Completion rate requirement for Commonwealth Supported Places and HELP loans

The Government has ended the requirement for students to maintain a 50% overall pass rate to remain eligible for Commonwealth assistance. This applies to units with a census date from 1 January 2024.

Students enrolled in units with census dates before 1 January 2024 will still need to meet the pass rate requirement to be eligible for a CSP or a HELP loan.

Learn more about the removal of the pass rate requirement

From 2022, all Commonwealth supported students commencing a new course of study will need to pass at least 50% of their units to stay in their Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and to access a HELP loan if eligible.

All units in your course contribute to your completion rate but it can only affect your CSP and access to HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP after completing the first 8 units in a bachelor level or higher degree (usually the first year of full-time study) or the first 4 units in a course below a bachelor degree.

Passing less than 50% of your units is known as a 'low completion rate'.

Pacific Engagement Visa Holder (PEV) eligibility for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and HELP loans

From 1 February 2024, Pacific Engagement Visa holders will be eligible for a CSP and HELP loans (HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, SA-HELP and OS-HELP).

This policy change aims to facilitate and support individuals with a Pacific Engagement Visa in pursuing higher education in Australia.

Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) for Commonwealth Supported Places

From 2022, there will be a limit on the length of time you can be enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place of seven years of full-time study or part time equivalent. This is called your Student Learning Entitlement.

The combined renewable HELP limit introduced on 1 January 2020 will also still apply. This is a cap on the total amount you can borrow under all HELP loan schemes.

Unique Student Identifier (USI) requirements

From 1 January 2023

To be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, SA-HELP or OS-HELP (Commonwealth assistance), all higher education students, including those who commenced prior to 2021 will need to provide a Unique Student Identifier (USI). New students commencing a course of study will need to provide their USI on their Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF). Current students can provide their USI to QUT by submitting a Unique Student Identifier form.

If you're in a CSP, and you don't provide your USI, you won't be able to study in a CSP or access HECS-HELP.

If you're in a full-fee tuition paying place and you need to access FEE-HELP, you still need a USI. If you don't provide your USI by the census date when you apply for FEE-HELP, you’ll need to pay your tuition fees upfront in full immediately or your enrolment will be cancelled.

All students, including international students, will need to provide their USI to the university to be able to graduate.

Applying for a USI

It's free and quick to apply for your USI online through the Australian Government website. You'll need to provide proof of identity with your application.

Student contribution amount changes

The student contribution amount you pay in your Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) may change from 2021.

If you started your course before 2021

Any student contribution amount increases won't affect you. You'll continue paying the previous student contribution amount for any units that otherwise would have increased in 2021.

If you enrol in units with a lower student contribution amount from 2021 you'll pay the new lower amount.

If you start a new course or change course from 2021

The new 2021 student contribution amounts apply to all your units.

You may also be eligible to be considered a ‘pre-2021 student’ if:

  • you completed a course of study on or before 31 December 2020 and, on or after 1 January 2021, you start an honours degree that relates to the earlier course
  • you were studying an enabling course in 2020 and, on or after 1 January 2021, you start another course of study that is leading to an award
  • you were studying an undergraduate certificate (UC) and, on or after 1 January 2021, you start another bachelor degree course that relates to the UC.

FEE-HELP loan fee exemption and reduction for undergraduate full fee-paying students

Undergraduate full fee-paying students are normally charged a 25% FEE-HELP loan fee.

There will be an exemption from the FEE-HELP loan fee for units with a census date between 1 April 2020 and 31 December 2022.

The FEE-HELP loan fee will then be reduced from 25% to 20% for all units with a census date on or after 1 January 2023.

This reduction will lower the total debt amount incurred by students accessing FEE-HELP for undergraduate course and will be applied automatically.

There are no FEE-HELP loan fees for postgraduate study.

HECS-HELP 10% upfront payment discount

The Government has ended the 10% discount for paying student contribution amounts upfront. This applies to units with a census date from 1 January 2023.

Commonwealth Assistance eligibility requirements

In addition to the current requirements, the new Commonwealth assistance eligibility requirements require students to:

  • provide a USI
  • be a genuine student
  • be assessed as academically suited to their course by QUT
  • limit their enrolment to no more than an Equivalent Full Time Study Load (EFTSL of 2.0 across all higher education providers unless they're assessed as academically suited to undertake more study)
  • from 2022, maintain a 50% overall pass rate once you have completed eight or more units (this requirement will no longer apply to units with a census date from 1 January 2024).

Equivalent Full Time Study Load (EFTSL) explained

An Equivalent Full Time Study Load (or EFTSL) is a measure of a full-time study load. For example, one EFTSL is equivalent to one year of full-time study in a higher education course. A typical full-time study load over a year is usually eight units of 0.125 EFTSL each.

If you would like to study more than 2.0 EFTSL (2 years or more, across one or more providers) worth of study in one year and still receive Commonwealth assistance, QUT will need to assess you as academically suitable and able to successfully undertake that study.

As requirements for different courses vary, you should talk to QUT in the first instance about what you need to do to prove your suitability. If you are enrolled in more than one higher education provider at the same time, you'll need to be assessed as suitable by each provider.