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Paying your fees

Learn about University invoices and find out whether you're eligible to defer your payment by applying for an Australian Government student loan.

We’ll send you an invoice for each semester or teaching period you’re enrolled in. The amount listed will be for the units you’ve enrolled in for that upcoming semester or teaching period.  

Your invoice will show the total, due date and payment methods. Missing a payment deadline can result in a cancelled enrolment and withheld academic results.  

If you’re eligible for one of the Australian Government’s student loans, you can defer some or all of your payment. 

Deferring your fees with a loan

There are four main loan types: 

Loan

Who can apply

What it covers

HECS-HELP

Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) students

Student contribution amount (tuition fee)

FEE-HELP

Domestic full fee-paying students

Tuition fee

SA-HELP

All higher education students

Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)

OS-HELP

Higher education students who want to study abroad

Airfares, accommodation or other travel costs

If you get a loan, you won’t have to start paying it back to the Government (via your taxes) until your income reaches the compulsory repayment threshold.

Eligibility

To be eligible for any HELP loan, you must:

  • be an Australian citizen who completes at least some of your course while living in Australia OR a New Zealand citizen, Australian permanent visa holder, eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder or pacific engagement visa (PEV) holder who studies the entire course while living in Australia
  • provide your Tax File Number (TFN) 
  • have a Unique Student Identifier (USI) before the first census date 
  • have enough Student Learning Entitlement available.

Most students apply for two loans – one to cover their tuition and one to cover their Student Services and Amenities Fee.

Applying

You have to complete an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) to apply for a loan. After accepting your offer, you’ll get an email from the Government that contains unique passkeys for each loan you're eligible for. Use these to log into the portal and fill out the eCAFs. You must apply before census date.

Eligible students enrolled in approved diploma or advanced diploma courses can defer all or part of their VET tuition fees with a VET Student Loan. Keep in mind that these loans can’t be used to defer materials fees, and loan caps (the maximum amount you can borrow) apply. If you’re enrolled as a full fee–paying student, you’ll also pay a 20% loan fee.

If you get a loan, you won’t have to start paying it back to the Government (via your taxes) until your income reaches the compulsory repayment threshold.   

Eligibility   

To be eligible for a VET Student Loan, you must:  

  • be studying an approved diploma or advanced diploma TAFE course 
  • be an Australian citizen, a qualifying New Zealand citizen, a permanent humanitarian visa holder who is usually resident in Australia OR a pacific engagement visa holder who is usually resident in Australia
  • have been assessed as academically suited to undertake the eligible course
  • have a HELP balance greater than zero have a valid Unique Student Identifier (USI) and provide your tax file number (TFN).  

Applying  

You have to complete an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) to apply for a loan. After accepting your offer, you’ll get an email from the Government that contains a unique passkey. Use this to log into the portal and fill out your eCAF. You must apply before census date.