Study Assist

Am I eligible for VET FEE-HELP?

You are eligible for VET FEE-HELP if you:

• are studying a diploma, advanced diploma, graduate certificate or graduate diploma level course (VET FEE-HELP is not available for Certificates I - IV) at an approved VET FEE-HELP provider;
• are an Australian citizen or permanent humanitarian visa holder (resident in Australia for the duration of the unit);
• are a full fee paying student or a subsidised student in a ‘reform state or territory’ (currently, Victoria and South Australia (as of 1 July 2012) are the only reform states for the purposes of VET FEE-HELP);
• have not exceeded the FEE-HELP limit (see below); and
• meet the tax file number (TFN) requirements:
• you must give your provider your valid TFN; OR
• if you don’t have a TFN you can give your provider a Certificate of application for a TFN. This certificate is available from the Australian Taxation Office (opens in a new window) after you have applied for a TFN.

How much can I borrow?

Eligible students can borrow up to the FEE-HELP limit to pay their tuition fees. The FEE-HELP limit is the total amount available to eligible students under both the VET FEE-HELP and FEE-HELP loan schemes. This means that any amount you borrow under either VET FEE-HELP or FEE-HELP will reduce your FEE-HELP balance (the amount of FEE-HELP you have left to use) until you have reached the FEE-HELP limit. For 2012, the FEE-HELP limit is $112,134 for students undertaking medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses (as defined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003), and $89,706 for all other students. Note that the higher FEE-HELP limit only applies to courses that lead to initial registration to practise in those fields. The lower limit will apply to any further study you undertake once you have gained the requisite level for initial registration.

The FEE-HELP limit is a lifetime limit and is not reset or ‘topped up’ by any repayments that you make.

Is there a loan fee?

There is a loan fee of 20% for some VET FEE-HELP loans, depending on where you are studying. The loan fee does not count towards your FEE‑HELP limit.

You will incur a 20% loan fee if you are a full fee paying student.

You will not incur a loan fee if you are studying as a subsidised student in a reform state or territory. Currently, Victoria and South Australia (as of 1 July 2012) are the only reform states for the purposes of VET FEE-HELP.

Am I studying at an approved VET FEE-HELP provider?

Not all providers are approved to offer VET FEE-HELP loans. You can only access VET FEE‑HELP at a registered training organisation that has been approved under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to offer VET FEE‑HELP to eligible students.

For a list of providers who are approved to offer VET FEE‑HELP, see Approved VET providers.

Will previous study or other debts affect my eligibility?

No (unless you have already reached your FEE-HELP limit). Any previous study you have undertaken, and any other financial debts you may have incurred will not affect your eligibility to access a VET FEE-HELP loan. As long as you meet the above eligibility criteria and have enough of your FEE-HELP limit (see above) left to cover your tuition fees, you will be able to access VET FEE-HELP.

How do I apply?

See the Applying page for information on applying for a VET FEE-HELP loan.

How do I repay my VET FEE-HELP loan?

See the Loan repayment page for information on repaying your loan.

Need more information?

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page or the Contact us page.