• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Principles
• Tuition fees for Commonwealth Supported students
• Tuition fees for full fee-paying students
• Tuition fees for higher degree by research students
• Commonwealth assistance for students studying overseas
• Student services and amenities fees
• Incidental fees and charges
• Payment of fees
• Commonwealth Assistance Notice
• Difficulties with payment
• Non-payment of fees
• Fee refunds
• Section 4 - Responsibilities
• Section 5 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy sets out the principles for setting, collecting and administering domestic student contribution amounts, tuition fees and other fee types at the University of Canberra (the University) in line with legislative requirements specified by the Commonwealth Government.

Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Policy applies to all domestic students undertaking a University of Canberra program of study in Australia. This includes students enrolled in a University of Canberra program through the University of Canberra College (UCC).

(3) A domestic student is:

1. an Australian citizen; or
2. a New Zealand citizen; or
3. an Australian permanent resident; or
4. a holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.

Section 3 - Principles

(4) Domestic student fees comprise:

1. domestic tuition fees, which may be subsidised and/or deferred through an Australian Government Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) loan
2. Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
3. additional costs, such as costs associated with training and checks for internships and placements, parking, printing, personal equipment, uniforms and photocopying, textbooks or other reference materials.

(5) With the exception of the fees described in 4(c), the University Council will determine fees for the following year, taking into account the maximum rate set by the Commonwealth government.

(6) Up-to-date information regarding tuition fees and other charges are provided to students on the University’s Domestic Fees and Costs webpage.

(7) Students must ensure that they are aware of the University's published information regarding tuition fees and charges.

(8) Where a student remains enrolled in units after the Census Date as recorded in the University’s student management system, they are liable for the cost of these units. This liability must be discharged by the Census Date either through upfront payment or deferral through HELP, unless prior arrangements have been made.

(9) Payments received towards a student fee account will initially be applied to the oldest outstanding fee debt based on the due date.

Tuition fees for Commonwealth Supported students

(10) Domestic student tuition fees are governed by the Higher Education Support Act (HESA) 2003.

(11) Students admitted to a program of study leading to an award of the University may be admitted to a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).

(12) Unless exempt, every Commonwealth Supported student enrolled in a unit of study is required to pay a student contribution amount for that unit.

(13) The University sets tuition fees for Commonwealth Supported students in accordance with the Student Contribution Bands published by the Australian Government. Student Contribution Bands are reviewed annually by the Government department responsible for education and training, and are subject to change.

(14) Student contribution amounts and methods for calculating liabilities are published on the University’s Domestic Fees and Costs webpage and on the Australian Government’s StudyAssist website.

(15) The Student Contribution amount a Commonwealth Supported Student is liable for is determined by the student’s unit enrolment, not course enrolment, at Census Date.

(16) To qualify for Commonwealth Supported status and the option to defer payment through an Australian Government HELP loan, a student starting a new course must submit their Electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) prior to Census Date. Students who do not submit an eCAF by the Administrative Due Date determined by the University may have an encumbrance (a restriction) placed on their enrolment until an eCAF is submitted.

(17) Commonwealth Supported students who wish to make a full or partial payment of a student contribution amount must do so by the Census Date for the relevant teaching period.

Tuition fees for full fee-paying students

(18) Domestic students admitted to a non-CSP program of study leading to an award of the University, a non-award unit or cross-institutional studies may be admitted on a domestic full-fee paying basis.

(19) Domestic students paying full fees are charged a domestic course rate. Tuition fees are derived based on the equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL) associated with each unit.

(20) Tuition fees are reviewed and determined annually and are subject to increase. For commencing students, the initial tuition fee rate for their first teaching period is determined based on the approved tuition fees at the time they commence study in their first teaching period.

(21) For fee-paying coursework courses, new tuition rates will apply to commencing students in the following year.

(22) A non-Commonwealth Supported Student who intends to defer payment of tuition fees via FEE-HELP must submit a FEE-HELP Commonwealth assistance form by the census date of the relevant teaching period.

(23) Upfront tuition fee payments will be due by the end of Week One of each teaching period.

Tuition fees for higher degree by research students

(24) All students who are Australian Citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa Holders, New Zealand Citizens or Permanent Residents are allocated an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) fee offset scholarship.

(25) The RTP fee offset scholarship will cover the full cost of tuition fees up to:

1. four years full time for a PhD or professional doctorate candidate (or the part-time equivalent)
2. two years full time for a masters by research candidate (or the part-time equivalent).

(26) Domestic Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students who are not eligible for a RTP fee offset scholarship because they exceed these time limits may be liable to pay tuition fees.

(27) RTP students will be charged at the tuition fee rate relevant at the time they became a fee-paying student.

(28) If tuition fees are charged, students may be eligible for the Australian Government’s FEE-HELP Loan Scheme to assist with paying their tuition fees. Students eligible for the FEE-HELP Loan Scheme must complete an electronic request for a HELP Loan by Census Date. Further information on eligibility for FEE-HELP is available on the University’s Research Fees and Costs webpage and the StudyAssist website.

Commonwealth assistance for students studying overseas

(29) The University will manage OS-HELP applications for eligible students in accordance with the HESA Act 2003 to assist with expenses such as airfares, accommodation, and other travel-related or study-related expenses overseas.

(30) Eligibility criteria and application instructions for OS-HELP will be available on the University website.

(31) To be considered for an OS-HELP loan, students must meet all eligibility criteria outlined on the University website.

(32) A student must submit their electronic eCAF within 14 days of receiving advice of their application outcome and sign a Payment Details Authority Form before payment of an OS-HELP loan can be made.

Student services and amenities fees

(33) Most students are required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). Details of exempted students and the schedule for the SSAF is available on the Student Services and Amenities Fee webpage.

(34) SSAF is assessed annually based on full-time or part-time enrolment, with all students charged the yearly set rate; part-time students pay a one-off annual fee, while full-time students pay a supplementary fee in the second half of the year. Students will be charged SSAF for each teaching period until the annual charge is paid in full, and payment arrangements (including deferring payment using SA-HELP) must be finalised by the census date of each teaching period.

(35) Eligible domestic students may access a SA-HELP Loan to defer all or part of their SSAF. Applications for SA-HELP must be submitted by the census date of the relevant teaching period. Details about eligibility requirements are available on the Australian Government StudyAssist website and the Student Services and Amenities Fee webpage.

(36) Students who fail to finalise payment arrangements for SSAF in the appropriate time frame will have their results and transcript withheld, will be unable to enrol in future teaching periods, and will not be able to graduate.

(37) There is no capacity under the HESA Act 2003 for the University to refund the SSAF or to remit an SA-HELP debt incurred after the census date for a teaching period.

Incidental fees and charges

(38) The University may levy additional incidental fees and administrative charges in accordance with HESA 2003 (Cth). University-wide fees and charges, such as late payment fees, will be published on the Fees and Costs webpage on the University website.

Payment of fees

(39) Payment arrangements must be finalised by the Census Date of each teaching period. Where tuition fees are not deferred to a HELP Loan, they must be paid upfront by census date.

(40) In accordance with HESA Act 2003, domestic students may be eligible to apply for a HELP Loan to defer all or part of their tuition fees. Further information is available on the Fees and Costs webpage and MyUC.

(41) To make an upfront payment, students must generate their Statement of Account (SoA) using MyUC. The SoA will indicate the payment due date and payment options. Further information is available on the Fees and Costs webpage and MyUC.

(42) Where a student changes their unit enrolment after paying the fee, students should generate a new Statement of Account (SoA) to make sure any extra fees are paid by the specified deadline.

(43) Any amount owed to a student due to a withdrawal from a unit prior to the census date or a change as outlined in Clause 42, will be automatically applied to their next payment where a refund is not requested.

Commonwealth Assistance Notice

(44) A Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) is a statement of enrolment and a record of a student’s use of Commonwealth Assistance for a teaching period.

(45) Students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place with a HELP liability will be provided with an electronic statement of that liability – the electronic Commonwealth Assistance Notice (eCAN) – within 28 days of the Census date in any teaching period.

(46) Students have 14 days from the date of issue of the eCAN to advise the University if they believe there is an error in their CAN. The University will amend the CAN if investigations confirm the error.

Difficulties with payment

(47) Under exceptional circumstances students ineligible for HELP support and facing payment difficulties may qualify for special payment arrangements. Requests for these  arrangements must be made in writing to the Fees Officer (or delegate), accompanied by documentation outlining the student’s financial situation and relevant circumstances.

(48) Extensions to payments that are greater than 3 months will not normally be granted.

(49) Extension of payment will be advised in writing and will not be granted automatically. Late payment fees may apply.

Non-payment of fees

(50) Students who fail to pay fees or complete HELP application processes by the Census date for any teaching period will have their enrolment cancelled.

(51) A full fee-paying student with unpaid units after the census date will remain liable for the fees associated with the teaching period. If fees are not paid, the student may be discontinued but may be reinstated in their course and enrolled in a future teaching period once payment is made. Late payment fees may apply.

(52) In accordance with the HESA Act 2003, a CSP student whose enrolment is cancelled after census date will be withdrawn from their enrolled course without fee liability.

(53) Any student with outstanding tuition, SSAF or incidental fees for either themselves or by their sponsor will not be approved for award conferral and will not receive any graduation documentation until all outstanding amounts have been paid.

Fee refunds

(54) Commencing and continuing domestic students are entitled to receive a full or partial refund of their tuition fees, or remission of their HELP debt, under certain conditions as identified in Table 1.

(55) Students who withdraw from study after the census date of the relevant teaching period and who request a refund of payment or remission of debt will need to provide evidence of special circumstance as per HESA Act 2003 requirements.

(56) Any amount owed to a full fee-paying student, including from overpayment of fees, will be credited towards the student’s next fee payment or may be refunded to the student upon request.

(57) A student must apply for a refund using the Application for Refund of Tuition Fees.

(58) Refunds will normally be paid within 4 weeks from the date of receipt of a written request for a refund from the student, or the date of clearance of the original payment, whichever is later.

(59) Refunds will be paid only following full payment of any outstanding debts owed to the University, such as library fines, late fees or student loans.

(60) A student who is dissatisfied with a decision made under this policy may appeal against the decision using the University’s Student Grievance Resolution Policy.

Section 4 - Responsibilities