You are undertaking bridging study for overseas-trained professionals if the study you are undertaking:
• relates to your assessment statement;
• is on a non-award basis, that is, it is not being undertaken as part of a course of study;
• does not constitute in total more than the equivalent of one year of full-time study; and
• is provided by an accredited higher education provider.
Your higher education provider will be able to advise you if you are undertaking more than the equivalent of one year of full-time study.
An assessment statement will require you to successfully undertake studies, examinations and/or tuition and training programmes to meet the requirements for entry to your profession.
In some cases, the assessment statement may indicate a need to complete a prescribed bridging course which is specifically offered to overseas-trained professionals. In other cases, you may only be able to complete the required study by enrolling, on a non-award basis, in one or more subjects or units with an approved higher education provider.
The following examples are used to highlight key FEE-HELP eligibility requirements:
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Yousef trained and worked as a veterinarian in Egypt before becoming an Australian citizen. His assessment statement from the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council states that Yousef is eligible to sit for the National Veterinary Examination. Yousef decides that he needs further assistance to prepare for the exam and enrols in the Overseas-Trained Vets Bridging Course, which is eight weeks long. After enrolling with an approved higher education provider, Yousef applies for FEE-HELP.
Whilst Yousef meets the citizenship requirements and is enrolled with an approved provider, he is not eligible for FEE-HELP. This is because he has chosen to undertake the study and his assessment statement does not require him to do so. |
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Juan has a dental qualification from Chile. After arriving in Australian on a permanent resident visa, Juan has his qualifications assessed by the Australian Dental Council. His assessment statement indicates that he needs to undertake bridging study and examinations before he can work as a dentist in Australia. Juan enrols in a twelve-week course, but discovers that his higher education provider is not approved for FEE-HELP.
Although Juan and his nominated study meet the appropriate eligibility criteria, he cannot access FEE-HELP because his provider is not approved to offer FEE-HELP. |
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Before becoming a permanent resident, Soong was trained as an accountant in Cambodia. She has had her qualifications assessed and her assessment statement indicates that she needs to complete bridging studies to improve her familiarity with Australian laws. Based on the advice of her assessing body and the local university, she plans to enrol in TAXLAW 201, part of the Bachelor of Accounting, on a non-award basis.
If Soong has enrolled in subjects that meet the needs of the assessing body for accountants, then it is likely that she will be eligible for FEE-HELP. |
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