vet student loans
program overview
The VET Student Loans program is an income-contingent Australian Government loan initiative designed to help eligible students in approved diploma-level or higher courses pay their tuition fees. Repayments are income-contingent, which means you will only need to make repayments once your income exceeds the minimum repayment threshold. You can also make voluntary repayments at any time.
If you are an eligible student, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (the Department) may approve your VET Student Loan for an approved course. The Department will pay the loan amount directly to your approved course provider. You will be responsible for any gap amount in the tuition fees, which are not covered by the loan. The loan will create a debt to the Australian Government, which will be managed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
Please Note: Students should be aware that VET Student Loans will not be approved if the eligibility requirements are not met.
A VET Student Loan also gives rise to a VETSL debt, which remains a debt due to the Commonwealth until it is repaid.
STANLEY COLLEGE OFFERS THE FOLLOWING COURSES UNDER THE VET STUDENT LOANS FRAMEWORK
View All Courses
BSB50120 Diploma of Business
CHC50125 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
SIT50422 Diploma of Hospitality Management (Food & Beverage Pathway)
SIT60322 Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management
Student Residency Requirements
The VET Student Loans program has strict citizenship, visa, and residency requirements. It is not available to all Australian residents.
To be eligible, students must be one of the following:
- an Australian citizen; or
- a New Zealand citizen who holds a Special Category visa and meets specific qualifying requirements; or
- a permanent humanitarian visa holder who is usually resident in Australia; or
- a Pacific Engagement visa holder who is usually resident in Australia.
Please Note: Other permanent residents and permanent visa holders are not eligible for a VET Student Loan.
Student Eligibility Requirements
To receive a VET Student Loan, you must:
- be an eligible student;
- meet the enrolment and loan application requirements;
- be studying an approved course with an approved course provider;
- apply to the government using the approved form (eCAF), managed through your provider;
- submit Progression Forms to confirm your ongoing engagement with your studies and maintain access to the loan throughout your course;
- have read and understood the provided Information Booklet;
- have a HELP balance greater than $0 (i.e., you have not reached your HELP loan limit);
- meet the citizenship and residency requirements;
- meet the academic suitability requirements.
Academic Suitability
The Stanley College Academic Suitability Assessment (ASA)
Is an active discussion between the Admissions Team and the applicant as part of the enrolment process. The ASA is conducted with honesty and integrity, engaging the applicant on a range of issues to ensure the suitability of the proposed training.
This process helps Stanley College assess whether you are academically suited to the course and demonstrates the required competencies to undertake it.
Prospective students are required to meet the following academic suitability requirements:
- Provide a copy of a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education awarded by an agency or authority of a State or Territory for the completion of year 12; OR
- Provide an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme certificate; OR
- Provide evidence of successful completion of a qualification delivered in English that:
- was at Level 4 or above in the Australian Qualifications Framework (i.e., Certificate IV or higher qualification), or at an equivalent level in a framework that preceded the AQF; OR
- has been assessed by a Federal, State, or Territory government agency that assesses overseas qualifications (or a contracted organisation by such an agency to undertake such assessments) as equivalent or comparable to a qualification at Level 4 or above in the AQF, or at an equivalent level in a framework that preceded the AQF; OR
- Approved LLN Test*: If you cannot provide the above documents, you will be required to demonstrate competence at or above Exit Level 3 in the Australian Core Skills Framework in both reading and numeracy; AND
In addition:
- Stanley College must reasonably believe you are academically suited to undertake the course; AND
- You must meet any other specified entry requirements for the course.
*If you are required to complete the Stanley College–approved LLN test (LLN Robot), a member of the Admissions Team will inform you of a suitable time and date to sit the test. Once the test is completed, the results will be reviewed by the Admissions Manager or Student Services Team and then provided to you.
For students under 18
Students under 18 years of age who wish to apply for a VET Student Loan must provide one of the following:
- A signed parental consent form from Stanley College, with one of the signatories being a responsible parent of the student; OR
- A Centrelink Income Statement confirming that you have received Youth Allowance on the basis of being assessed as independent.
Additional Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for a VET Student Loan, you must also meet all of the following criteria:
- VET Student Loans Information Booklet – You must read and understand the Information Booklet provided;
- Electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) – You must submit your eCAF by the census day for the first unit of the course you are applying for funding, and no earlier than two business days after enrolling.
Note: the census day is the last day you can apply for a VET Student Loan for that unit of study. - Student Engagement and Progression – To continue accessing your VET Student Loan during the course of your loan period, you must complete the required survey in the eCAF system at least twice per calendar year, within the duration of your course. (Further information is available at the following link:
VET Student Loans – Student engagement and progression)
Eligibility Tool
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has developed a new VSL Eligibility Tool.
This tool will:
- Help you to determine whether you qualify for a VSL; and
- Provide additional information about the documentation you need to submit to Stanley College when applying for a VSL.
The VSL Eligibility Tool is available for prospective students on the MySkills website via VSL Eligibility Tool.
How to apply for your VET Student Loan using eCAF
To apply for a VET Student Loan, you must complete the Request for a VET Student Loan eCAF on or before the census date. However, once you have enrolled in your course with Stanley College, you must wait at least two full business days before submitting your eCAF.
After this two-day period, Stanley College will register your interest with the Australian Government. You will then receive a login and password to complete your eCAF.
Please Note: If you do not complete and submit your eCAF by the census date, you will be responsible for paying all tuition fees for that fee period.
Student Obligations
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has developed a Student Obligations Fact Sheet to help you understand your VSL obligations, including engagement with the eCAF system and completion of Progression Forms.
You can access it here: Student Obligations Fact sheet.
Repaying your VETSL Debt
Your VET Student Loan debt forms part of your accumulated VETSL debt. You must start repaying your VETSL debt through the tax system once your income is above the compulsory repayment threshold, even if you are still studying. More information about VETSL debt repayments, including how the ATO calculates your compulsory repayment, is available at www.studyassist.gov.au.
The repayment threshold is adjusted each year. For the 2026–2027 financial year, it is $69,528 or above. Under the new marginal repayment system, repayment rates will be calculated only on the portion of your income above this threshold, not on your total annual income. Repayments made through the Australian taxation system are called compulsory repayments and will continue until you have fully repaid your debt.
How much you must repay is calculated from the amounts reported in your income tax return, including:
- your taxable income,
- reportable fringe benefits (shown on your payment summary),
- total net investment losses (including net rental losses),
- reportable super contributions, and
- exempt foreign employment income amounts.
From 1 July 2017, anyone with a VETSL debt who earns above the minimum repayment threshold is required to make repayments, regardless of whether they live in Australia or overseas. Further information is available in the VET Student Loans Information Booklet.
