FEE-HELP covers your tuition fees, so you can pay them later. The loan doesn’t cover your Student Services and Amenities Fee, but if you’re eligible, you can apply for SA-HELP to defer this fee.
FEE-HELP isn't means tested. Your income, or the income of a partner or your family, will not affect your eligibility. You can apply for FEE-HELP if you are enrolled as a full fee-paying student in an eligible course, and would like a Government loan to cover your tuition fees.
You may be eligible for FEE-HELP if you meet one of the following criteria:
In addition, you must have an available HELP balance and provide Deakin with the following information before your first census date:
To apply for FEE-HELP you need to be enrolled as a full fee-paying student in an eligible course. Courses that are eligible for FEE-HELP at Deakin include:
If you are an Australian permanent resident, you might be eligible to apply for a FEE-HELP loan for approved bridging studies undertaken in Australia. A bridging course is for overseas-trained professionals to enable them to meet entry requirements for their profession in Australia.
Have a question about FEE-HELP, eligibility or loan repayments? The Australian Government’s StudyAssist website provides up-to-date information about financing your university study.
The Australian Government pays your tuition fees directly to Deakin and a HELP debt is recorded with the Australian Tax Office (ATO). You'll be issued with a Commonwealth Assistance notice (eCAN) each enrolled study period. This will detail any amount deferred to the ATO.
The HELP limit is the maximum amount that you can borrow over your lifetime. This excludes the loan fee of 20%, which is applied to FEE-HELP for undergraduate courses of study. Find out what the current HELP loan limit amount is on the StudyAssist website.
You pay back your loan when your taxable income reaches the compulsory repayment threshold. You can make payments directly to Deakin before the invoice due date. Alternatively, once the FEE-HELP debt has been reported to the ATO you can make voluntary repayments directly to them of any amount.
If you temporarily suspend your studies, your FEE-HELP status will remain in place. If you transfer to another course, you'll need to complete a new FEE-HELP form.
To apply for FEE-HELP, you must complete a Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) on Deakin’s StudentConnect when you enrol. FEE-HELP applies for the duration of your course and carries over for each study period. If you change course or start a new one, you'll need to complete another eCAF
We're here to support you. Contact us if you have a question about the FEE-HELP loan.
Domestic students
1800 693 888
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International students
+61 3 9918 9188
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