OS-HELP is a loan from the Australian Government for students enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) who want to study part of their course overseas.

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To access an OS-HELP loan you must be:

  • enrolled in a CSP, and

  • studying with an Australian university or higher education provider.

The OS-HELP loan is paid directly to the student to assist with expenses associated with studying overseas such as airfares, accommodation and other travel or study costs.

You may be able to access two OS-HELP loans over your lifetime, but they can't be within the same six-month period.

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OS-HELP publications

OS-HELP booklet and fact sheet are available on the HELP publications page.

HELP Publications

Eligibility for OS-HELP loan

To receive an OS-HELP loan you must meet all the eligibility criteria you must:

  • have been selected by your provider to receive an OS-HELP loan

  • be one of the following:

    • an Australian citizen, permanent humanitarian visa holder, eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder, pacific engagement visa (PEV) holder (note: a PEV holder became eligible from 1 February 2024), or
    • a New Zealand Special Visa (SCV) holder, or eligible former New Zealand SCV holder who meets the residency requirements and who will be resident in Australia at the time of applying

  • have not received an OS-HELP loan on more than one other occasion

  • be studying in a CSP

  • have completed one Equivalent Full-Time Student Load (EFTSL) of study (usually one year of full-time study) in a CSP

  • be studying full-time overseas and this study will count towards the course requirements for the Australian course you are enrolled in

  • have at least 0.125 EFTSL of your course left to complete once you have finished your overseas study (usually one unit of study)

  • have submitted an OS-HELP debt confirmation form to your provider

  • have read the OS-HELP Statement of terms and conditions booklet.

You can also see what government financial assistance you may be eligible for by using the Eligibility tool
Eligibility tool
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Additional requirements

You will also need your tax file number (TFN) and unique student identifier (USI) to be eligible.

How much OS-HELP can I receive?

In 2024, the maximum you can borrow for a six-month study period is:

  • $7,921 if you do not study in Asia, or
  • $9,504 if you study in Asia, plus an extra $1,263 if you do Asian language study in preparation for study in Asia.

In 2025, these loan amounts will increase. The maximum you will be able to borrow for a six-month study period is:

  • $8,245 if you do not study in Asia, or
  • $9,893 if you study in Asia, plus an extra $1,314 if you do Asian language study in preparation for study in Asia.

Your provider is responsible for determining the amount of OS-HELP you will receive, taking into consideration the overseas study destination and length of stay.

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Asian language supplement

You can get an extra loan amount if you study an Asian language in preparation for your overseas study in Asia.

You cannot get an extra study amount if your Asian language study is a part of your course or if you are already using a HELP loan to pay for those units.

If you plan to study overseas in more than one country, you can still get the extra OS-HELP loan amount for Asian language study if at least one of the countries is in Asia.

More information regarding OS-HELP loans, and which countries are included for the Asian language studies, can be found in the Higher Education Support (OS-HELP) Guidelines 2023.

How do I apply for an OS-HELP loan?

To apply for an OS-HELP loan, you will need to complete an OS-HELP debt confirmation form, in addition to the CSP and HECS-HELP loan form you may have already completed.

The OS-HELP debt confirmation form is only available from your university or higher education provider.

Your OS-HELP confirmation form must be submitted to your provider before their due date.

You must study overseas within six months of your OS-HELP application being approved.

Indexation of OS-HELP loans

Similar to interest, your HELP debt will grow. We call this ‘indexation’. Indexation is applied on 1 June every year to the portion of your HELP debt that is older than 11 months.

Indexation is added to your HELP debt to reflect the changes in the cost of living. This is done to ensure education maintains its value over time, like other goods and services. 

The rate of indexation that is applied to your debt changes each year.

It is important you understand how indexation will impact your OS-HELP debt. Further information about indexation is available at loan increases and indexation.  

Repayment of OS-HELP loans

The OS-HELP loan amount will be added onto your accumulated HELP debt and is repaid through the Australian tax system to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

You must make a compulsory repayment against your HELP debt when you start earning above the compulsory repayment threshold. You can also make voluntary repayments to the ATO at any time to reduce the balance of your HELP debt.

Further information regarding repayment of your HELP loan is available at paying back your loan.

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Useful links and resources

Further information regarding repayment options is also available on the ATO website. You can discuss your HELP debt and repayment options by calling the ATO directly on 13 28 61 or visiting ATO online services linked to your myGov account.