|
Commonwealth Supported Places
A Commonwealth supported place is a higher education place for which the
Commonwealth makes a contribution towards the cost of education. The Australian
Government allocates a number of Commonwealth supported places to eligible
higher education providers each year.
To be eligible for a Commonwealth supported place you must be an Australian
citizen; or a New Zealand citizen or holder of a permanent visa who will be
residing in Australia for the duration of your unit/s of study.
All Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens and holders of a permanent visa
will receive a Student Learning Entitlement (SLE). The SLE entitles a student
to the equivalent of 7 years of full time study in a Commonwealth supported
place.
Australian Government legislation requires the majority of higher education
students in a Commonwealth supported place to contribute to the cost of their
education. This means that students pay a proportion of the cost of their course
and the government funds the balance.
HECS-HELP
HECS-HELP assistance helps eligible students enrolled in a Commonwealth
supported place with a loan to cover their student contribution amount.
Discounts are available if students choose to pay all, or at least $500 of their student
contribution amount up-front.
Students are eligible for HECS-HELP assistance if they:
- are enrolled in a unit of study as a Commonwealth supported student;
- meet the citizenship or residency requirements. That is, the student must be:
- an Australian citizen; or
- the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa who will
be resident in Australia for the duration of the unit; or
- a pre-2005 Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS)
student who is a New Zealand citizen or the holder of a
permanent visa (other than a permanent humanitarian visa)
who meets the citizenship eligibility requirements that
were in place under HECS.
HECS-HELP payment options are:
- Pay the student contribution up-front and receive a 20% discount
- Receive a HECS-HELP loan for the full student contribution
- Pay some of the student contribution up-front (receive 20%
discount on payments over $500) and receive a HECS-HELP loan for
the balance
All new students are given a copy of the information for Commonwealth supported students
booklet and are asked to complete a Request for commonwealth support and HECS-HELP form
at the time of enrolment. You must complete this form even if you are not requesting
HECS-HELP assistance. Failure to do this may result in your enrolment as a Commonwealth
supported student being cancelled.
If you are a pre-2005 HECS student, you must fill out a new form if you are continuing
with a course in 2006 that you commenced prior to 2005. You must fill out the Request for
Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP - pre 2005 form on or before census date (or an earlier
date set by the provider). If you completed a Request for Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP
- pre 2005 form in 2005 for your course, you do not have to complete a new one in 2006.
Failure to do this may result in your enrolment as a Commonwealth supported student being cancelled.
Copies of the booklet and forms are available from Student Services or online
at www.goingtouni.gov.au
Return to Higher Education Fees
|
