Financial assistance

As an Australian student you will be applying for a Commonwealth supported place, so part of your degree will be paid for by the Australian Government.

As an Australian Citizen, you are eligible for a range of deferral schemes provided by the Australian Government under the Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP).

What types of loans are available under HELP?

There are three types of loans available:

  • HECS-HELP: For eligible Commonwealth supported students.

  • FEE-HELP: For eligible fee paying students.

  • OS-HELP: For eligible Commonwealth supported students who want to study overseas

How does it work?

If you are eligible for HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP support, you can either pay your student contribution amount up front when you enrol in units, or take out a HELP loan from the Commonwealth Government and repay the loan later through the income tax system.

If you want to study overseas, and you are awarded OS-HELP assistance, you can receive an amount of up to $5000 over six months to assist with the cost of overseas study. You will be eligible to receive two OS-HELP loans over separate six month periods.  You don't have to make any repayments on your accumulated HELP debts until your income reaches a minimum threshold (which was $38,000 in the 2006-07 financial year). Under these arrangements, universities set the Commonwealth Supported student contribution amount for each unit within ranges set by the Australian Government.

The fee structure

The fee structure varies between Australian universities. The student contribution amount for a Commonwealth supported student commencing a new course at Murdoch University in 2008 is listed below (the amount is that which would be paid by a full-time student enrolled only in units in the particular band).

  • National Priorities: $4077* (education and nursing units), based on a 24 point load (1 year, full time).

  • Band 1 units: $5095* (humanities, behavioural science, social studies, foreign languages, visual and performing arts units).Based on a 24 point load (1 year, full time).

  • Band 2 units: $7260* (administration, agriculture, built environment, computing, engineering, health, mathematics, science, statistics, and surveying units).

  • Band 3 units: $8499* (accounting, commerce, dentistry, economics, law, medicine, and veterinary science units).

Note - the tuition fee rates for undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled as domestic tuition fee students are significantly higher.

How to manage these loans

The Australian Government has established a Higher Education Information Management System (HEIMS) to facilitate the administration of course and student funding arrangements.  You can use HEIMS to access information such as course availability, course entry criteria (such as the previous year’s admission cut-offs), course fees and Commonwealth course contributions; and also to monitor your accumulated HELP loan balances after enrolment.

We recommend that prospective students and parents familiarise themselves with the new contribution scheme by visiting the Going to Uni website.