Fees

HELP Loans

The Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) is an Australian Government loan scheme that assists eligible students to pay their tuition fees.

If you have a HELP loan, the Australian Government pays the unit fees directly to the education institution on behalf of the student and the loan amount is recorded with the Australian Tax Office against their tax file number. The debt is then gradually repaid through tax payments once a minimum income threshold is met.

HECS-HELP is available to students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place, while FEE-HELP is available to students enrolled in a full fee-paying place.

A Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) Loan (SA-HELP) is also available to eligible students to help you pay for all or part of your Student Amenities fee.

Eligibility

Students are eligible for HELP loans if they are:

An Australian citizen who must study at least some of your course in Australian; or
A New Zealand Special Category Visa (SCV) holder who meets the long-term residency requirements and who studies the entire course while living in Australia; or
A permanent humanitarian visa holder, or an eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder; who studies the entire course while living in Australia
Have an available HELP balance
Have a Unique Student Identifier (USI) prior to the first census date
Have sufficient Student Learning Entitlement available
Meet the completion rate requirements.

Applying for HELP loans

HELP Loan applications are made by completing an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) during enrolment. You will need to provide your Tax File Number (TFN) and a Unique Student Identifier (USI) when you apply.

For more information on HELP loans visit the Australian Government Study Assist website.