Information for Commonwealth Supported Students

Various contribution schemes are available to those undertaking university study.

Students in Commonwealth Supported Places may be eligible for a HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP loan from the Australian Government. Information regarding your eligibility for these loans can be found at http://www.goingtouni.gov.au/Home.htm.

HECS-Help

Students in Commonwealth Supported places are required to contribute towards the cost of their education. The student contribution amount is calculated for each study period for his or her student load and the annual course contributions which apply for that year.

The student contribution is calculated on the basis of the student load a student is undertaking as at the census date for that study period. Eligible students have three ways of paying their study period student contribution.

Pay upfront and receive a 20% discount
Make a partial upfront payment of at least $500 and receive a 20% discount on that payment; or
Defer payment via a HECS-HELP loan and repay through the Australian Taxation Office when income exceeds the minimum payment threshold.

Students who are not exempt from the Student Contribution are required, as part of initial enrolment in a new course, to complete and lodge a Commonwealth Assistance Form (CAF) with their Enrolment Form. The CAF form requires you to nominate a payment option and you are asked to declare that you have read the booklet Information for Commonwealth supported students and are aware of your obligations under the scheme.

This booklet is available at Student Central, Central Administration Building 101, at Faculty Student Services Offices, or the booklet can be viewed at the DEST web site: http://www.goingtouni.gov.au/Main/Resources/ICSS/Default.htm

There are no loan fees for a HECS-HELP loan.

FEE-Help

Fee Help provides a loan to eligible students, who are not Commonwealth supported, for all or part of their tuition fees. It is available for postgraduate unit fees at Curtin.

Students can borrow up to the limit of the tuition fee for the unit of study. However, over their lifetime, students will only be able to borrow a maximum of $50 000 (indexed)

Students repay their loan through the Tax Office once their income is above the minimum threshold for compulsory repayment.

For further information refer to the DEST website: http://www.goingtouni.gov.au/Main/Quickfind/PayingForYourStudiesHELPLoans/FEEHELP.htm