There are a number of ways you can start studying at a university or higher education provider. You may need to apply through a Tertiary Admissions Centre (TAC) or directly to the provider.
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What is higher education?
Higher education is a type of tertiary education. It is the third level of your education that you do after you leave high school.
Primary school
Secondary (high) school
Tertiary education
- Higher Education
- Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Higher education takes places at universities or higher education providers.
Higher education qualifications can be undergraduate courses (associate or bachelor degrees) or postgraduate courses (graduate certificates, graduate diplomas, masters degrees).
You would usually need to complete an undergraduate course before enrolling in a postgraduate course.
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
The other type of tertiary education is known as vocational education and training (VET) and this takes place at Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) such as Tertiary and Further Education (TAFE) providers.
These courses are commonly known as certificates I-IV and diplomas.
More information on VET is available at VET information for students.
Where can I study?
The Australian higher education sector is made up of more than 150 higher education providers. Higher education providers are classified into different provider categories.
There are public and private universities and non-university higher education providers sometimes known as colleges or institutes.
To offer a higher education course, the provider needs to be registered with the national regulator, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). A list of all registered providers is published on TEQSA’s National Register.
Your decision on where to study can make a difference to the cost of the course and whether you can access a government subsidised place or a government study loan.
If you enrol to study at a university or approved higher education provider, you may be eligible for a government subsidised Commonwealth supported place (CSP). This means the Australian Government pays part of your course cost straight to the provider on your behalf.
This is a subsidy, not a loan, and you don’t have to pay it back.
This subsidy does not cover the whole cost of your course.
The remaining portion is called a ‘student contribution amount’. You need to decide whether you pay this amount directly to your university or higher education provider, or whether to apply for a government study loan to cover it.
The Higher Education Loan Program, or HELP, is an Australian Government loan scheme. It helps students studying higher education courses to defer payment of their fees, rather than paying upfront to their university or higher education provider.
A Commonwealth supported place (CSP) and HELP loan are not the same thing.
- Studying in a CSP means the subsidy is paid by the Australian Government.
- HECS-HELP (also known as HECS) is a loan you can access from the Australian Government to defer payment of your student contribution amount if you are enrolled in a CSP.
- If you are not in enrolled in a CSP, it means you are enrolled in a full fee-paying place and are not eligible for a HECS-HELP loan.
- You may instead be eligible for a FEE-HELP loan. A FEE-HELP loan attracts a 20% loan fee.
Studying in a CSP is cheaper than studying in a full fee-paying place. Before you start studying, you may want to compare courses to check whether CSPs are offered.
Most undergraduate domestic students will be eligible for a CSP at a public university.
To compare courses and find out whether CSPs or HELP loans are offered, visit Course Seeker.
Useful links and resources
Learn more about Commonwealth supported places.
Find out more information about how student loans work.
What can I study?
The type of job you want is likely to be a key reason in deciding whether to go into higher education and what course to enrol in. Some careers require an undergraduate qualification, and some may also require a postgraduate qualification.
You may not know what job you want in the future, but you want to study in an area that interests you.
Your decision on what to study can make a difference to the cost and length of the course.
Useful links and resources
Find out more about how and why it is a good idea to compare courses.
How do I apply for study?
You will need to apply for your course of study either through a Tertiary Admission Centre (TAC) or directly through the university or higher education provider.
Useful links and resources
Find out more about how to get into higher education.
How do I apply for a government subsidised enrolment and/or HELP loan?
You can only apply for a CSP and/or HELP loan once you have:
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accepted an enrolment offer for your preferred course of study from an approved higher education provider and are ready to enrol.
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submitted a request for Commonwealth assistance via an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) on or before the census date.
eCAFs are only available from your higher education provider.
Your provider will assess your eligibility for a HELP loan. If you have any questions about your individual eligibility circumstances you should speak directly to your provider.
Useful links and resources
Information on the application process and eCAF is available on the how to apply page.
When do I repay a government study loan?
If you accept a HELP loan from the Australian Government, you are required to repay the loan to the Australian Taxation Office once you earn enough to make repayments. This is known as the repayment threshold.
Each year the amount of your loan will increase, similar to interest charges. This is called ‘indexation’. Indexation is applied to keep up with changes in cost of living. This means the amount you repay in total will be more than the original amount of the loan.
Useful links and resources
More information about repayments is available on the loan repayments page.
Learn more about loan increases and indexation.