FEE-HELP
What is FEE-HELP?
FEE-HELP is an Australian Government loan designed to help eligible students pay for their higher education tuition fees. Instead of paying upfront, you can defer some or all of your fees and pay them back later through the tax system—once you are earning above a certain income.
Stanley College is approved by the Australian Government to offer FEE-HELP to eligible students enrolled in eligible Higher Education courses.
Important: FEE-HELP can only be used for tuition fees. It does not cover other costs like textbooks, accommodation, or equipment.
For more details, visit the StudyAssist website.
Which courses are eligible?
Eligible Higher Education courses may be accessed through FEE-HELP, subject to meeting eligibility requirements. Currently, all our Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses at Stanley College are eligible for FEE-HELP, but you need to meet the eligibility criteria.
Am I eligible for FEE-HELP?
You can only get FEE-HELP if you meet the citizenship and residency requirements. You must be either:
- an Australian citizen who will complete at least one unit of your course of study in Australia
- a NZ SCV holder who meets the long-term residency requirements and who is a resident in Australia for the duration of your unit(s)
- a permanent visa holder who held a NZ special category visa immediately prior to your permanent visa and you previously met the long-term residency requirements
- a permanent humanitarian visa holder or eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder who is a resident in Australia for the duration of your unit(s)
- a permanent visa holder who is undertaking bridging study for overseas-trained professionals and who is a resident in Australia for the duration of your unit(s)
- a pacific engagement visa holder who is a resident in Australia for the duration of your unit(s)
Note: A pacific engagement visa holder became eligible from 1 February 2024.
You must also:
- meet the TFN requirements
- meet the USI requirements
- have enough available HELP balance
- be assessed as a genuine student and as academically suitable for your unit of study
- maintain a reasonable study load of no more than 2 EFTSL per year unless approved by your provider or providers to study a higher load
- be enrolled correctly at your provider on or before the census date
- have submitted a valid FEE-HELP eCAF to your provider on or before the census date (or earlier administrative date)
You can also see what government financial assistance you may be eligible for by using the Eligibility Tool.
FEE-HELP loan limit
There is a fixed maximum amount that you can borrow in your lifetime, called the FEE-HELP limit. The HELP loan limit includes all previous FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP (closed), and VET Student Loan amounts you have borrowed. For 2026, the HELP loan limit is $126,883 for most students, but there is a higher limit for some approved courses.
Note: Loan limits are indexed annually and subject to change.
FEE-HELP balance
Once you begin using your HELP loan limit, the amount of HELP you have left to borrow is known as your available ‘HELP balance’. You can view your FEE-HELP balance through the myHELPbalance portal. Please note that this portal will not show your current session usage, so please check your Commonwealth Assistance Notices for your latest usage.
How do I apply for a FEE-HELP loan?
If you receive an offer to study for a Bachelor’s degree course and are eligible for FEE- HELP, you can apply by filling out an Electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (Ecaf). You will need to quote your tax file number or provide a Certificate of Application for a tax file number. The form must be submitted before the census date to ensure fees are deferred onto your loan. Your personal information, including your Tax File Number, is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
For further information, visit the Government’s FEE-HELP page.
