FEE-HELP

FEE-HELP is a government loan scheme to assist eligible students in paying part or all of their tuition fees for courses undertaken with institutions approved as higher education providers under HESA.

You can download a HELP information booklet (which provides additional information about FEE-HELP) from the Study Assist website

The FEE-HELP loan scheme covers studies in all UTS College diplomas.

Approved providers are listed on the Study Assist website 

You need to complete a Request for a FEE-HELP loan Non-university private higher education providers form, which is available online through eStudent. 

You need an Australian Tax File Number (TFN) or a Certificate of Application for a TFN from the Australia Taxation Office (ATO) confirming that you've applied for a TFN. You must provide the TFN to UTS College Student Centre staff as soon as it's available, and no later than the Census Date.
From 2021, new students, will need a Unique Student Identifier (USI) to be eligible for a Commonwealth financial assistance (this means FEE-HELP at UTS College) under the Higher Education Support Act 2003. If you have undertaken vocational education or training previously, you may already have a USI. Check if you have a USI, or create your USI easily.

If you hold an Australian passport, the fastest way to apply is online using myGovID to receive your TFN straight away:   Australian-citizens-with-an-Australian-passport---TFN-application
 
For more information on how to apply for a TFN, please visit https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Tax-file-number/Apply-for-a-TFN/
 
When applying for FEE-HELP at UTS College through eStudent without a TFN, you must upload either the ATO TFN application receipt or Application Summary and the Australia Post receipt. As soon as you receive your TFN, provide this to the Student Centre team at UTS College. Your TFN must be provided to UTS College by Census Date.

You must make full payment for all subjects you are enrolled, otherwise your enrolment at UTS College will be cancelled.

You can email admissions@utscollege.edu.au or visit the UTS College Student Centre at UTS Building 5, Block C Level 1 (ground floor),1-59 Quay Street, Haymarket.

No there is no application charge but there is a 20% loan fee based on the FEE-HELP loan that you receive.

No, you need to complete the form online available through eStudent.

It is important to provide the TFN to UTS College as soon as you receive it and it must be provided on or before census date. Visit the Student Centre to provide your TFN.

You are required to submit your Request for a FEE-HELP loan Non-university higher education providers form through eStudent, immediately after you accept your offer. Either tuition fees are paid or your application for a FEE-HELP loan must be received and approved prior to course commencement.

No, the required tuition fee must be paid or a request to become a FEE-HELP student must be received by UTS College before enrolling.

There are citizenship or residency requirements (refer to the Study Assist website).

A Unique Student Identifer (USI) is your individual education identifier for life. It creates an online record of your training attainments in Australia. You will need a USI in order to receive commonwealth financial assistance including FEE-HELP, as well as to obtain your qualification or statement of attainment.

When completing the electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) through eStudent, enter your USI in all capital letters.

If you do not yet have a USI you should apply for one by visiting the USI website. You will be required to provide your USI to UTS College when applying for FEE-HELP.

Yes you can. If you are a FEE-HELP student, whatever subject fees remain unpaid after the census date will become a FEE-HELP debt. The cost of this debt plus the 20% loan fee will be the loan that will eventually need to be repaid by you through the taxation system when you have reached the pre-determined income threshold.

Immediately after the FEE-HELP census date you will receive a CAN (Commonwealth Assistance Notice) detailing your FEE-HELP debt.

You will not incur a FEE-HELP debt. FEE-HELP fees for the withdrawn units of study will be re-credited to your FEE-HELP balance. Your application to withdraw must be submitted in writing to our Student Centre on or before census date.

You will incur a FEE-HELP debt.

You can apply to have your FEE-HELP balance re-credited (and your FEE-HELP balance remitted) in special circumstances. Supporting documentation is required for assessment of your application.

 

Yes, but you must pay the fees before census date. You cannot pay tuition fees after the census date as unpaid fees immediately after census date have already become a Commonwealth debt.

No, a FEE-HELP debt will only be incurred for unpaid fees immediately after the census date. If all fees have been paid before the census date no FEE-HELP debt will be incurred.

Yes. As a FEE-HELP student undertaking studies at a non-university Higher Education institution, once you have studied 4 or more units in your diploma course, you must have passed at least 50% of your total attempted units in order to remain eligible for FEE-HELP. For further information refer to Study Assist website.

You will not be able to resume your studies as a FEE-HELP student as you will not have complied with the non-university pass rate requirement. If you wish to continue your course you will need to pay the required fees yourself, as fees incurred by your enrolment will not be covered by the FEE-HELP loan scheme. Once you have completed and passed additional subjects, providing you have passed at least 50% of the subjects you have attempted overall, you will be able to resume your studies as a FEE-HELP student in subsequent semesters.

If you choose to change courses or providers, your completion rate does not follow you, allowing you to re-set the clock on the 50 per cent pass rate. You may choose to pay for units up-front in your course to allow you to increase your success rate and regain eligibility for Commonwealth assistance.

If you have a low completion rate and you can demonstrate  special circumstances have adversely affected your academic performance, UTS College can allow consideration for these impacts. Refer to 'special circumstances' in Study Assist website for more information.