Many students will qualify for Commonwealth provided fee loans. These loans are known FEE-HELP and they are available to assist eligible students to pay their tuition fees.
If you are eligible, the Australian Government pays your unit fees directly to the education institution, on your behalf, and the loan amount is recorded with the Australian Tax Office against your tax file number.
You will then gradually repay the debt, through your tax payments, once your income meets the minimum threshold.
Am I eligible?
You are eligible to apply for a HELP loan if you are:
- An Australian citizen and studying at least one unit of your course of study in Australia or, a holder of a permanent humanitarian visa and will be resident in Australia for the duration of your unit.
- New Zealand citizen holding a Special Category Visa (SCV) and meet the below criteria:
- Have first entered Australia as a dependent child aged under 18 years.
- At that time did not have a spouse or de facto partner.
- Have been physically present in Australia for at least eight out of the past 10 years and 18 months out of the past two years.
- Meet the other eligibility criteria for a HELP loan under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA).
How do I apply for HELP loans?
If you think you’re eligible and want to apply for a HELP loan, you can make your application by completing a Request for Commonwealth Support form, which we will send you when you enrol.
For more information on HELP loans, visit the Australian Government Study Assist website.
*It’s important to note that HELP loans don’t cover additional study expenses that may include computer software.
