Your student contribution amount is the amount you will need to pay if you are enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP).
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What is a student contribution amount?
If you are enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP), the Australian Government pays some of your fees. You need to pay the remaining portion; this is called your 'student contribution amount'.
If you are enrolled in a CSP, you could apply for a HECS-HELP (also known as HECS) loan on or before the census date to cover your student contribution amount, or you could pay it upfront directly to your provider.
How much will my student contributions be in 2024?
Your student contribution amount depends on what you study.
Each unit of study is classified in a funding cluster, depending on its subject area. The government sets the maximum student contribution amount that a provider can charge a student within that funding cluster.
Throughout your course, you may undertake units of study that come from different funding clusters.
Student contribution amounts from 1 January 2024
| Funding Cluster | Fields | 2024 maximum student contribution amount (per EFTSL) |
|---|---|---|
| Funding cluster 1 | Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics, Commerce, Communications, Society and Culture | $16,323 |
| Funding cluster 2 | Education, Postgraduate Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics or Statistics | $4,445 |
| Funding cluster 2 | Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Visual and Performing Arts, Professional Pathway Psychology or Professional Pathway Social Work | $8,948 |
| Funding cluster 3 | Nursing, Indigenous and Foreign Languages | $4,445 |
| Funding cluster 3 | Engineering, Surveying, Environmental Studies or Science | $8,948 |
| Funding cluster 4 | Agriculture | $4,445 |
| Funding cluster 4 | Pathology | $8,948 |
| Funding cluster 4 | Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science | $12,720 |
Continuing students who commenced before 1 January 2021 (Grandfathered students)
If you are a continuing student (who commenced your course before 1 January 2021) you will continue paying the same amount as you would have, had legislative reforms not been implemented for any units that would otherwise have an increased student contribution amount.
| Funding Cluster | Part of funding cluster | The 2024 maximum student contribution amount in respect of a grandfathered student (per EFTSL) |
|---|---|---|
| Funding cluster 1 | Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics or Commerce | $12,781 |
| Funding cluster 1 | Any other subpart of the Society and Culture part of the first funding cluster | $7,659 |
| Funding cluster 1 | The Social Studies or Behavioural Science subpart of the Society and Culture part of the new first funding cluster | $7,659 |
| Funding cluster 1 | Communications | $7,659 |
| Funding cluster 2 | Education, Postgraduate Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics or Statistics | $4,445 |
| Funding cluster 2 | Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment or Computing | $8,948 |
| Funding cluster 2 | Visual and Performing Arts | $7,659 |
| Funding cluster 2 | Professional Pathway Psychology or Professional Pathway Social Work | $7,659 |
| Funding cluster 3 | Nursing, Indigenous and Foreign Languages | $4,445 |
| Funding cluster 3 | Engineering, Surveying, Environmental Studies or Science | $8,948 |
| Funding cluster 4 | Agriculture | $4,445 |
| Funding cluster 4 | Pathology | $8,948 |
| Funding cluster 4 | Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science | $12,720 |
How do I calculate my student contribution amount?
You can estimate the student contribution amount you have to pay for each of your units of study.
You will need to know the student contribution amount for the unit in which you are enrolled, and the Equivalent Full-Time Student Load (EFTSL) of your unit.
Please note
Your provider gives each unit an EFTSL value as a way of deciding how many units would be considered full-time study. ‘Full-time study’ is usually around eight units throughout a year. This will likely be in in your enrolment information or ask your provider if you don’t know.
If you are a continuing Commonwealth supported student, you will also need to know whether the unit is in a grandfathered discipline.
Your student contribution amount for a unit of study is estimated by:
(Student contribution amount) × (EFTSL value of unit) = the amount you have to pay or defer to a HECS-HELP loan.
For example
In 2024, Angela enrols in English A01 as part of her Bachelor of Arts.
English A01 is part of the ‘English’ field in Funding cluster 2 unit of study. The maximum rate a provider can charge for this discipline in 2024 is $4,445 (per EFTSL).
The EFTSL value for English A01 is 0.125. Angela’s student contribution amount for English A01 = $4,445 x 0.125 = $555 (rounded down to nearest dollar)
How do I pay my student contributions?
You can either pay it upfront to your provider, or if you are eligible, you can apply for a HECS-HELP loan.
If you are not eligible for a HECS-HELP loan and will pay your fees upfront, you must make your upfront payment by the census date so your enrolment is not cancelled.
If you don’t pay your student contribution upfront or apply for a HECS-HELP loan on or before the census date, your CSP enrolment will be cancelled.
Submitting your HECS-HELP application
You tell your provider you want to pay your student contribution amount through a HECS-HELP loan by submitting an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) that they will send to you as part of the enrolment process.