HELP to pay your fees

Depending on the fee-type of the course you are studying, there may be an Australian Government loan scheme to assist you with your study fees.

  • HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to help eligible students in Commonwealth supported places pay their student contribution amounts.
  • FEE-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to help eligible fee-paying students pay all or part of their tuition fees for higher education courses.
  • VET Student Loans is an Australian Government loan scheme to help eligible students pay all or part of their tuition fees for vocational education and training (VET) higher level qualifications (i.e. diploma and above).
    Important note: If you apply for VET courses that have diploma or advanced diploma qualifications, in some cases you may be required to enrol in the certificate level qualification before proceeding to the diploma level. As VET Student Loans is only available for diploma level and above, you will be required to pay fees to complete certificate level qualifications. To find out which VET courses require enrolment at certificate level, their fees and payment options, please contact the VET provider.
  • SA-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme that assists eligible students to pay all or part of their student services and amenities fee, which universities and other approved higher education providers can charge for student services and amenities of a non-academic nature, such as sporting and recreational activities, employment and career advice, child care, financial advice and food services.

Find out more

For more information about HELP loans and to find out if you are eligible, see the Study Assist website (www.studyassist.gov.au).

Other course costs

Other costs may include charges for specialist equipment and materials directly associated with your course of study. For more information on fees (and other costs) and payment options contact the institutions.

Government payments for students

Services Australia provides financial help to eligible students who are studying full-time or part-time through payments such as Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY and Austudy. If you are planning to apply for one of these payments you can lodge your claim 13 weeks before you start studying. We encourage you to lodge your claim online as early as possible, so that it can be assessed and your payment can start from the day you first become eligible.

The following information is correct as of July 2025.

  • Youth Allowance provides financial help for people aged 24 or younger. You may be able to get Youth Allowance if you are studying full-time, undertaking a full-time Australian Apprenticeship, training, looking for work or are sick.
  • Austudy provides financial help to people aged 25 or over who are studying an approved course full-time, or undertaking an Australian Apprenticeship full-time.
  • ABSTUDY provides financial help for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who are studying an approved course or undertaking a Australian Apprenticeship.
  • Pensioner Education Supplement helps students with the ongoing costs of full-time or part-time study in a secondary or tertiary course for those receiving a qualifying pension or payment.
  • Tertiary Access Payment helps with the cost of moving from an outer regional or remote area for tertiary study.

If you receive any of the above, you may also be eligible for:

  • Education Entry Payment which is a yearly payment to help with the costs of starting study or training.
  • Fares Allowance which helps tertiary students who have to live away from home to study with reimbursement for a trip to university at the start of the year, a return trip home during the year and a trip at the end of the year.
  • Student Start-up Loan which is a voluntary loan that helps with the up-front costs of items such as textbooks and specialised equipment.
  • Relocation Scholarship which is an annual payment to help students in higher education who need to live away from their family home to study.
  • You may also be able to get other concession and allowances such as a Health Care Card or Rent Assistance.

For more information about student payments go to the Services Australia website.

Find out more

Full details of payments, eligibility criteria and how to claim are available at the Services Australia website.

Institution policies on fees and financial assistance

For information about fees and financial assistance at various institutions, see the relevant institutional page.

Scholarships

Many institutions offer scholarships to help students manage their education costs. There are lots of different scholarships and not all are awarded based on academic merit. For more information and to see if you might be eligible, see Scholarships.

Learn more