FEE-HELP

Eligibility

Eligible for FEE-HELP:

• Australian citizens
• holders of a permanent humanitarian visa.

Students with a permanent visa who are undertaking a bridging program for overseas trained professionals may also be eligible.

Not eligible for FEE-HELP:

• VET students (those studying a certificate or diploma at the pre-degree level)
• New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent visas (unless it is a Permanent humanitarian visa)
• Students enrolled in a course on a non-award basis, i.e. not leading to any university award.

The application form for FEE-HELP – Request for FEE-HELP Assistance – is available as part of the University’s online enrolment process. Hardcopies are also available from the Student Centre.

Students who successfully apply for FEE-HELP have the option of paying part of their tuition fee up front to the University on or before the Census Date. The Commonwealth Government will pay directly to the University on your behalf an amount equal to any unpaid tuition fees provided the amount does not exceed the FEE-HELP loan limits. A FEE-HELP debt will be recorded for you with the Australian Taxation Office. No direct payment is required from you to the University.

Repayments of FEE-HELP loans are compulsory when your repayment income is above the minimum repayment threshold set by the Government, and are paid through the Australian taxation system. The minimum repayment threshold can be found on the Commonwealth Government’s Going to Uni website.

A 20% loan fee applies to undergraduate FEE-HELP loan amounts when the debt is created.

For example: a loan for tuition fees of $1,000, will attract a 20% loan fee of $200, so that the total debt is $1,200.

From January 2009, the FEE-HELP limit is $85,062 for all courses except medicine, dentistry and veterinary science for which the FEE-HELP limit is $106,328 (this limit excludes the loan fee).

If you are a domestic fee-paying, cross-institutional student (i.e. a student enrolled in an award program in one institution but studying a course or courses in another institution that will count towards that award), and wish to access FEE-HELP at both institutions, you must complete a Request for FEE-HELP Assistance form for each institution in which you are enrolled.

For more information about FEE-HELP refer to the FEE-HELP Information booklet which is available at the Student Centre or from the Commonwealth Government’s Going to Uni website.

Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN)

After the census date, the University will send a Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) to all students accessing a full or partial FEE-HELP loan. The CAN will be provided electronically and you will be advised via your University of Adelaide email account when the CAN is available.

The CAN will contain details about your FEE-HELP assistance.

The CAN will also include any changes you have made to your study program on or before the census date. If you think the information on the CAN is incorrect, contact Student Finance, in writing, within 14 days.

You can also monitor and check these details through myUniAssist, operated by the Commonwealth Government.