Indexation may be waived while you are working in rural, remote or very remote areas of Australia. Once you are no longer working in rural, remote or very remote areas of Australia, indexation on your remaining HELP debt will recommence.

You may be able to have your outstanding HELP debt reduced once you have lived and worked in rural, remote or very remote areas of Australia for the required amount of time.

The required amount of time varies depending on how remote the location is and how many years your degree took.

More information on how long you would need to work to qualify for a partial or full HELP debt reduction is available in the HELP for rural doctors and nurse practitioners fact sheet.

To be eligible you must: 

• be a graduate of a higher education provider with a recognised medical degree; and
• have accumulated a HELP debt for that qualification; and
• have an outstanding HELP debt for all or part of that qualification; and
• have successfully completed their internship and received registration as a medical practitioner from the appropriate authority/authorities to practice and has completed Post -Graduate Year 3 (PGY3) or higher.

To be eligible you must:

• be a graduate from a Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA)-approved program of study leading to endorsement as a nurse practitioner (Master’s Degree level at a minimum); and
• have accumulate a HELP debt for that qualification;
• have an outstanding HELP debt for all or part of that qualification and;
• have received endorsement as a nurse practitioner by the NMBA.