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Fee payment assistance

Get help paying your fees and study-related expenses.

Higher Education Loan Programs (HELP)

HECS-HELP provides students in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) with a loan to cover their student contribution amount and/or a discount if they choose to pay all, or at least $500, of their student contribution amount up front.

If you take out a HECS-HELP loan, the Commonwealth pays the loan amount directly to Deakin on your behalf and a HECS-HELP debt is recorded for you with the Australian Taxation Office.

Eligibility criteria

  • Students must be Australian citizens or holders of a permanent humanitarian visa, in a CSP
  • New Zealand citizens and holders of a permanent visa in a CSP are unable to access this loan scheme and are required to pay the full student contribution amount up front.

Note From 1 January 2013, a person will not be eligible for Commonwealth support or a HELP loan if a higher education provider reasonably expects the person will not undertake any of their course of study in Australia.

Student contribution payment methods

  • Pay all of your student contribution up front and receive a HECS-HELP discount of 10% i.e. you only pay 90% of your contribution amount.
  • Receive a HECS-HELP loan for the full student contribution (previously referred to as deferring your HECS).
  • Pay some of your student contribution up front (and receive a 10% discount on payments over $500) and receive a HECS-HELP loan for the balance.

How to apply for HECS HELP

If you would like to obtain HECS-HELP please complete an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) via StudentConnect.

More information

Visit the HECS-HELP page on www.studyassist.gov.au.

FEE-HELP is a loan programme that assists eligible fee paying students to pay their tuition fees at higher education providers.

Eligibility criteria

  • Students must be Australian citizens or holders of a permanent humanitarian visa, in a fee-paying place
  • Holders of other permanent visas are not eligible for FEE-HELP unless they are undertaking a bridging course for overseas trained professionals

Courses eligible for FEE-HELP

  • Accredited undergraduate award programs
  • Accredited postgraduate award programs
  • Bridging courses for overseas trained professionals to enable them to meet the requirements for entry into their profession in Australia
  • Courses to enable students to meet the requirements for entry into an award program
  • Units of study made available by higher education providers, access to which was provided by Open Learning Australia

Note From 1 January 2013, a person will not be eligible for a HELP loan if a higher education provider reasonably expects the person will not undertake any of their course of study in Australia.

FEE-HELP limits in 2013

Year

Limit

2013 $93,204
$ 116,507 for Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science

The FEE-HELP limit is the maximum that a student can borrow under FEE-HELP over their lifetime. This limit excludes any loan fee.

A loan fee of 25% applies to FEE-HELP loans for undergraduate courses of study only.

How to apply for FEE HELP

If you would like to obtain FEE-HELP please complete an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) via StudentConnect.

More information

Visit the FEE-HELP page on www.studyassist.gov.au.

Eligible students who do not wish to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) upfront to the University can request assistance from the Commonwealth, and defer the fee through an element of the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) known as SA-HELP.

The amount of the loan will be added to the student's accumulated HELP debt.

Student contribution payment methods

Eligible students may choose to:

  • pay some of the fee upfront and obtain a SA-HELP loan for the remainder
  • obtain a loan for the full amount of the fee.

Eligibility criteria

Students must:

  • be Australian citizens or holders of a permanent humanitarian visa who are residing in Australia
  • be enrolled in an eligible course of study with a higher education provider
  • meet the Tax File Number (TFN) requirements
  • complete the online SA-HELP form by the census date each Trimester/Semester.

How to apply for SA-HELP

To apply for SA-HELP go to StudentConnect and select the SA-HELP menu option.

More information

Visit the SA-HELP page on www.studyassist.gov.au.

OS-HELP is a loan that assists eligible Commonwealth supported students, who are based in Australia, to undertake some of their study overseas. The purpose of OS-HELP is to assist students with a range of expenses, such as airfares and accommodation.

Deakin administers OS-HELP in accordance with Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIICCSRTE) guidelines.

Eligible students may borrow one loan (up to the maximum amount) per six-month study period for one or two study periods of overseas study. A student may only receive a maximum of two OS-HELP loans over their lifetime.

An OS-HELP debt will be incurred when the OS-HELP loan amount is received.

OS-HELP limit

2013: $6,051

Eligibility criteria

You are entitled to apply for an OS-HELP loan to support you for your study period overseas if you:

  • are an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa
  • have not received OS-HELP assistance on more than one other occasion
  • are enrolled in an undergraduate course of study at Deakin University
  • have already completed at least one year, or 8 credit points (1 EFTSL) as a Commonwealth Supported student (on HECS) that counts towards your undergraduate course of study at Deakin University
  • are enrolled full-time (i.e.enrolled in units amounting to at least 75% of a full-time load) with an overseas higher education institution and will be undertaking that study outside Australia
  • will have your overseas study count as credit for the course in which you are enrolled at Deakin
  • still have at least one semester (4 credit points,excluding any unit/s being undertaken whilst you are overseas) to complete in your course after you return from overseas study
  • have not been granted OS-HELP assistance by another university for an overlapping six month period
  • are selected to take part in an Education Abroad, In-Country or Study Tour program by Deakin and appropriately enrolled on StudentConnect in the units required for that program.

How to apply for OS-HELP

If studying in 2013, fill in the 2013 OS-HELP application and send it to:

Study Abroad & Exchange Office
Deakin University
221 Burwood Highway
Burwood Vic 3125

or

Your Faculty In-Country/Study Tour coordinator.
Contact your Faculty office for details.

2013 OS-HELP application form

PDF
164 KB

Recent changes to HELP

Changes to the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)

More information

Study Assist

This website provides up-to-date information about Australian Government assistance for financing tertiary study. For more information, visit www.studyassist.gov.au or call 1800 020 108.

ATO

This website contains tax information for individuals or students about schemes that support education being undertaken. For more information, visit www.ato.gov.au.

Other financial support

Deakin can help you navigate through the various types of financial support available to you while you study. Some of that support comes from the University and some from the government.

Deakin financial assistance can help you with budgeting and how to manage and avoid debt. Find out about grants and loans that can help you cover study and living expenses.

Government financial assistance with living expenses is also available, including Centrelink benefits, Health Care Cards and help paying a bond when renting.

Scholarships and awards - we offer a wide range of scholarships to help students from many different backgrounds pay for their university fees. Students may also be eligible for prizes and awards.


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