Overview
Commonwealth loans and scholarships
General citizenship and residency rules
Commonwealth assistance available
Overview
At the undergraduate level, higher education providers are able to offer two types of places to domestic students:
- A Commonwealth supported place (previously known as a HECS place)
- A fee-paying (non-Commonwealth supported).
From 1 January 2009, public universities no longer offer full fee paying places to commencing domestic undergraduate students except in certain circumstances.
Fee paying students who were enrolled in a fee paying place prior to January 2009 are able to continue in their course on a fee paying basis.
Other approved higher education providers can offer fee paying places.
All providers may offer full fee paying places in postgraduate courses and enabling courses.
If you are in a Commonwealth supported place, you only make a contribution towards the cost of your education (known as the student contribution) while the Australian Government contributes the majority of the cost.
If you are not in a Commonwealth supported place you will pay tuition fees, which are not subsidised by the Australian Government. Fee paying undergraduate places are additional to Commonwealth supported places.
Overseas students are only able to study in an overseas fee paying paying place and must pay overseas student fees.
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Commonwealth loans and scholarships
From 2005 eligible students have had access to deferred payment arrangements through the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP). The HELP scheme consists of three loans called:
- HECS-HELP
- FEE-HELP
- OS-HELP
See also: Loans
As well as the HELP scheme there are a number of Commonwealth and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to eligible students to assist with the costs associated with undertaking higher education.
See also: Scholarships
General citizenship and residency rules
Access to Commonwealth assistance for higher education, which includes subsidised places and loans, is dependent on your citizenship or residency status.
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Commonwealth assistance available
The following table outlines the Commonwealth assistance options available to Commonwealth supported, fee paying and overseas students, based on citizenship or residency status.
|
Citizenship /
residency status |
Commonwealth pays |
Student
pays |
Payment options
(including loans) |
| Commonwealth supported students |
Australian citizens
Permanent humanitarian visa holders |
Commonwealth contribution
20 per cent HECS-HELP discount for:
- full up-front payments or
- partial up front payments of $500 or more.
|
Student contribution |
Three payment options:
- HECS-HELP loan
- full up-front payment (including 20 per cent discount)
- partial up-front payment (including 20 per cent discount for payment of $500 or more) and HECS-HELP loan
OS-HELP loan for overseas study.
See also:
HECS-HELP
OS-HELP
|
|
New Zealand citizens
Other permanent visa holders |
Commonwealth contribution |
Student contribution |
No loans - full up-front payment only.
See also:
Payment options and HECS-HELP
|
| Fee-paying (non-Commonwealth supported) students |
Australian citizens
Permanent humanitarian visa holders
|
No contribution |
Tuition fees |
- FEE-HELP loan
- Full or partial up front payment
|
New Zealand citizens
Other permanent visa holders
|
No contribution |
Tuition fees |
No loans - full up front payment only.
FEE-HELP for Bridging Study for Overseas-Trained Professionals |
| Overseas students |
Foreign citizens who do not hold an Australian permanent visa
Temporary visa holders
Provisional visa holders
|
No contribution |
Overseas student fees |
No loans.
See also: Overseas students |
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