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Fee Help is an initiative of the Australian Government which allows Australian students to study now and pay later for their tertiary education. Students studying, or enrolling to study in the future, can access Fee Help.
Fee Help can cover all or part of a student's tuition fees. The Australian Government pays the amount of the loan direct to Shafston House College. Students then repay their loans through the tax system once their income is above the minimum threshold for compulsory repayment. Voluntary repayments may be made at any time, regardless of income.
The Fee Help loan scheme will allow more students to study the majority of our courses without having to save for up front tuition fees. International students and students studying the Diploma of Hospitality Management are not eligible to access Fee Help.
For more information on Fee Help please fill in our request for more information or visit www.goingtouni.gov.au.
Shafston's Schedule of Tuition Fees 2007 and the Schedule of Tuition Fees 2008 is now available in PDF format. If you would like to view the Schedule of Tuition Fees 2007 or the Schedule of Tuition Fees 2008 you will need to download Adobe Reader.
Shafston Institute of Technology is approved by the Australian Government Department of Education Science and Training as a Higher Education Provider under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 for the purposes of accessing Fee Paying Higher Education Loan Program (FEE-HELP) assistance.
FEE-HELP is a loan scheme which assists eligible students to pay their tuition fees up to a lifetime limit of $50,000 (CPI annually). The Australian Government pays the student's tuition fees and the students begin to repay their FEE-HELP debt to the Australian Government once their income reaches a prescribed threshold.
(a) Eligibility for FEE-HELP
FEE-HELP is only applicable to accredited Higher Education Awards provided by Shafston Institute of Technology.
A student is entitled to FEE-HELP for a unit of study being undertaken as part of an eligible course, if the student:
- is an Australian citizen, a holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa;
- is enrolled in the unit at the end of the census date for the unit;
- is not a Commonwealth supported student in relation to the unit;
- has completed and signed a requested for Commonwealth assistance in relation to the unit or their course before the end of the census date;
- meets the Tax File Number requirements; and
- has a FEE-HELP balance greater than zero.
(b) Application for FEE-HELP
To apply for FEE-HELP students must complete a Request for FEE-HELP Assistance Form and declare they have read the FEE-HELP Information booklet and are aware of their obligations under the program. Students can apply for assistance for all tuition fees or can elect to pay part of their tuition fees up front and obtain a FEE-HELP loan for the balance. The Request for FEE-HELP Assistance is valid for the duration of their course. Students are required to complete a new Request when they:
- commence a new course of study with Shafston Institute of Technology
- transfer to a new course of study; or
- change providers.
(c) Withdrawal
If a student who has completed a Request for FEE-HELP Assistance withdraws from a unit of study, including where the student withdraws from their course of study, on or before the census date, the student will not incur a FEE-HELP debt for that unit of study.
If a student who has completed a Request for FEE-HELP Assistance withdraws from a unit of study, including where the student withdraws from their course of study, after the census date, the student will incur a FEE-HELP debt for that unit of study.
(d) Re-credit of FEE-HELP
A student may apply to have the FEE-HELP debt removed. All applications must be made in writing addressed to the Domestic Registrar who will consider the application in conjunction with the Executive Director (Academic) and make a decision. A response will be provided within 30 days.
If the application to have the debt removed is denied, the applicant has the right to request in writing to the Group General Manager for a review of the decision. Such request must be made in writing within 28 days of the date of the original decision, must include the reasons for requesting a review and be accompanied by any relevant supporting evidence. The Group General Manager will provide written notice of receipt of the request and include advice that:
- the request will be reviewed within 40 days
- if no advice is provided to the applicant within 40 days, the original decision is confirmed; and
- that the applicant has right to apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) in the event that the outcome of the request is not the student's satisfaction.
- Contact details of the closest AAT Registry and approximate costs of lodging an appeal will be provided to the student.
The Group General Manager, following outcome of the reviewed decision, will provide a written response to the applicant including reasons for the decision and will also advice the applicant of their right to apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) in the event that the outcome of the request is not to the student's satisfaction.
(e) Refunds of Fees for Withdrawing before Census Date
The provisions of the HESA require that students are entitled to a refund of their tuition fees if they withdraw from a unit of study on or prior to the census date and providers are required to repay tuition fees to any student who is not enrolled in the unit of study at the end of the census date. This will apply to all higher education students enrolled at Shafston, irrespective of whether the students choose to access FEE-HELP to pay their tuition fees or to pay upfront. Under HESA, students do not incur a liability until after the census date. Therefore, students are entitled to a refund of their tuition fees if they withdraw from a unit of study on or prior to the census date and providers are required to repay tuition fees to any student who is not enrolled in the unit of study at the end of the census date. Students who withdraw from units of study after the census date receive a fail grade and/or may incur a fine or penalty.
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