FEE-HELP

A FEE-HELP loan allows students to borrow from the Commonwealth, up to the combined HELP loan limit, to cover some or all of theirÌýtuition fees.

Students who receive a FEE-HELP loan will have part or their entireÌýtuition feesÌýpaid to the University by the Commonwealth and a FEE-HELP debt recorded for them with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Eligibility

To be eligible for FEE-HELP, you must be either;

  • be an Australian citizen residing in Australia for at least oneÌýcourse of study contributing to your program; ORÌý
  • an eligibleÌýNew Zealand Special Category Visa holderÌýresiding in Australia for at least one course of study contributing to your program; ORÌý
  • a permanent visa holder who held a NZ special category visa immediately prior to your permanent visa and you previously met the long-term residency requirements; OR
  • a permanent humanitarian visa holder or eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder residing in Australia for the duration of yourÌýcourse of study; ORÌý
  • be a permanent visa holder who is undertaking bridging study for overseas-trained professionals, residing in Australia for the duration of yourÌýcourse of study; OR
  • a pacific engagement visa holder (this visa becomes eligible from 1 February 2024).

You must also:

  • have submitted a valid Request for FEE-HELP Assistance eCAF for each program you are enrolled in by the census date
  • provide yourÌýTax File NumberÌý(TFN) or a Certificate of application for a tax file number before the census date
  • have enough available HELP balance
  • provide your Unique Student Identifier (USI) before enrolling
  • maintain a reasonable study load of no more than 2 years' worth of higher education study in the last 12 months, unless your provider has assessed you as capable of taking on a higher study load.

If you do not meet the above citizenship and eligibility criteria, you are not eligible for FEE-HELP, and must pay yourÌýtuition feesÌýto the University by the invoice due date.

FEE-HELP eligible students may pay theirÌýtuition feesÌýin one of the following ways:

  • pay the fullÌýtuition feesÌýto the University by the invoice due date
  • receive a FEE-HELP loan for the full tuition fee
  • pay some of theÌýtuition feesÌýto the University by the invoice due date and receive a FEE-HELP loan for the remainder of theÌýtuition fees.

Undergraduate students who receive FEE-HELP will also incur a 20% loan fee when their debt is created e.g. a loan for tuition fees of $10,000, will attract a loan fee of $2,500, making the total debt $12,500.

Postgraduate students do not have a loan fee applied to their FEE-HELP loan.

Applying

The Request for FEE-HELP Assistance form is available as part of the University's online enrolment process or through the following pathÌýinÌý:

  1. Select the 'My Finances' Menu
  2. Select 'Payment Category'
  3. Select the 'Apply for FEE-HELP' button
  4. Follow the prompts, enter your TFN where required, and answer all questions on the form
  5. Select 'Submit Form'

*EligibleÌýNew Zealand Special Category Visa holdersÌýwill need toÌýprovide evidence ofÌýtheir eligibilityÌýin person at Ask Adelaide, Hub Central, by the census date of the relevant study period, otherwise their application will not be valid.

Within 28 days of the census date the University will send you aÌýCommonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN)Ìýshowing the amount ofÌýtuition feesÌýdeferred to a FEE-HELP loan.

If you are aÌýcross-institutional studentÌýand wish to access FEE-HELP at both institutions, you must complete a Request for FEE-HELP form for each institution in which you are enrolled.

Combined HELP loan limit & balance

The includes HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP and Vet Student Loans. For 2023, the HELP loan limit is $113,028 for most students.Ìý The limit for students studying medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses leading to initial registration will be $162,336.

The HELP loan limit in 2024 is $121,844 for most students. The limit for students studying medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses leading to initial registration is $174,998.

It is your responsibility to keep track of your HELP balance and to notify the University if there is insufficient HELP balance remaining to cover your tuition fee amount. You can check your HELP balance on the Commonwealth Government’sÌýÌýwebsite.

Repayment

Repayment of a FEE-HELP debt is compulsory when your taxable income is above the minimum repayment threshold set by the Australian Government - refer toÌýRepayment of HELP debt.

Any repayments you make on your HELP debt will credit your available HELP balance, up to your applicable HELP loan limit.

Tax File Number (TFN)

If you wish to access FEE-HELP but don't yet have aÌýtax file number, it is important that you apply for one early via theÌý.