Eligible students who do not wish to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) upfront can request a loan from the government known as SA-HELP.
You will also be issued with a Commonwealth Assistance Notice (eCAN) each enrolled study period. This will detail any amount deferred to the ATO. We encourage you to view and download a copy of your eCAN for your records.
Eligibility criteria
You must meet the following eligibility criteria:
You must be one of the following:
- an Australian citizen studying at least one unit of your course in Australia*
- a New Zealand Special Category Visa (SCV) holder, or eligible former New Zealand SCV holder, who meets the long-term residency requirements and studying your entire course while living in Australia#
- a permanent humanitarian visa holder, or an eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder, who will be resident in Australia for the duration of your studies or
- a pacific engagement visa (PEV) holder who will be resident in Australia for the duration of your studies.
You must also:
- meet the Tax File Number (TFN) requirements
- have a Unique Student Identifier (USI)
- submit a valid SA-HELP eCAF by the census date.
*You will not be eligible for Commonwealth support or a HELP loan if we reasonably believe that you will not undertake any of your course in Australia.
#New Zealand citizens will need to provide documentation to be able to use HELP: find out how on our Government HELP loan FAQs page.
SA-HELP applies for the duration of your course even if you intermit your studies. If you transfer to a new course, you need to complete a new SA-HELP form – only one form needs to be completed per course.
How to apply for SA-HELP
To apply for SA-HELP go to StudentConnect and select the SA-HELP menu option. This is a different form to HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.
To check your SA-HELP form has been completed correctly, log into StudentConnect and generate an invoice. If the SSAF amount does not display as owing and you have provided your Tax File Number, your form has been completed correctly.
You will be issued with a Commonwealth Assistance Notice (eCAN) each enrolled study period. This will detail any amount deferred to the ATO.
If you need further help, contact Student Central.
More information
For HELP repayment or eligibility information, visit the StudyAssist website. If you need help completing your form, contact Student Central.