Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for one of the below fee deferral options. The items relevant to you are included in your USC Central Task list and may include one or a combination of the below.
If you are not eligible for a HELP loan, you need to pay your fees upfront, by the fee payment due date on your Financial Account in USC Central.
- All students offered a Commonwealth Supported Place must complete an eCAF. This step is included in your ‘Tasks’ list.
- If you are eligible for HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP, you request a HELP loan by completing your eCAF and entering your Tax File Number (TFN) by the Fee due date. If you don’t have a TFN, you will need to apply for a TFN from the Australian Taxation Office as soon as possible.
- You'll also be asked to provide your Unique Student Identifier (USI). You must provide your USI by the census date of your first study period, or you risk being withdrawn from your program. Apply for a USI or check if you already have a USI via usi.gov.au.
How does a HELP loan work? Once you have successfully completed and submitted your eCAF, and provided your TFN and USI in USC Central, your fees will appear on your student account until the census date of each study period. After the census date, your fees will automatically defer to your HELP loan.
You can still make part or full payments towards your fees up until the fee due date of each study period, shown on your invoice. After census date, the remaining amount will defer to your HELP loan. Visit HECS-HELP for more information.
- Australian citizens and Permanent Humanitarian visa holders must complete this form (unless you are a Cross-institutional or Visiting student). This step is included in your ‘Tasks’ list.
How does SA-HELP work? If you defer payment of your Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) using SA‑HELP, the amount will be added to your accumulated HELP loan. You can take out a SA‑HELP loan even if you do not take out any other HELP loan.
If you use SA-HELP you can make part or full payments by the fee due date and the remainder will defer to your HELP loan after the census date. Visit SA-HELP for more information.
- Domestic students need a Tax File Number (TFN) to apply for a HELP loan.
- Urgently complete an application for a TFN through the Australian Tax Office (ATO).
- You must supply Student Central with a copy of your TFN Application Summary and the receipt Australia Post issued when you provided your proof of identity.
- You can still fill out the eCAF and eSAF, but will be reminded to supply your TFN on your To Do List in USC Central.
- Apply for a USI via usi.gov.au. It’s fast and free, and you keep the same USI for life. You will need at least one form of valid identification.
- If you have previously completed any VET or TAFE study, you may already have a USI. You can find your USI via usi.gov.au.
- You can still fill out the eCAF, but will be reminded to supply your USI on your To Do List in USC Central.
We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox when completing the HELP task on a desktop computer. Please ensure your browser allows pop-ups.
TPP students do need to complete the 'Request for HELP' task but are not required to add your Tax File Number.
What are HELP Loans?
You can view more information about HELP loans and read the relevant HELP information booklet to understand your financial obligations.