VET FEE-HELP Frequently Asked Questions for Students May 2010

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1 Hw d I apply? VET FEE-HELP Frequently Asked Questins fr Students May 2010 If yu are eligible fr VET FEE-HELP assistance and wuld like t btain a VET FEE-HELP lan, yu shuld btain a Request fr VET FEE-HELP assistance frm and VET FEE-HELP infrmatin bklet frm yur prvider. Yu must read the Infrmatin bklet befre cmpleting and signing the frm and returning it t the apprpriate fficer f yur prvider n r befre the census date (r the earlier date set by yur prvider) fr the first unit f study fr which yu wish t btain VET FEE-HELP assistance. If yu have nt submitted a cmpleted Request fr VET FEE-HELP assistance frm n r befre the census date fr the unit, yu will nt be entitled t VET FEE-HELP assistance fr that unit and the Australian Gvernment will nt pay yur tuitin fee fr that unit. When cmpleting the frm, yu must tick all relevant bxes and sign the Declaratin. Yu shuld cntact yur prvider if yu are unsure hw t cmplete the frm. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 4 f the VET FEE-HELP infrmatin bklet. The latest bklet can be dwnladed frm the useful publicatins page at r a cpy can be btained frm yur VET prvider. What are the citizenship r residency requirements? T be eligible fr VET FEE-HELP assistance fr a unit f study, yu must be either: an Australian citizen; OR the hlder f a permanent humanitarian visa wh will be resident in Australia fr the duratin f the unit f study in which yu are seeking VET FEE-HELP assistance. Hlders f permanent visas and New Zealand citizens are NOT eligible fr VET FEE-HELP assistance. If yu are unsure f yur citizenship r visa status yu can cntact the Department f Immigratin and Citizenship n r visit their website at Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 2 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. I am applying fr Australian citizenship, when can I get VET FEE-HELP assistance? If yu meet all ther eligibility requirements, and yu btain Australian citizenship, yu may access VET FEE-HELP FEE-HELP assistance fr thse units with a census date n r after the date n which yu btained Australian citizenship. This culd include units yu are currently enrlled in prviding the census dates fr the units have nt yet passed. Yu shuld allw sufficient time fr yur applicatin fr Australian citizenship t be cnsidered, if yu are intending t becme an Australian citizen, befre yu enrl in a curse f study. If yu are enrlled in a unit and the census date passes befre yu btain Australian citizenship yu will nt be able t access VET FEE-HELP assistance fr that unit. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 2 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. Page 1 f 6

2 When and hw d I repay my debt? Yu start repaying yur accumulated HELP debt when yur repayment incme is abve the minimum repayment threshld fr cmpulsry repayment. The repayment threshlds are adjusted each year t reflect any changes in average weekly earnings. The minimum repayment incme threshld fr the incme year is $43,150 and fr the incme year is $44,911. Yur repayment incme is calculated using the fllwing amunts frm yur incme tax return: yur taxable incme; reprtable fringe benefits (as reprted n the payment summary); ttal net investment lss (which includes net rental lsses); reprtable super cntributins; and any exempt freign emplyment incme amunts. If yu have an accumulated HELP debt and earn mre than the minimum repayment threshld, yu will have a cmpulsry repayment included as part f yur incme tax assessment. Yu must advise yur payer r payers (if yu have mre than ne surce f incme) if yu have an accumulated HELP debt. Yur payer/s must withhld an additinal amunt frm payments made t yu, t cver yur cmpulsry repayment. Fr mre infrmatin n repaying yur HELP debts, including the latest Repaying Yur Help Debt guide, visit the Australian Tax Office website: Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 6 f the VET FEE-HELP infrmatin bklet. What des VET FEE-HELP cver? VET FEE-HELP prvides a lan fr tuitin fees nly. Yur prvider will set the tuitin fee fr yur unit(s) f study. VET FEE-HELP des nt cver accmmdatin and general living expenses. Yur prvider publishes the tuitin fees and census dates fr all f its units f study n its website. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 3 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. Are there any lan charges? There is n applicatin fee fr requesting VET FEE-HELP assistance. A lan fee f 20% applies t all full fee-paying students undertaking VET FEE-HELP lans. The lan fee des nt cunt twards yur FEE-HELP balance. There is n interest charged n yur VET FEE- HELP debt. Hwever, yur debt is indexed annually by the Australian Tax Office t maintain its real value. Any indexatin amunt des nt increase yur FEE-HELP balance. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 3 f the VET FEE-HELP infrmatin bklet. What is my census date? The census date f a unit f study (which frms part f an eligible curse f study) is the last day a student can submit their Request fr VET FEE-HELP assistance frm t defer their tuitin fees thrugh VET FEE-HELP. In accrdance with the Higher Educatin Supprt Act 2003 (HESA), census dates cannt be set any earlier than 20% f the way thrugh the perid in which a unit is undertaken (this perid includes any examinatin/assessment perids). Yu can nt extend yur census date. Yur prvider publishes the tuitin fees and census dates fr all if its units f study n its website. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 4 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. Page 2 f 6

3 What is an administrative date? Prviders smetimes set an earlier administrative date (than the census date) fr the submissin f the Request fr VET FEE-HELP assistance frm and the payment f any upfrnt tuitin fees. If yu d nt meet this earlier administrative date, yur prvider may charge yu a late fee fr that unit f study. It is YOUR respnsibility t check whether yur prvider has set the census date, r an earlier administrative date, as the deadline fr submitting the frm and the payment f tuitin fees. An administratin date des nt affect the census date; yu will nt incur a VET FEE-HELP debt until after the census date. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 4 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. What is a FEE-HELP limit? In 2010, the FEE-HELP limit is $85,062, except fr medicine, dentistry and veterinary science curses (that lead t initial registratin as practitiners in thse fields) where the limit is $106,328. The FEE-HELP limit is indexed n 1 January each year. The FEE-HELP limit is the ttal amunt available t yu under bth FEE-HELP and VET FEE-HELP. The FEE-HELP limit fr a particular year is published by DEEWR n the VET FEE-HELP website and in the VET FEE-HELP and FEE-HELP infrmatin bklets fr students fr that year. Any time a student accesses VET FEE-HELP and/r FEE-HELP t pay their tuitin fees, the amunt they may brrw in future is reduced. Once a student has brrwed an amunt equal t the FEE-HELP limit (as indexed at that time), they will nt be able t receive VET FEE- HELP r FEE-HELP assistance t pay their tuitin fees. Repayments d nt reset the maximum that can be brrwed. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 2 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. Can I get VET FEE-HELP if I study part-time? Yes. Eligible full-time and part-time students can access VET FEE-HELP. I am already studying. Can I still access VET FEE-HELP? Yes. Yu can if the fllwing cnditins are met: Yu are an eligible student; and yur RTO is an apprved VET prvider fr the curse yu are studying; and the census date f the unit f study has nt passed. If yu are nt sure f the census date fr yur unit f study, yu shuld cntact yur VET prvider. I am a mature age student can I get VET FEE-HELP? Yes. There are n age restrictins arund VET FEE-HELP. Page 3 f 6

4 Can I access VET FEE-HELP fr tw curses at the same time? Yu can btain VET FEE-HELP assistance fr mre than ne curse f study prvided that yu have sufficient FEE-HELP balance and are therwise eligible. Yu must submit a separate Request fr VET FEE-HELP assistance frm fr each curse, even if bth curses are with the same VET prvider. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 4 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. I am receiving Centrelink benefits. Des this affect the amunt f VET FEE-HELP assistance I can access? N. Centrelink benefits d nt affect yur eligibility r the amunt f VET FEE-HELP assistance yu can access. I have a HECS debt. Des this affect the amunt f VET FEE- HELP assistance I can access? N. Althugh HECS-HELP is part f an accumulated HELP debt it des nt affect yur VET FEE-HELP debt (r yur eligibility fr VET FEE-HELP assistance) and des nt affect yur FEE-HELP limit. HECS-HELP is nly available t students in a Cmmnwealth Supprted place studying a higher educatin qualificatin. If yu currently access HECS-HELP, and wish t access VET FEE-HELP assistance yu will need t apply fr VET FEE-HELP thrugh a VET prvider. I already have a qualificatin can I still get a VET FEE-HELP lan? Yes. Previus qualificatins r yur study results d nt affect yur eligibility fr VET FEE- HELP; hwever yu are nt entitled t VET FEE-HELP assistance fr units in excess f what yu need t d t be awarded yur qualificatin. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 2 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. Hw d I withdraw my request fr VET FEE-HELP assistance? If yu have requested a VET FEE-HELP lan, but change yur mind abut studying, r n lnger want t defer yur tuitin fees thrugh VET FEE-HELP, n r befre the end f the census date, yu must either: pay yur tuitin fees up-frnt and in full (if yu wish t cntinue yur enrlment in that unit(s)); r cancel yur Request fr VET FEE-HELP Assistance frm and pay yur tuitin fees up-frnt and in full; r withdraw yur enrlment in that unit(s) f study r yu will incur a VET FEE-HELP debt fr that unit(s) f study. Yu are able t cancel yur Request fr VET FEE-HELP assistance frm at any time. Yu must d this in writing t yur prvide.r It is imprtant t remember that if yu have nt crrectly withdrawn frm a unit(s) f study n r befre its census date and yu have ldged yur Request fr VET FEE-HELP assistance frm that cvers the unit(s), yu will incur a debt with the Australian Gvernment. That debt cannt be transferred r deferred t anther unit f study. Fr mre infrmatin see chapters 4 and 5 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. Page 4 f 6

5 Why will the Gvernment lan me this mney? The underlying principle f the Higher Educatin Lan Prgram is that it remves the majr financial barrier t entry t higher educatin allwing students t defer the majrity f csts f further study (their tuitin fees) thrugh a lan that is ffered n favurable terms cmpared t cmmercial lan arrangements. What happens if I fail a unit? If yu fail a unit, yu still have t pay the debt fr that unit. It des nt matter whether r nt yu attended any classes. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 5 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. ] Hw d I find ut what my debt is? There are tw ways t find ut what yur FEE-HELP debt is: 1. Lgin t myuniassist n the Ging t Uni website. Yu will need yur Cmmnwealth Higher Educatin Student Supprt Number (CHESSN) which is allcated by yur prvider when yu first access Cmmnwealth Assistance. 2. Cntact the Australian Tax Office n t get the balance f yur HELP accunt r t rder an infrmatin statement. It is imprtant t keep a recrd f all Cmmnwealth Assistance Ntices (CANs) which are sent t yu by yur prvider. Yu need t be aware f the ttal amunt f tuitin fees that have been paid n yur behalf using VET FEE-HELP (and FEE-HELP if applicable). Yur FEE-HELP balance is the amunt f the FEE-HELP limit less the amunt f any VET FEE- HELP lan yu have requested fr tuitin fees which the Australian Gvernment has paid t yur prvider n yur behalf using VET FEE-HELP (and FEE-HELP if yu have accessed this fr higher educatin study). Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 6 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. Hw can I check if my VET FEE-HELP debt is crrect? Within 28 days fllwing the census date fr yur unit f study, yur prvider will send yu a Cmmnwealth Assistance Ntice (CAN) fr that unit. The CAN will prvide yu with infrmatin n yur VET FEE-HELP debt fr that unit, including any lan fee yu may have incurred fr that unit. The CAN may cver mre than ne unit. Yur CAN will enable yu t check if the calculatin f yur VET FEE-HELP debt fr the unit(s) cvered by the ntice is crrect. If yu believe yur CAN is incrrect, yu shuld give the apprpriate fficer f yur prvider a written request asking fr the CAN t be crrected. Yu shuld identify the matters in the CAN that yu believe are nt crrect and specify why yu believe they are incrrect. Yu must submit yur request within 14 days f the date f yur CAN (r such lnger perid as yur prvider allws). Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 4 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. Page 5 f 6

6 What happens if I withdraw after the census date? If yu have nt paid yur tuitin fees and yu have requested VET FEE-HELP assistance, and yu withdraw after the census date, yu will have a debt t the Australian Gvernment that yu are legally required t repay. If after the census date, special circumstances ccur and yu are unable t cntinue yur studies, yu can apply t yur prvider t have yur FEE-HELP balance re-credited and yur VET FEE-HELP debt remved fr that unit(s). Yu shuld nte that there are time limits fr applying t have yur FEE-HELP balance re-credited due t special circumstances. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 5 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. What happens t my debt if I die? A trustee r executr needs t ldge all utstanding incme tax returns n behalf f a deceased persn, up t the date f the persn s death. Any cmpulsry repayment included n an incme tax ntice f assessment relating t the perid befre the persn s death must be paid frm the estate, but the remainder f the debt is cancelled. Neither the deceased persn s family nr the trustee is required t pay the remainder f the accumulated HELP debt. Fr mre infrmatin see chapter 6 f the VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. Where can I find mre infrmatin? Fr mre infrmatin n VET FEE-HELP, cntact yur VET prvider r call the VET FEE- HELP enquiry line n Fr general infrmatin n VET FEE-HELP, visit the VET FEE-HELP website: and dwnlad the student factsheet and VET FEE-HELP Infrmatin bklet. Page 6 f 6