NEO, otherwise things may be sent out to the wrong address and it can take a long time before know what has happened to them…
Don’t be afraid to ring us!! We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have, no matter what the complexity.
Very Important! When planning your study please remember that you have 12 months in which to be found COMPETENT. This means that you must submit all three attempts before course expires. Resubmissions after this date will require you to re-enroll and re-pay.
If you feel you are not going to be able to complete your course within the 12 month period please contact NIBA College as soon as possible. There is very little we can do if your course is just about to expire!
Study Groups - Working in study groups is encouraged as you will gain a lot from listening to the ideas and experiences of others. Remember though, you cannot at any time collaborate on assessments or conduct a joint assessment as we need to know that you, as an individual, are competent, not you as part of a group!
Learning from others - Remember you have a source of knowledge at your own place of employment, try discussing questions with your peers or supervisor first.
When doing assignments, NIBA reference materials are an excellent tool but it should not be your only means of reference. Some useful references are:
Industry Journals eg: Insurance Risk and Professional Magazine and the NIBA Gazette;
ASIC website for the latest regulation - http://www.asic.gov.au/
ComLaw -the legal information retrieval system owned by the Australian Attorney-General's Department on website http://www.comlaw.gov.au/
You can also obtain other references from your local or university library.
Try not to copy words or phrases from the text book. The assessor wants to see that you understand the question you are answering so put them in your own words.
When quoting others work, always be sure to reference correctly!!! For a helpful guide to referencing see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Harvard_referencing
Set yourself a reasonable timeframe to complete your assignment. Perhaps, you can ask your work supervisor if you can set aside a time each week for you to study at work.
Take notes!! Note-taking is a very important study activity. Preparing summaries of the main points of each topic will assist your understanding of what knowledge and skill areas you need to concentrate on to successfully complete each module.
Don’t forget to write or label your name, student ID & company clearly on all correspondence with NIBA College.
ALWAYS keep a copy of your student assignment. Services like the post & email are not always reliable and your Assignment will NOT be returned to you - you will need to check the Notes section of NEO for your results.
Ask your supervisor or a colleague to read through your assignment before you hand it in - it is always a good idea to have material double checked!

Frequently asked questions and answers about assignments

Do I have to complete the activity questions in each module?

Activity questions are included throughout the course notes as a study guide only, you do not need to submit them for assessment. We advise that you complete these questions as you move through the material, as it will help you when you come to answer the final assessment. Traineeship students may have different procedures to follow based on their State's policies, please view your Activity Plan to confirm your requirements. If you have any questions regarding your obligations please email studying@nibacollege.com.au.

Can I get an extension on my assignment?

All modules are designed to be completed in approximately 3 - 4 months. NIBA College allows a 12 month enrolment period to give you a little bit of leeway with your course and to ensure you have time to complete your resubmissions should these be required. For this reason we will only grant extensions in extenuating circumstances. All extensions must be applied for in writing at least 3 months prior to the due date, so make sure you come to us as soon as you know you may have problems with completing the course on time. Remember that only one extension will be granted for a maximum of four weeks.

When am I Tier 1 Compliant?

All students who successfully complete the required standards covered in the first part of the Diploma course will achieve their Tier 1 Compliance Status. Students receive a Statement of Attainment acknowledging this achievement.

How do I find out my results?

Your results will be posted to NEO no earlier than four weeks after your assignment is received. Please check the Notes section of NEO if you have any queries relating to the status or result of your assignment. Once your assignment is received back from the Marker, you will receive an email with your results. Students will receive a Statement of Attainment once they have completed a full course - not on completion of a single module.

What happens if I am found Not Yet Competent (NYC) in some areas?

Most students will not be found 100% competent on their first attempt at the assignment, if this occurs, do not be discouraged - you have a maximum of three attempts within 12 months to complete your revised questions. Don't forget that the NIBA College team and your course tutor are there to support you if you are having difficulties.

What is the normal progression through the courses for a broker?

Your next step will depend on your current level of qualification. For example if you have completed:

Diploma of Financial Services (Insurance Broking) you can continue your professional development in brokerage management and/or specialist areas like risk management and compliance. NIBA College offers a short course in brokerage management at the advanced diploma level which provides responsible officers level ASIC compliance. There is also a tertiary level Graduate Diploma available from 2006.
Tier 1 Insurance Broking you can upgrade to the full Diploma qualification by completing the remaining modules of the course.
Certificate III in Financial Services can enrol into the Tier 1 Insurance Broking Short Course or the full Diploma of Financial Services (Insurance Broking).
Tier 2 Insurance Broking can attain your full Certificate III qualification by completing the remaining Certificate III modules or complete an application for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for the office and accounting competencies.

How do I .zip my files to send via email?

Once you have completed the assignment you must submit it by email to NIBA College. You will need to zip your assignment documents before emailing as we have had problems with large attachments on student assignments. Please ensure you have the win zip software loaded before you win zip your assignment and attachments. This will compress your electronic documents – winzip is available free of charge from website http://www.winzip.com.

How to zip a file to your email:

Go to my documents and right click on the document you would like to send (create one folder for all the assignment documents you would like to send).
A menu will appear with the option of Winzip: Click on Zip and Email.
This will take you to your Email screen where you can address the email to: assignments@nibacollege.com.au

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