HECS-HELP

A HECS-HELP loan allows students to borrow from the Commonwealth to cover some or all of their聽student contribution.

Students who receive HECS-HELP will have part or their entire聽student contribution聽amount paid to the University by the Commonwealth and a HECS-HELP debt recorded for them with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Eligibility

To be eligible for HECS-HELP, you must be studying in a聽Commonwealth supported place.聽 You must also be either:

  • an Australian citizen residing in Australia for at least one聽course of study contributing to your program; OR
  • an eligible聽New Zealand special category visa holder聽residing in Australia for the duration of your unit(s) of study; OR
  • 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 your course of study; OR
  • a pacific engagement visa holder (this visa becomes eligible from 1 February 2024).

You must also:

  • provide your聽Tax File Number (TFN)聽or a Certificate of application for a tax file number before the census date
  • provide your Unique Student Identifier (USI) before enrolling
  • have enough available HELP balance
  • be assessed as a genuine student and as academically suitable for your unit of study
  • maintain a reasonable study load of no more than 2 EFTSL per year unless approved by The 成人大片 to study a higher load
  • have read the

  • have submitted a valid CSP and HECS-HELP eCAF by the census date.

Holders of other permanent visas, and New Zealand Citizens, who do not meet the above eligibility criteria, are not eligible for HECS-HELP loans and must pay all聽student contributions聽to the University by the invoice due date.

HECS-HELP eligible students may pay their聽student contribution聽in the following ways:

  • pay the full amount to the University by the invoice due date
  • pay some of the student contribution to the University by the invoice due date and receive a HECS-HELP loan, (if eligible) for the remainder of the聽student contribution
  • receive a HECS-HELP loan (if eligible) for the full聽student contribution*

Applying

To apply for HECS-HELP, eligible students must complete a Request for Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP form, which is available as part of the University's online enrolment process through the following path in聽:

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

*贰濒颈驳颈产濒别听New Zealand Special Category Visa holders聽will need to provide evidence of their eligibility to聽ask.studentfinance@adelaide.edu.au聽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 a聽Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN)聽showing the amount of聽student contribution聽deferred to聽a HECS-HELP loan.

If you are a聽cross-institutional student聽and wish to access HECS-HELP at both institutions, you must complete a Request for Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP form for each institution in which you are enrolled.

Combined HELP loan limit and balance

The includes HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP and Vet Student Loans. For 2023, the HELP loan limit will be $113,028 for most students.聽 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.聽 The limit for students studying medicine, dentistry, 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 Student Contribution amount. You can check your HELP balance on the Commonwealth Government鈥檚聽听飞别产蝉颈迟别.

Repayment

Repayment of a HECS-HELP debt is compulsory when your taxable income is above the minimum repayment threshold set by the Australian Government - refer to聽Repayment 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 HECS-HELP but don't yet have a聽tax file number, it is important that you apply for one early via the聽.