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If you are a domestic student, you may be eligible for subsidies and/or loans provided by the Australian government, including:
Subsidies through Commonwealth supported places (CSP)
Student loans through the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
Commonwealth supported places
A Commonwealth supported place (CSP) is a place in a course with lower tuition fees. If you are in a CSP, part of your tuition has been subsidised by the Australian government so you pay less.
If you are enrolled in an undergraduate degree, you will be awarded a CSP if you are:
An Australian citizen, who will live and study in Australia for at least part of your course
An Australian permanent resident, who will live and study in Australia for the duration of your course; or
A New Zealand citizen, who will live and study in Australia for the duration of your course
Not identified with a low completion rate – please visit our Job Ready Graduates site for more information
Students who are offered a CSP place may also utilise HECS-HELP to cover their student contribution amounts if they meet the eligibility criteria under the loan program.
Curtin also offers CSPs for a small number of postgraduate courses. If you are enrolled in a postgraduate course, please contact Curtin Connect to check whether CSPs are offered.
If you are eligible, you will automatically be offered a CSP in your course. You will then need to confirm your place by:
Enrolling in a Commonwealth supported unit before the census date
Ensuring you meet the residency requirements listed above (live and study in Australia as required for your citizenship or residency status), and
You can find more information about Commonwealth supported places on the StudyAssist website.
Domestic fee paying and not-for-degree places
A domestic fee paying place is a place that is not subsidised by the Australian government. If you are enrolled as a domestic fee paying student, you must pay the full cost of your course. You may be eligible to use a FEE-HELP loan to pay your fees, if you meet the relevant criteria as outlined below.
If you undertake individual units at Curtin, rather than a full course, you will be enrolled as a not-for-degree student and must pay your full fees upfront when you enrol.
Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
The Australian government’s Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) offers loans to eligible domestic students studying at university. There are four HELP loans available, which allow you to defer payment of your tuition and/or Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF):
If you are a New Zealand citizen, you must meet the Special Category Visa (SCV) and residency requirements to be eligible for a HELP loan:
If you are an eligible New Zealand Special Category Visa (SCV) holder and meet the requisite criteria, you will be able to access a HELP loan to pay your tuition fees.
To be eligible, you must:
Be a New Zealand citizen who holds a Special Category Visa subclass 444 (SCV)
Have first entered Australia as a dependent minor aged under 18 years
Have been residing in Australia for the previous 10 years (and you have been present in Australia for at least eight out of those 10 years) at the time of application for the loan
Have been residing in Australia for the past 18 months out of the last 2 years at the time of application for the loan
Australian Permanent Residency for New Zealand citizens
From 29 June 2023, New Zealand citizens who formerly held a Special Category Visa, currently meet the long-term residency requirements, and have transitioned to a permanent resident visa on the pathway to citizenship will have continued access to HELP loans. Students must provide documentation confirming they meet the above criteria.
If you believe you meet the above criteria, please contact Curtin Connect.
You can find further information about HELP loan eligibility on the StudyAssist website.
If you are eligible and wish to use a HELP loan to pay your fees, you must complete an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) by the due date of the study period you’re enrolled in:
Your electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) is a request for government assistance for your tuition fees. If you are an eligible domestic student studying in Australia, you must submit an eCAF before the due date of the study period if you wish to:
Accept a Commonwealth supported place (CSP)
If eligible, apply for a HELP loan to pay your tuition fees.
The Australian Government now requires students to obtain a Unique Student Identifier (USI) and submit it to their education provider as soon as possible. The USI is your lifetime education reference number of which your education achievements are recorded against. You will be prompted to submit your USI in your eCAF.
Once you have submitted a valid eCAF, it will remain valid for the duration of your course. If you change courses, course versions, or course attempts, you must submit a new eCAF before the due date of the next study period of the course.
Please see the My eCAFs page for information on completing your eCAF.
There are four eCAFs available at Curtin. The one you’ll need to complete depends on your enrolment.
The table below shows which eCAFs should be completed for each type of enrolment:
Liability category
Recommended eCAF
Commonwealth supported
HECS-HELP for tuition fees
SA-HELP for Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF)
OS-HELP for overseas study expenses
Domestic fee paying
FEE-HELP for tuition fees
SA-HELP for Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF)
Contribution exempt
HECS-HELP for tuition fees
SA-HELP for Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF)
Research training program (RTP)
SA-HELP for Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF)
Fee exempt
SA-HELP for Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF)
Once you know which form to complete, you can find and submit your eCAF on the My eCAFs tab in eStudent, via OASIS. For detailed instructions on how to complete your eCAF, please see the My eCAFs page.
To check your eligibility for a HELP loan, please visit the Study Assist site.
Unsure which liability category applies to your course? Please contact Curtin Connect
If you choose to use a HELP loan, the Australian government pays your tuition fees directly to Curtin and a HELP debt is recorded for you with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) against your tax file number (TFN).
Your tax file number (TFN) is your personal reference number issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). It is unique to you and cannot be used by anyone else, and you cannot use anyone else’s TFN.
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) in your course and/or are eligible to use a HELP loan to defer your fees, you must submit your tax file number (TFN) on an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) by the due date of the relevant study period.
If you have used a HELP loan to pay all or part of your tuition and/or Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF) for a study period, you will be issued an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Notice (eCAN):
Your electronic Commonwealth Assistance Notice (eCAN) is a statement of your enrolment and a record of your use of Commonwealth assistance and/or support for a study period. It will tell you if you've incurred any HELP debt or loan fees for your enrolled units.
You can access your eCAN in OASIS after the census date of each study period via the steps below:
1. Login to OASIS
2. Click on the eStudent tile
3. Click on the My Documents tab.
It is important that you check the information stated on your eCAN is correct. If any of the information is incorrect, you must request a review of your account within 14 days of receiving your eCAN.
