I am in South Africa with AFT at the moment, just about to finish the JAR ATPL course...
I am a self sponsored chappie so I can't tell you anything about the selection process but I'll get "a man who can" to post on here....
As for people getting jobs - no one has got close to finishing yet so...no-one knows
As far as I am aware, you don't pay any of the money back, but Ill wait to see what the cushy sponsored "rather have it all payed for than charge stark naked at the enemy" types have to say....