Student contribution amounts
Related links
- Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit 2020
- Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit - Commencing 2021
- Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit - Commencing in Prof Pathway Psych 2021
- Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit - Commencing in Prof Pathway SocialWk 2021
- Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit - Grandfathered 2021
This information applies to Commonwealth Supported students only.
Contents:
- Student contribution amounts per unit
- Calculating your student contribution amount
- Examples
- How to check your HELP debt
- Commonwealth supported student definitions
In a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), the Australian Government pays some of your fees and you pay the rest, this is called your student contribution amount.
Units are classified into student contribution bands by strict criteria controlled by the federal government. Student contribution amounts are therefore applied at the unit of study level, not at the level of your course admission.
You are charged the student contribution amounts for every unit in which you are enrolled as a Commonwealth supported student. The fee is charged upon enrolment in the unit of study and incurred on the census date.
Changes to student contribution amounts
The Government has recently passed legislation, the Job-ready Graduates Package changes student contribution bands and may change the amount you pay for your student contribution amount in your Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) from 2021.
Students already studying in a Commonwealth supported place will have their contribution amounts grandfathered. From 1 January 2021, current students who enrol in units where the student contribution has decreased will have these reduced amounts applied.
If you are a continuing student (enrolled before 1 January 2021) studying units in disciplines with increased student contribution amounts, you will continue paying the same amount as you would have, had these reforms not been implemented for any units that would otherwise have an increased student contribution.
For further details on these changes see the Australian Government’s Job Ready Graduates Package website.
Student contribution amounts per unit
2021 student contribution amounts for students commencing a course of study from 1 January 2021
Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit - Commencing 2021
Excluding students in professional pathways.
For students commencing in the following professional pathways courses in 2021:
Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit - Commencing in Prof Pathway SocialWk 2021
- 3007316 Bachelor of Social Work
- 1207269 Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)
Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit - Commencing in Prof Pathway Psych 2021
- 3007244 Bachelor of Psychological Science
- 3507245 Bachelor of Psychological Science with Honours
- 3207007 Bachelor of Psychological Science, Bachelor of Laws
- 3207113 Bachelor of Exercise Science and Psychological Science
| Band | Field of education funding cluster | Fee per 12 CP |
|---|---|---|
| New 2021 Band 1 | Education, Postgraduate Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics, Statistics, Nursing, Foreign Languages, Agriculture | $493 |
| New 2021 Band 2 | Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Visual and Performing Arts, Professional Pathway Psychology, Professional Pathway Social Work, Engineering, Surveying, Environmental Studies, Science, Pathology | $993 |
| New 2021 Band 3 | Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science | $1412 |
| New 2021 Band 4 | Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics, Commerce, Communications, Society and Culture – any other subpart, Society and Culture – Social Studies or Behavioural Science subparts | $1812 |
2021 student contribution amounts for pre-2021 grandfathered continuing students from 1 January 2021
Download the Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit - Grandfathered 2021
For all grandfathered students in all courses.
| Band | Field of education funding cluster | Fee per 12 CP |
|---|---|---|
| New 2021 Band 1 | Education, Post Graduate Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics or Statistics, Nursing, Foreign Languages, Agriculture | $493 |
| Grandfathered Band 1 | Society and Culture, Social Studies, Behavioural Science, Communications, Visual and Performing Arts, Professional pathway Psychology, Professional Pathway Social Work | $850 |
| New 2021 Band 2 | Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Engineering, Surveying, Environmental Studies, Science, Pathology | $993 |
| Grandfathered Band 3 | Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics, Commerce | $1419 |
| New 2021 Band 3 | Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science | $1412 |
12 credit points is the most common subject value, however you can view the credit point value and student contribution band details for individual subjects for both commencing and grandfathered continuing students in the Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit 2021 document once 2021 enrolment opens.
2020 student contribution amounts for students
| Band | Field of education funding cluster | Fee per 12 CP |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Band 1 | Humanities, behavioural science, social studies, education, clinical psychology, foreign languages, visual and performing arts, nursing | $835 |
| 2020 Band 2 | Computing, built environment, other health, allied health, engineering, surveying, agriculture, mathematics, statistics, science | $1190 |
| 2020 Band 3 | Law, dentistry, medicine, veterinary science, accounting, administration, economics, commerce | $1394 |
2020 Short Courses
The student fees for short courses in areas of national priority have been set at significantly discounted rates, see the table below for details. The discounted rates only apply for units completed in 2020 Session 2, Session 3, Study Period 5 or Study Period 6 within the approved short courses.
Fees for those non-priority areas are not discounted and charged at the standard student contribution amounts as listed above.
| Year | Student Contribution Short Course 1 (SC1)* | Student Contribution Short Course 1 (SC2)* |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $312 | $625 |
Discounted student course fees for short course Undergraduate Certificates and Graduate Certificates in fields of national priority.
| Field of education | Band |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, English, Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Nursing, Teaching, Psychology | SC1 |
| Allied Health, Architecture and Building, Engineering, Environmental studies, Information Technology, Medical Science, Other Health, Science | SC2 |
Calculating your student contribution amount for the year
When calculating your student contribution amount for the year, it is important to understand that you may be charged different Student Contribution Bands depending on the unit/s in which you are enrolled.
To find out which Student Contribution Band your unit falls into please refer to:
- Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit 2020
- Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit - Commencing 2021
- Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit - Commencing in Prof Pathway SocialWk 2021
- Student Contribution Amounts Per Unit - Grandfathered 2021
The following scenarios demonstrate how a student would calculate their student contribution amount for the year.
Scenario 1
Ari is a Year 12 student seeking to enrol in a Bachelor of Arts degree with a History Major. Ari is seeking to commence studies in semester 1, 2021.
Ari will not be enrolled in her course until after 1 January 2021 she will need to pay the new 2021 Student Contribution Amounts.
The 2 units she has decided to study in Session 1 are classified as “Society and Culture” and falls into the New 2021 Band 4.
She has elected to also study 2 units for Session 2 where 1 unit is classified “Communications” falling into the New 2021 Band 4 and 1 is classified as “Visual and Performing Arts which falls into the New 2021 Band 2.
| Session 1 | 2 × Society and Culture units (New 2021 Student Contribution Band 4) |
2 × $1,812 | $3,624 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 2 |
1 × Society and Culture unit 1 × Visual and Performing Arts unit |
1 × $1,812 1 × $993 |
$2,805 |
| Session 3 |
1 × Education unit 1 × Mathematics unit |
2 × $493 | $986 |
| Yearly total | $7,415 | ||
Therefore, Ari will be liable for $7415 for studies undertaken in 2021.
Scenario 2
Max is currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing degree as a Commonwealth supported student. He commenced his study in 2019 which makes him a Grandfathered continuing student. Max is studying full-time and plans to graduate at the end of 2021
The 4 units he has decided to study in Session 1 are classified as ‘Nursing’ and fall into the New 2021 Student Contribution Band 1. The 4 units he has enrolled into for Session 2 are also classified as ‘Nursing’ and fall into the New 2021 Student Contribution Band 1.
| Session 1 | 4 × Nursing units (New 2021 Student Contribution Band 1) |
4 × $493 | $1,972 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 2 | 4 × Nursing units (New 2021 Student Contribution Band 1) |
4 × $493 | $1,972 |
| Yearly total | $3,944 | ||
Therefore, Max will be liable for $3,944 for studies undertaken in 2021.
Scenario 3
Kate is currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Law degree as a Commonwealth supported student. She commenced her study in 2018 which makes her a Grandfathered continuing student. Karen is studying full-time and plans to graduate at the end of 2021.
The 4 units she has decided to study in Session 1 are classified as ‘Law’ and falls into the Grandfathered Band 3. The 4 units she has enrolled into for Session 2 are also classified as ‘Law’ and fall into the Grandfathered Band 3.
As Kate makes full payment of her fees prior to census date and she is entitled to HECS-HELP assistance for her units she is able to receive a 10% discount on her fees.
| Session 1 | 4 × Law units (Grandfathered Band 3) |
4 × $1,419 | $5,676 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 2 | 4 × Law units (Grandfathered Band 3) |
4 × $1,419 | $5,676 |
| Yearly total | $11,352 | ||
| Upfront Payment before Census Date per Session | $5108.40 | ||
Therefore, Kate after her eligible 10% discount gained by paying her fees upfront by each census date her total fees paid for 2021 is $10,216.80 (saving of $1135.20).
How do I check my HELP debt?
Your myGov account will show you how much you owe and any repayments you have made.
If you don't have a myGov account, you can set one up following the instructions on the ATO website.
The myHELPbalance portal will show your available HELP balance (the amount you have available to borrow using HELP loans).
myHELPbalance portal does not:
- show how much you owe,
- show loan fees or indexation on your debt, or
- include any debts incurred before 2005.
For Further information in relation to Commonwealth Supported Places and HELP Loans including eligibility and Student Contribution Amounts please see the Study Assist website
Commonwealth supported student definitions
| Pre 2021 Continuing Grandfathered student Commenced study prior to 1 January 2021. (must have been enrolled into at least 1 unit past census date prior 1 January 2021) |
Students already studying in a Commonwealth supported place will have their contribution amounts grandfathered*. From 1 January 2021, current students who enrol in units where the student contribution has decreased will have these reduced amounts applied. If you are a continuing student (enrolled before 1 January 2021) studying units in disciplines with increased student contribution amounts, you will continue paying the same amount as you would have, had these reforms not been implemented for any units that would otherwise have an increased student contribution |
| 2021 Commencing Students Commenced study after the 1 January 2021 |
Students commencing study in their Commonwealth supported place after the 1 January 2021 will be subject to the new 2021 student contribution amounts. |
* A person is a grandfathered continuing student if:
- any of the following apply in relation to the person:
- the person commenced a course of study (the ongoing course) with a higher education provider before 1 January 2021 but has not completed the ongoing course immediately before that day;
- the person completed a course of study (the earlier course) with a higher education provider before 1 January 2021 and, on or after that day, the person commences another course of study (the honours course) that relates to the earlier course and that is leading to a higher education award that is an honours degree;
- the person was undertaking, in 2020, an enabling course and, on or after 1 January 2021, the person commences another course of study (the later course) that is leading to a higher education award;
- the person was undertaking, in 2020, a course of study (the Undergraduate Certificate course) leading to a higher education award that is an undergraduate certificate and, on or after 1 January 2021, the person commences another course of study (the higher qualification course) that relates to the Undergraduate Certificate course and that is leading to a higher education award that is a bachelor degree; and
- the person was, at any time before 1 January 2021, a Commonwealth supported student in relation to a unit of study in the ongoing course, earlier course, enabling course or Undergraduate Certificate course (as the case may be); and
- the person undertakes a unit of study as part of the ongoing course, honours course, later course or higher qualification course (as the case may be) that has a census date that is on or after 1 January 2021.