FEE-HELP eligibility requirements for pre-2005 PELS students who are holders of a permanent visa.
What is the residency test and how does it relate to pre-2005 PELS students' eligibility for FEE-HELP?
How can a student become an Australian citizen?
FEE-HELP eligibility requirements for pre-2005 PELS students who are holders of a permanent visa
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Pre-2005 PELS students who are holders of a permanent visa (other than a permanent humanitarian visa) may be able to receive FEE-HELP until the end of 2008. They must meet the PELS eligibility requirements, as set out below in order to be eligible for FEE-HELP. Once they no longer meet these requirements they are not entitled to FEE-HELP. For information on who is a pre-2005 PELS student see Fee-paying students who commenced study before 2005. |
A pre-2005 PELS student who holds a permanent visa (other than a permanent humanitarian visa) is eligible for FEE-HELP for a unit of study if he/she:
- will be residing in Australia for the duration of the unit (unless the course requires the student to be overseas); and
- is in Australia on enrolment day; and
- does not satisfy the residency test on enrolment day (see residency test) or first did so in the twelve months immediately preceding enrolment day; and
- meets other eligibility requirements.
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What is the residency test and how does it relate to pre-2005 PELS students' eligibility for FEE-HELP?
A person satisfies the residency test if they hold a permanent visa and meet the requirements for Australian citizenship.
Students have up to 12 months after becoming eligible for citizenship to consider whether they wish to become an Australian citizen and to make the necessary arrangements. During this time they remain eligible for FEE-HELP. However, once the 12 months is up, if they have not become an Australian citizen, they will no longer be eligible for FEE-HELP.
To satisfy the residency test a person must have been present in Australia as a permanent resident for periods totalling at least two years in the last five years, including at least twelve months in the last two years. Any periods of time spent outside Australia since becoming a permanent resident are disregarded in determining if they satisfy the residency test.
This means that holders of an Australian permanent visa, who have not left Australia since being granted the permanent visa, will generally be ineligible for FEE-HELP three years after being granted an Australian permanent visa, unless they have become Australian citizens.
A pre-2005 PELS student may receive FEE-HELP if they have been granted a certificate of Australian citizenship, but have not yet made the pledge referred to in section 13 of the Australian Citizenship Act 1948. Such a student must attend a citizenship ceremony and make the pledge within 12 months of their citizenship being approved.
The following chart will help determine your eligibility for FEE-HELP:
Example
| Lina came to Australia on 26 May 2004 with a permanent visa and she has not left Australia since. She will satisfy the residency test on 26 May 2006.
In 2007, Lina is continuing with a postgraduate course of study she commenced with a PELS loan in second semester 2004 which she then deferred in 2005 and 2006. When Lina enrols in a unit(s) of study contributing to that course on 19 January 2007, she will be eligible for FEE-HELP because she is a pre-2005 PELS student who has not satisfied the residency test for a period of one year.
However, when Lina enrols in her unit(s) of study for her second study period on 15 July 2007, she will no longer be eligible for FEE-HELP, (unless she has become an Australian citizen), because more than a year will have passed since she first satisfied the residency test. |
Holders of a permanent visa who are eligible for FEE-HELP should provide their higher education provider with documentation to demonstrate their eligibility.
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How can a student become an Australian citizen?
For information on the eligibility requirements and application process for Australian citizenship, students should visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website 
or phone the Citizenship Information Line on 13 18 80.
You should allow sufficient time for your application for Australian citizenship to be considered if you are intending to become an Australian citizen before you enrol in a course of study.
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