FEE-HELP is a loan scheme to help you pay course fees for students in full fee tuition places. Your offer letter will tell you if you've been offered a full fee tuition place.
Am I eligible for FEE-HELP?
To be eligible for FEE-HELP, you must have a full fee tuition place, and be:
- an Australian citizen and will undertake at least one unit of study in Australia that contributes to your course of study
- the holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa and will be resident in Australia for the duration of your unit
- the holder of a Pacific Engagement Visa (from 1 February 2024)
- a New Zealand citizen with a Special Category Visa (SCV) who meets all of the eligibility requirements
- an overseas trained professional who meets all of the eligibility requirements
From 1 January 2023, all students accessing Commonwealth assistance will need to provide a Unique Student Identifier (USI). You should provide your USI on your FEE-HELP form. If you don't provide your USI on your FEE-HELP form, you will not be entitled to access a HELP loan, or study in a Commonwealth Supported Place course.
FEE-HELP limit
There is a limit on the amount of FEE-HELP you can borrow. From 1 January 2020, a combined HELP loan limit replaced the FEE-HELP limit and includes HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP and VET Student Loans.
Any existing FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP or VET Student Loans taken out before 2020 will count towards your new HELP balance. It's your responsibility to monitor your FEE-HELP balance.
Units you studied before 2005 don't affect your FEE-HELP balance.
Loan fees
If you use FEE-HELP to pay for postgraduate study, you don't have to pay a loan fee.
If you get a FEE-HELP loan to pay for your undergraduate course, you will have to pay a 25% loan fee.
From 1 January 2022, the loan fee will reduce to 20% for units of study with a census date on or after 1 January 2022.
The Australian government recently passed legislation that provides for a loan fee exemption. The exemption will apply for all units of study with a census date on or between 1 April 2020 and 31 December 2021 and will be applied automatically.