Completing an eCAF

You must submit at least one form to obtain Commonwealth assistance.

The form/s you use depend on:

• whether you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) or a Domestic fee paying (DFEE) place
• whether you would also like to have your Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF) deferred, if eligible.

Commonwealth supported place (CSP)

Student who has been offered a CSP course must submit a Commonwealth assistance form (eCAF) via eStudent by the census date to accept the CSP place and in order to enrol in any units.

To be eligible to complete a Commonwealth assistance form you must be offered a CSP course, and be:

• an Australian citizen who will study at least one unit of your course while living in Australia
• a New Zealand citizen who will study the entire course while living in Australia
• an Australian permanent visa holder who will study the entire course while living in Australia
• an eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder who will study the entire course while living in Australia, or
• a Pacific engagement visa (PEV) holder who will study the entire course while living in Australia. (effective 1 February 2024)

To be eligible to defer your fees to HECS-HELP Loan and/or SA-HELP Loan you must be:

• an Australian citizen who will study at least some of your course while living in Australia
• a New Zealand Special Category Visa (SCV) holder, or eligible former New Zealand SCV holder, who meets the long-term residency requirements and who studies the entire course while living in Australia
• a permanent humanitarian visa holder, or an eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder, who will be a resident in Australia for the duration of your unit(s), or
• a Pacific engagement visa (PEV) holder who will be a resident in Australia for the duration of your unit(s). (effective 1 February 2024)

You must complete the relevant HECS-HELP form with your Tax File Number (TFN) and unique student identifier (USI) provided by the relevant census date.

Domestic fee paying (DFEE)

Domestic students offered a domestic fee-paying course are required to pay the full tuition fee.

To be eligible to defer your fees to FEE-HELP Loan and SA-HELP Loan you must be:

• an Australian citizen who will study at least some of your course while living in Australia
• a New Zealand Special Category Visa (SCV) holder, or eligible former New Zealand SCV holder, who meets the long-term residency requirements and who studies the entire course while living in Australia
• a permanent humanitarian visa holder, or an eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder, who will be a resident in Australia for the duration of your unit(s), or
• a Pacific engagement visa (PEV) holder who will be a resident in Australia for the duration of your unit(s). (effective 1 February 2024)

You must complete the relevant FEE-HELP form with your Tax File Number (TFN) and unique student identifier (USI) provided by the relevant census date.

1. Log in to eStudent
2. Click on the 'Forms' tile OR go to 'My Study' > 'Manage My Course' > 'Government Assistance' > 'Add'
3. Select the relevant Government Assistance Form to complete
4. Follow the instructions to complete the relevant form and submit
5. A form status message with a 'tick' will show if the form has been submitted
   • This does not mean your form has been approved. To check on its status, please go to 'My Study' > 'Manage My Course' > 'Government Assistance'
   • If the form status says 'Approved' under My Study, you have submitted the form correctly
   • If the status shows 'Invalid' or 'Submitted', there may be a mismatch between the personal or residency details you provided in the form and the information we have on record. Please review your HELP Loan eligibility and resubmit the form with the correct information

A separate SA-HELP form allows you to defer your Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).

HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP forms allow you to defer tuition fees only.

SSAF is an amount to be paid by both part-time and full-time students. It provides funding for student support services such as campus wellbeing, sport and recreation facilities, and food and beverage operations. More information about SSAF.

The census date is the last day a student can:

• accept an offer in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP), or
• make an upfront payment for the enrolled units, or
• apply for a HELP loan (HECS- HELP, FEE-HELP and SA- HELP), or
• formally withdraw from your study without incurring any academic penalty or financial liability for the unit

If you do not submit your relevant HELP loan form (eCAF with verified TFN) on or before the census date:

• you will not be eligible to access a HELP loan for that study period
• your enrolment will be cancelled

Follow these steps:

1. Apply for a tax file number (TFN) asap as it may more than 28 days for the Australian Taxation Office to process if you apply through the Australia Post.
2. provide your certificate of application for a TFN from the Australian Taxation Office to Service Connect through and enquiry in the Service Connect Portal
3. Once you receive your TFN, you will need to Submit a new HECS-HELP form again along with your TFN, by the relevant census date if you wish to defer your fees to a HECS-HELP loan.

To avoid cancellation of your enrolment under the University Tuition Fees and Charges Rules and Section 36(40) of the Higher Education Support Act 2003, you must do one of the following before the relevant census date:

• Provide your Tax File Number (TFN) along with your HECS-HELP form via eStudent, or
• Submit an enquiry with your TFN certificate of application, or
• Pay your tuition fees upfront

You must notify the University as soon as your residency or citizenship status changes — for example, if you have recently become an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident, Permanent Humanitarian visa holder, or New Zealand Citizen.

You required to submit a Residency Verification Form