Electronic transfer method

Prerequisites for using the full electronic transfer method

Before using the full electronic transfer method, education providers need to modify their Student Management System (SMS) to be able to load, process, and generate VoS files.

They then need to complete a testing programme with StudyLink to ensure that the system will be fully functional before it goes live. This testing must occur, and be successfully passed, before the education provider can commence using the full electronic transfer method.

Testing cannot occur between November and April of any given year due to this being the peak period for both StudyLink and education providers.

VoS Online site

The VoS Online website is located at https://vos.studylink.govt.nz

The user must first be set up with a username and password for the site, and have gone through the VoS Online training material provided by StudyLink.

In order to access the site, the user must: 

• Be using a computer system that allows them to download files from the internet. If the education provider uses a firewall it must allow the user to download a file from the internet onto their computer.
• Ensure their browser settings allow them to access ‘secure’ (SSL) pages.
• WINZIP or a similar programme should be installed, to enable the files from StudyLink to be unzipped and the response files to be zipped.

Web browser encryption settings must support high grade encryption (RC4 128-bit keys).

The username to access the VoS Online site will be nominated by the user. It must be 8-15 characters, containing at least one Alpha (A-Z) and one Numeric (0-9) character.

A password will be generated randomly by StudyLink for a user to initially log on to the site. When the user has logged on for the first time they can change their password. In the “Change Details” section of the website, the user will also need to set up a challenge question to be able to reset their own password should they later forget this.

Transfer process

The following is an overview of the steps involved with the full electronic transfer process.

StudyLink tasks

• Any files for a provider are created as required and uploaded overnight to VoS Online by StudyLink.
• An email will be sent to users who have opted to be notified when a new Zip file has been placed onto the website (this option is listed on the VoS Online access form).

Education povider tasks

Providers must successfully log on to the VoS Online website and download new files waiting for them.

• A provider can then delete the file from the VoS Online website if no longer needed.
• The provider loads any files into their student administration system and processes them.
• The provider’s student administration system creates any responses to these files
• The provider Zips any confirmation files.
• Providers then log onto the VoS Online website and upload any files back to StudyLink.

File retention

Files uploaded by StudyLink remain on the VoS Online website for 14 days before being removed. This period will be extended to 28 days over the Christmas period to allow for staff absences at education providers.

Education providers are recommended to keep a copy of downloaded files before deleting them from VoS Online, as StudyLink may not be able to regenerate them if requested at a later date.

Parameters nominated by education providers

There are a number of individual parameters that can be set by education providers to help them better manage the VoS process and tailor it to their needs. To change any of these parameters, or to confirm what these are currently set to, education providers will need to contact StudyLink.