If you are enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP), the Australian Government pays some of your fees and you pay the remaining portion, this is called your 'student contribution amount'.
If you are enrolled in a CSP, you could get a HECS-HELP loan to cover your student contribution amount. If you are eligible for a HECS-HELP loan and make an upfront payment of $500 or more towards your studies, or make an upfront payment equal to 90 per cent of your student contribution amount, you will receive a 10 per cent discount, called HECS-HELP discount.
How much will I pay for my course?
Each unit of study is classified into a student contribution band, depending on the study area of the unit (this may be different from the study area of your course). The amount you pay for your unit of study is usually the maximum allowed by the Government for that band.
New student contribution band and ranges from 1 January 2022
| New student contribution bands and ranges in 2022 | |
|---|---|
| Student contribution band | 2022 maximum student contribution amount (per EFTSL) |
| Band 4: Law, accounting, administration, economics, commerce, communications, society and culture | $14,630 |
| Band 3: Dentistry, medicine, veterinary science | $11,401 |
| Band 2: Other health, allied health, built environment, computing, engineering, surveying, science, environmental studies, pathology, visual and performing arts, professional pathway psychology, professional pathway social work | $8,021 |
| Band 1: Agriculture, English, mathematics, education, clinical psychology, Indigenous and foreign languages, nursing, statistics | $3,985 |
Continuing students who commenced before 1 January 2021
If you are a continuing student (who commenced before 1 January 2021) studying units in disciplines with increased student contribution amounts, you will continue paying the same amount (indexed each year) as you would have. These 'grandfathered' students contributions for 2022 are shown below.
| Grandfathered student contribution bands In 2022 | |
|---|---|
| For a place in a unit of study included in this funding cluster |
The 2022 maximum student |
| Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics, Commerce, Communications, Society and Culture |
(a) Law, Accounting, (b) Communications or Society and Culture $6,865. |
| Education, Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics, Statistics, Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Visual and Performing Arts, Professional Pathway Psychology or Professional Pathway Social Work |
(a) Education, Clinical (b) Allied Health, Other Health, (c) Visual and Performing Arts, |
| Nursing, Indigenous and Foreign Languages, Engineering, Surveying, Environmental Studies Science |
(a) Nursing, Indigenous (b) Engineering, Surveying, |
|
Agriculture, Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary |
(a) Agriculture $3,985. (b) Medicine, Dentistry or (c) Pathology $8,021. |
For 2021 student contribution amounts, please refer to the 2021 Indexed Rates available on the department's website at the link: 2021 Indexed Rates - Department of Education, Skills and Employment, Australian Government (dese.gov.au).
You can estimate the student contribution amount you have to pay for each of your units of study.
You will need to know the student contribution amount for the unit in which you are enrolled, and the equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL) of your unit (this will likely be in your enrolment information or ask your provider if you don't know). If you are a continuing Commonwealth supported student, you will also need to know whether the unit is in a grandfathered discipline.
Your student contribution amount for a unit of study is estimated by:
(Student contribution amount) x (EFTSL value of unit) = the amount you have to pay
Note: eligible Commonwealth supported students can defer this payment with a HECS-HELP loan.
Scenario 1
Matthew is enrolled before 1 January 2021 in a nursing degree as a Commonwealth supported student. Matthew is studying full-time and plans to graduate at the end of 2022.
From 1 January 2021, the student contribution amount for a unit of nursing was $3,950 per EFTSL (see 2021 Indexed Rates).
From 1 January 2022, the student contribution amount for a unit in nursing will be $3,985 per EFTSL.
For a unit nursing Matthew enrols in that is 0.125 EFTSL:
- in 2021, the estimated student contribution amount = $3,950 x 0.125 = $493.75
- in 2022, the estimated student contribution amount = $3,985 x 0.125 = $498.13.
Scenario 2
Dongdi is enrolled prior to 1 January 2021 in a law degree as a Commonwealth supported student. Dongdi is studying full-time and plans to graduate at the end of 2022.
From 1 January 2021, the student contribution amount for a unit of law increased to $14,500 per EFTSL (see 2021 Indexed Rates). As Dongdi was enrolled in a law degree prior to 1 January 2021, she is subject to the grandfathered student contribution rate and only needs to pay the lower student contribution for the duration of her degree.
For a unit in law Dongdi enrols in that is 0.125 EFTSL, in 2022 the estimated student contribution amount = $11,45 x 0.125 = $1,432.13.
Scenario 3
Khadija is a Year 12 student seeking to enrol in an Arts degree with a major in political science. Khadija is seeking to commence studies in semester 1,2022.
Khadija enrols in a unit in History that is 0.125 EFTSL in semester 1, 2022. History a society and culture unit. From 1 January 2022, the student contribution for a full-time student studying society and culture is $14,630 per EFTSL.
Khadija's estimated student contribution amount for this unit = $14,630. x 0.125 = $1,828.75.