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When you study at a university in Australia you may be eligible for government-funded loans and assistance.
What support you’re entitled to depends on a range of factors such as where the course is taking place, your visa status, and other things -- so make sure you understand the differences.
If you have any questions and would like to speak to somebody, get in touch with one of our friendly Monash Connect representatives today.
Domestic full-fee (FEE-HELP)
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If you’re not offered a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), you’ll pay the full fee for your course to the University.
Not to worry though, many students are eligible for FEE-HELP from the government to help cover the costs of their degrees.
FEE-HELP is mostly used by domestic students enrolled in a full-fee paying course. If you need to change courses, you may need to reapply.
As of 2021, the HELP loan limit is $108,232 -- but this rises to $155,448 for medicine.
You can get an idea of how much you’ll need to pay by using our domestic course fee calculator.
In many cases, the FEE-HELP loan will cover the cost of your course, but you will need to start repaying it at a later date.
If you’re eligible for FEE-HELP, you’ll need to apply before census date.
We’ll provide you a form to get a loan in plenty of time, so you don’t need to worry. However, you should make sure you meet any eligibility requirements such as residency status and make sure you have a Tax File Number (TFN).
We go into more detail on this on our dedicated Domestic Full-Fee page, but if you’d rather speak to somebody you can get in touch with Monash Connect.
Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
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Simply put, a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is a place at Monash which is partially subsidised by the government.
The government pays a portion of your course fees, with the student paying the rest in the form of a Student Contribution Amount (SCA).
The good news is that the SCA can be covered by a HECS-HELP loan from the government.
As of 2021, the HELP loan limit is $108,232 -- but this rises to $155,448 for medicine.
It’s important to note that a HECS-HELP loan only covers course fees -- it doesn’t cover things like course materials or accommodation.
You can check whether a course is a CSP course on the individual course pages -- under the Applications and Fees tab.
We’ll also let you know if a course is a CSP course when we make you an offer.
Remember, to be eligible for a CSP, you need to be:
To get a HECS-HELP loan to cover the rest, you’ll need a Tax File Number (TFN) and submit a Request for Commonwealth Support and HECS-HELP form by census date -- but don’t worry, we’ll supply one of these in plenty of time.
We go into more detail on this on our dedicated Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) page but if you’d rather speak to somebody you can get in touch with Monash Connect.
In addition, there have been some changes in CSP for certain pre-2010 courses, which you can read about here.
Income support for Masters Courses
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If you’re enrolled in an approved masters by coursework program, you may be eligible for government income support programs, such as Youth Allowance, Austudy, or a Pensioner Education Supplement.
The income support is only available to domestic students, and there are a few rules around what kind of program is eligible.
The program must have at least one of the following:
You can find a list of approved courses here.
You can find more information about how to apply for income support, and the relevant form here.
You can find more information for assistance for masters students here.
Additionally, you can get in touch with the following person for more help:
Louise Lees
Coursework Curation and Accreditation Adviser
Telephone: +61 3 9905 1025
Email: louise.lees@monash.edu
Getting support for the SSA Fee (SA-HELP)
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When you start a course at an Australian university, you may be charged a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
This fee covers things like the non-academic services and amenities (such as sport and recreation, clubs, and health and wellbeing services) to make sure your time at university isn’t confined to the classroom.
The amount you’ll pay depends on your course load, but the maximum for 2021 is $313.
You can either pay this fee up front, or get government support for it in the form of SA-HELP.
SA-HELP isn’t applied automatically -- you need to apply for it when you enrol in a course.
You can do this when you enrol in a course through the Web Enrolment System (WES).
If you have questions about SAA fees or how to get support for paying for it, we’ve done a deep-dive here:
Additionally, you can get in touch with Monash Connect by using the form below.
Additional things to keep in mind
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A lot of government support has residency requirements, which you should take note of.
For more information, head here.
A Commonwealth Higher Education Student Number (CHESSN) is a 10-digit number provided by the Australian Government when you get a
The number is used by all higher education providers (such as Monash) to help you and the government keep track of any assistance you receive.
This number is most readily available in a Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) in the Web Enrolment System (WES).
The CHESSN has changed to a Unique Student Identifier (USI). When you enrol in a course, you’ll need to provide one of these.
You can apply for one at any time by visiting the Australian Government USI website -- it takes about five minutes and you’ll need at least one form of identification.