Degree costs and loans
How, and how much, will you pay for your degree?
It all depends on which type of degree ‘place’ you get — a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) or full-fee place. Some institutions only offer one option.
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP)
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP)
Commonwealth Supported Places are subsidised by the government and are only available to domestic students.
Where are they available?
At public universities and in a small number of courses at selected private universities and higher education providers, usually education and nursing degrees.
Cost of study
The government subsidises only part of the cost of your degree and you pay the rest; this is called your student contribution. How much you will pay depends on where and what you choose to study.
Commonwealth Supported Places are available in all fields, but different student contribution rates apply. The fields are divided into three ‘bands’, each with a different maximum cost per unit.
In 2005 a ‘National Priority’ band was introduced to attract students to particular fields (initially education and nursing). The current National Priority areas are mathematics, statistics and science.
The maximum student contribution amounts change every year. In 2011, these were:
BAND 1: $5442 (fields such as humanities, behavioural science, social studies, foreign languages, visual and performing arts, education and nursing).
BAND 2: $7756 (fields such as computing, built environment, health, engineering, surveying and agriculture).
BAND 3: $9080 (fields such as law, medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, accounting, administration, economics and commerce).
National Priority: $4355 (mathematics, statistics and science*).
* Some units of study in science will be charged at the National Priority rate. Other units may be charged at the Band 2 rate. Check with your education provider.
These student contributions are calculated unit-by-unit. If your degree is in mathematics but you take some business courses as electives, the business courses will be charged according to the ‘band’ in which they are classified, rather than at the National Priority rate.
Do costs differ between institutions?
Universities and other providers can choose to set the student contribution rate for each band between $0 and the maximum rates listed above. While some universities charge less than the maximum in some courses, it is probably fair to say that the majority apply the maximum rates.
Loans for CSP student contributions
Commonwealth students can defer payment of their student contribution through the HECS-HELP government loan scheme. HECS-HELP is an interest free, income contingent loan that students do not have to start paying back until their income reaches the minimum repayment threshold ($44,912 in 2010–11).
For more information about HECS-HELP, see the Going to Uni website .
Full-fee places
Full-fee places are not subsidised by the government. They are more expensive because the entire cost is borne by the student, rather than just a partial contribution. For international students, a full-fee place is the only option.
Where are they available?
Most places at private universities and private higher education providers are full-fee, although CSP places may be available in certain courses.
From January 2012, course entry for domestic undergraduate students will move to a 'demand-driven' model, meaning that CSP places will be un-capped. Although universities will retain cut-off scores, course entry will not be affected by supply and demand. These changes do not affect students at private institutions, postgraduates or existing full-fee students. See Demand-driven funding to benefit students for more information.
Cost
Fees are set by the individual institution and vary from course to course. High-demand courses such as medicine or dentistry and those with high running costs can be particularly expensive.
Note that course fees at some hotel management schools include room and board.
Government loans for full-fee places
Full-fee students may be able to defer payment of all or part of their tuition fees using the FEE-HELP government loan scheme. FEE-HELP is an interest free, income contingent loan that students do not have to pay back until their income reaches a certain level.
With FEE-HELP there is also a limit on how much students can borrow, indexed annually. In 2011 the maximum was $86,422 (or $108,029 for medicine, veterinary science and dentistry). Some courses cost more than these amounts. A loan fee of 25 per cent, which is not included in the FEE-HELP limit, applies to FEE-HELP loans for undergraduate courses. There are various perks or discounts if you pay some or all of your tuition fees or CSP contributions as you go.
Not all private providers are eligible to offer FEE-HELP loans. For more information about FEE-HELP and a list of approved providers, see the Going to Uni website .
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