As an Australian citizen you may be eligible to access 1 or more of the 5 Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) loans available.
Key eligibility criteria for Australian citizens
HELP loans are only available for students studying at Australian higher education providers. If you are studying at an international university, even if it has a physical campus in Australia, you will not be eligible for a HELP loan.
Take a look at the list of providers who offer Commonwealth assistance on the providers offering commonwealth assistance page.
To be eligible for a HELP loan you need to physically reside in Australia for some of your course. You need to complete at least one unit of study while resident in Australia.
If you are applying for a HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP loan, you need to have available HELP balance to cover the cost of your study.
You can learn more about your HELP loan limit and checking your available HELP balance on your borrowing limit page.
If you are applying for a HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP loan, you need to have sufficient Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) available.
You can learn more about SLE at the Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) page.
To apply for a CSP and/or HELP loan you must complete and submit a request for Commonwealth assistance.
You do this through completing an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF). It is important that the eCAF is submitted by the census date or you will not be eligible for a HELP loan.
You can learn more about eCAFs at the electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) page.
Other requirements
In addition to the key criteria listed above, there are other requirements you need to meet in order to be eligible for a particular HELP loan.
Make sure you read and understand the eligibility requirements for the individual HELP loan you wish to access. Find out more information on each of the HELP loans on the how student loans work page.
Do you have any questions to about your eligibility?
If you have questions about your potential eligibility for a HELP loan, you should contact the enrolment or admissions area at your higher education provider.
Your provider will assess your eligibility and is best placed to answer questions about your individual circumstances.