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Important Information
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All pre-2005 student arrangements END ON 31 DECEMBER 2008 regardless of whether you have completed your course.
The current pre-2005 arrangements apply only to units that end on or before
31 December 2008.
This means that for units of study that end after 31 December 2008 you will:
- be subject to the student contribution ranges established on 1 January 2005 (indexed) and
- not be eligible for a HELP loan unless you are an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa.
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Overview
Am I a pre-2005 HECS student?
Eligibility for HECS-HELP for pre-2005 students
New Zealand citizens (who do not also hold a permanent visa)
Holders of a permanent visa (other than a permanent humanitarian visa)
What are the prescribed residency requirements?
How will the changes at the end of 2008 affect me?
How much do I contribute?
This means that
Overview
Under the Our Universities: Backing Australia’s Future reforms in 2005, the Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) was introduced by the previous Australian Government incorporating HECS-HELP (formerly HECS) and two new loan schemes FEE-HELP and OS-HELP.
As part of the reforms, the previous Australian Government put in place transitional arrangements for HECS students who were continuing with a course of study they began before 2005. Students who are considered to be pre-2005 students:
• are taken to be Commonwealth supported students for the course;
• are able to access HECS-HELP based on the eligibility criteria that applied under HECS for units of study that form part of that course; and
• will not be charged student contributions above what would have been the HECS rate for that particular year (indexed) (see Table 1 below).
These transitional arrangements will remain in place only until the end of 2008.
Table 1: 2008 Student contribution bands and ranges for pre-2005 HECS students
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Student contribution band |
Student contribution range |
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Pre-2005 HECS students who began their course on or after 1 January 1997 |
Pre-2005 HECS students who began their course before 1 January 1997 |
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Band 3
(Law, dentistry, medicine, veterinary science) |
$0 – $6,798 |
$0 - $3,061 |
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Band 2
(accounting, administration, economics, commerce, mathematics, statistics, computing, built environment, health, engineering, science, surveying, agriculture) |
$0 – $5,807 |
$0 - $3,061 |
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Band 1
(humanities, behavioural science, social studies, foreign languages, visual and performing arts) |
$0 – $4,077 |
$0 - $3,061 |
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National priorities
(education, nursing) |
$0 – $4,077 |
$0 - $3,061 |
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Am I a pre-2005 HECS student
You are a pre-2005 HECS student if you commenced your course of study as a HECS student before 1 January 2005 and have not discontinued your enrolment or completed the requirements of the course.
If you discontinue your enrolment, for example, by formally withdrawing from your course or allowing your enrolment to lapse without formal authorisation from your higher education provider, you will no longer be considered a pre-2005 HECS student.
The following circumstances will not be seen as a discontinuance of your enrolment and you still will be considered a pre-2005 HECS student:
- taking a leave of absence approved by your higher education provider or have deferred
- transferring to another course of study at the same level. For example, from one undergraduate course to another, including from a single degree to a double degree, at the same or a different higher education provider
- being admitted to a course of study after completing the requirements of a qualifying or preliminary course at the same level (only applies if you commenced the qualifying or preliminary course after 1996) or
- being admitted to an honours course after completing the related pass course.
Your provider can assist you in determining whether you are a pre-2005 HECS student.
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Eligibility for HECS-HELP for pre-2005 students
If you are a pre-2005 HECS student, who is a New Zealand citizen or the holder of a permanent visa (other than a permanent humanitarian visa), you will be eligible for HECS-HELP if you meet the eligibility requirements that were in place under HECS. Once you no longer meet these requirements, you will not be eligible for HECS-HELP.
If you are not eligible for HECS-HELP, you may still be eligible for a Commonwealth supported place but you must pay your student contribution up-front, in full, on or before the census date (or an earlier date set by your provider) for your unit. You will not receive a discount for this up-front payment.
Your provider can help determine your eligibility for HECS-HELP. You will need to check with your provider regarding what documentation is required to demonstrate your residence status.
The transitional arrangements apply only to units of study that end on or before 31 December 2008. You will no longer be eligible for HECS‑HELP from this date unless you become an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa and meet the other requirements for assistance.
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New Zealand citizens (who do not also hold a permanent visa)
If you are a pre-2005 HECS student who is a New Zealand citizen (and you are also not an Australian citizen or holder of a permanent visa), you are eligible for HECS-HELP only if you:
1. commenced your course of study before 1 January 1996; and
2. have been living in Australia for a continuous period of at least 2 years.
Note: Most New Zealand citizens who arrive in Australia are the holders of a temporary visa called a Special Category Visa (SCV). This is not a permanent visa.
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Holders of a permanent visa (other than a permanent humanitarian visa)
Generally, if you are the holder of a permanent visa who is a pre-2005 HECS student, you will meet the prescribed residency requirements for your first 3 years in Australia as the holder of a permanent visa. Once those 3 years have passed, if you have not become an Australian citizen, you will no longer meet the prescribed residency requirements.
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What are the prescribed residency requirements?
If you became a permanent visa holder before 1 July 2007 and you have been present in Australia for a total of 2 years as the holder of that permanent visa, you are eligible to apply for Australian citizenship. This is because you have met the residence requirements for Australian citizenship as required by the Australian Citizenship Act 1948 (administered by DIAC).
Note: The prescribed residency requirements have changed for persons who became permanent visa holders on or after 1 July 2007.
To confirm your residency status, contact the Citizenship Information Line on 13 18 80.
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How will the changes at the end of 2008 affect me?
To be eligible for HECS-HELP for units of study that end on or after 1 January 2009, you must be an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa and meet other requirements.
If you are not eligible for HECS-HELP you must pay your student contribution amount up-front in full to your provider.
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How much do I contribute?
For units that end on or after 1 January 2009, you will no longer have access to the pre-2005 student contribution ranges. You will be subject to the student contribution ranges established on 1 January 2005 (indexed).
There are no exceptions or extensions of these arrangements beyond 31 December 2008. Your provider cannot help you to extend this date. You must be prepared to be assessed under the eligibility requirements established on 1 January 2005.
Note: New Zealand citizens or the holders of a permanent visa (other than a permanent humanitarian visa) will no longer be eligible for HECS-HELP for units of study that end after 31 December 2008.
This means that:
- the maximum student contribution band ranges for units of study that end after 31 December 2008 will be set within the same range as those students who commenced their study on or after 1 January 2005 (indexed); and
- pre-2005 students1 must meet the same citizenship and residency requirements to be eligible for HECS-HELP for units of study that end after 31 December 2008. That is you must be:
- an Australian citizen; or
- the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa who will be resident in Australia for the duration of the unit.
See also:
1 A pre-2005 HECS student may receive HECS-HELP if they have been granted a Certificate of Australian Citizenship but have not yet made the pledge as required under the Australian Citizenship Act 1948. This student must attend a citizenship ceremony and make the pledge within 12 months of their citizenship being approved.
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