FEE-HELP details

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Eligibility

FEE-HELP is a loan scheme available to:

• domestic, fee-paying students who are Australian citizens or holders of permanent humanitarian visas
• overseas trained professionals, who are holders of Australian permanent resident visas, undertaking bridging study required for recognition in Australia of professional studies undertaken overseas.

FEE-HELP is available for all tuition fee-paying courses, undergraduate or postgraduate (including higher degrees by research).

Eligible Commonwealth supported students in undergraduate courses who undertake a tuition fee paying unit may be able to apply for FEE-HELP to pay for the unit if they can provide evidence that the unit will contribute to their course requirements. A loan fee of 20% will apply to FEE-HELP loans for undergraduate courses of study. This fee is applied to the amount of FEE-HELP assistance that you receive for the unit. The loan fee does not count towards your FEE-HELP limit.

For example, if you take out a FEE-HELP loan for $800 for a unit of study your loan fee will be $160 and your FEE-HELP debt reported to the ATO will be $960.

No loan fee applies to a FEE-HELP loan for postgraduate courses of study.

Further information

FEE-HELP enables you to obtain a loan from the Australian Government to pay all or part of your tuition fees. From 2007, students will be able to access up to $80,000 in loans for most courses. In medicine, veterinary science and dentistry, the limit is $100,000. The Government pays the amount of the loan directly to QUT. You can repay your loan through the taxation system once your income reaches the minimum threshold for compulsory repayments and/or through making voluntary repayments at any time. A FEE-HELP loan is indexed according to the CPI but is otherwise interest-free.

FEE-HELP provides a loan for tuition fees only. Late cancellation charges or other administrative charges cannot be deferred to FEE-HELP.

FEE-HELP replaces the Postgraduate Education Loan Scheme (PELS) and Bridging for Overseas-Trained Professionals Loans Scheme (BOTPLS) from 1 January 2005.

It is your responsibility to monitor your FEE-HELP balances. myUniAssist on the goingtouni web site can give you further information.

What you need to do to apply for FEE-HELP

1. Submit your Request for FEE-HELP assistance form.
This is done electronically by completing the 'Request for Commonwealth support - FEE-HELP' form. Log onto QUT Virtual. Go to the Study page and locate the 'Request for Commonwealth support' box on the right hand side of the screen. Then click on 'Go to Commonwealth support forms'. Commonwealth supported students applying for FEE-HELP for Summer units are required to complete a paper form. Paper copies of the form are available from Student Centres on any QUT campus.

2. Provide QUT with a valid Tax File Number.
If you decide to request Commonwealth assistance for all or part of your tuition fees, you must provide QUT with a valid Tax File Number (TFN).

For Tax File Number information contact the Australian Taxation Office. If you have not received your TFN within 10 days of the census date, you may provide QUT with a copy of your Certificate of Application for a TFN.

3. Show proof Australian citizenship or permanent humanitarian residency (if needed).

For more information on FEE-HELP visit the goingtouni web site. FEE-HELP information booklets are available from any Student Centre on any QUT campus

Forms

QUT's preference is for you to complete the form online.

'Request for FEE-HELP' forms must be completed (including your Tax File Number) and provided to QUT by the census date of the first teaching period.

Note: Late payment fees and late cancellation charges cannot be deferred to FEE-HELP. If a late payment charge has been applied for late or non payment of tuition fee prior to your application for FEE-HELP, you are liable for the fee. Eligible students in tuition fee-paying (including Dfee) places who wish to avoid the late payment penalty fee should complete the 'Request for FEE-HELP Assistance' form prior to the due date for payment on their Statement of Account.

Successful online submission of form

If your online submission of the form is successful, you will receive an email confirmation.

Unsuccessful online submission of form

If you do not receive any message you should contact the Student Centre on your Campus or telephone QUT Information Services on (07) 3138 2000.

Paper copies of form

Paper copies are also available from the Student Centre on any campus of QUT.

If you hand in a paper form, staff at the Student Centre will date stamp your form and provide you with a copy for your records.

If you post your form to QUT, and it has been received, you will receive a confirmation email from Student Fee Management.

Note: If you mail your form, you must ensure that you allow sufficient time for the form to reach QUT on or before census date. QUT will not be responsible for any delays in posting. You are advised to check by contacting askqut@qut.edu.au if your form has been received after posting.

Change and transfer of course

A new form must be completed if you change your course including change of course code or transfer to another course. For example transferring from LW60 Graduate Certificate in Legal Studies to LW65 Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies requires the completion of a new form if you wish to continue receiving Commonwealth assistance to pay your tuition fees.