Commonwealth supported
As a domestic student you could be eligible for a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) where the Australian Government subsidies your fees and you pay the student contribution amount (SCA). CSPs for eligible students are available in all undergraduate programs and most postgraduate programs.
To be eligible for a CSP you must be either:
- an Australian citizen who will complete some of your program of study while resident in Australia
- a New Zealand citizen who will be resident in Australia for the entire duration of your program
- a permanent visa holder or permanent humanitarian visa holder who will be resident in Australia for the entire duration of your program
You must also
- have a Unique Student Identifier (USI) prior to the first census date (for new enrolments from 1 January 2021)
- have sufficient Student Learning Entitlement available (for new enrolments from 1 January 2022)
- meet the completion rate requirements (for new enrolments from 1 January 2022)
- not undertake more than 2 years worth of higher education study within 12 months unless assessed as academically suited to do so
All Commonwealth supported students must complete an online Request for Commonwealth Support and HECS-HELP form (eCAF) for each program of study and read the Commonwealth supported places and HECS-HELP information booklet.
Calculating your student contribution amount
How much student contribution you pay will depend on how many courses (subjects) you enrol in, the course study loads and band under which each course falls. A course is the equivalent to a 'unit of study' in Government publications. Courses are grouped into bands by their discipline and each band has a different student contribution amount set by the Government each year. Not all courses in your program will necessarily be in the same band so individual course costs may vary.
View 2022 student contribution amounts (PDF, 132.15 KB)
2023 student contribution amounts
| Band | Course disciplines | Student Contribution 1 EFTSL | 0.125 EFTSL subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agriculture, Postgraduate Clinical Psychology**, Education, English, Indigenous and Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Nursing, Statistics | $4,124 | $515 |
| 2 | Allied Health, Built Environment, Computing, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Other Health, Pathology, Professional Pathway Psychology**, Professional Pathway Social Work**, Surveying, Science, Visual and Performing Arts | $8,301 | $1,037 |
| 3 | Dentistry, Medicine, Veterinary Science | $11,800 | $1,475 |
| 4 | Administration, Accounting, Economics, Commerce, Communications, Law, Society and Culture | $15,142 | $1,892 |
2023 grandfathered arrangements - amounts for continuing students who commenced program before 1 January 2021
| Band | Course disciplines | Student Contribution 1 EFTSL | 0.125 EFTSL subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agriculture, Postgraduate Clinical Psychology **, Education, English, Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Nursing, Statistics | $4,124 | $515 |
| GF1 | Communications, Professional Pathway Psychology**, Professional Pathway Social Work**, Society and Culture, Visual and Performing Arts | $7,105 | $888 |
| 2 | Allied Health, Built Environment, Computing, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Other Health, Pathology, Science, Surveying | $8,301 | $1,037 |
| 3 | Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science | $11,800 | $1,475 |
| GF3 | Accounting, Administration, Commerce, Economics, Law | $11,857 | $1,482 |
** course band is determined by accredited program listed below
Accredited programs
Professional Pathway Psychology
- Bachelor of Psychological Science HY5
- Bachelor of Psychological Science Honours HY8
Professional Pathway Social Work
- Master of Social Work (Qualifying) HW9
- Bachelor of Community and Human Services HC5
Postgraduate Clinical Psychology
- Master of Psychology (Clinical) YL9
Student contribution changes from 2021 onwards
The Australian Government made changes to student contribution bands as part of the Job-ready Graduates Package – higher education reforms. The package included changes to the student contribution for new students who commence study from 1 January 2021 and introduced grandfathering arrangements for students who commenced their program before 1 January 2021.
Grandfathered students will not be disadvantaged by the student contribution changes. If you are studying courses where the student contribution has decreased, you will be charged the decreased rates. If you are studying courses where the student contribution has increased, you will be charged the lower grandfathered rates.
Students who are not grandfathered, will be charged the new student contribution rates. Further information on the Job-ready Graduates Package – higher education reforms is available on the Study Assist website.
You will be charged the grandfathered student contribution rates for your year of study if:
- you were at any time before 1 Jan 2021, a Commonwealth supported student in relation to a course in your program; and
- you commenced a program before 1 Jan 2021, and did not complete the program by the 31 Dec 2020; or
- you completed a program on or before 31 December 2020 and, on or after the 1 Jan 2021 you commence the honours program that relates to the earlier program and leads to a higher education honours award; or
- in 2020 you were undertaking an enabling program and, on or after 1 Jan 2021, you commence another program that is leading to a higher education award; or
- in 2020 you were undertaking a higher education award undergraduate certificate program and, on or after 1 Jan 2021, you commence another higher qualification program that relates to the undergraduate certificate and is leading to a bachelor degree