If you choose to withdraw or defer, you may be entitled to a refund of any up-front payment you've made, or re-credit of your loan balance if you have taken a Commonwealth Student Loan.

You must withdraw or defer in writing by completing the VET Student Loans Withdrawal & Deferral Application form.

The loan amount you incur will depend on the timing of your withdrawal or deferral. There are no penalties if you withdraw or defer on or before the census day. However, once a census day has passed, the loan amount for the Unit of Study is incurred.

In some special circumstances, you may apply to have your debt reversed by completing the Application to re-credit a HELP balance form within 12 months of the census day of the Unit of Study/Part of a Course.

Students also have the right to apply for a review of a decision not to re-credit a loan balance. See the VET Student Loans Student Review Procedure.

If you wish to re-enrol in the program after withdrawing you must inform us in writing of your intention to re-enrol.

From 1 January 2017, the Commonwealth VET Student Loans program replaced the VET FEE-HELP loan program.

This Commonwealth Government program allows you to access loans for courses that:

• have a high national priority
• meet industry needs
• contribute to addressing skills shortages
• lead to employment outcomes.

The program also features loan caps for course loans. This means if your fees are above the loan cap, you will need to pay the difference. Most TAFE NSW students will not be affected by loan caps, but if you are, you will be advised of this during your enrolment. Please note, that loan caps are indexed annually in accordance with the VETStudent Loans Act 2016.

In accordance with the VET Student Loans Act (2016), all students wishing to apply for a Commonwealth VET Student Loan must be assessed for academic suitability to undertake a high- level VET qualification. Qualifications that are eligible for SFC to offer students a VET Student Loan can be found on the SFC VET Student Loan Approved Course List. This academic assessment is in addition to any entry requirements that may be required for the specific course you are undertaking. In high demand courses where there are more applicants than there are available places, there may also be additional selection criteria. If you are not able to meet any of these requirements, you will not be eligible to apply for a Commonwealth VET Student Loan.

Ways to assess your academic suitability

In order to apply for a VET Student Loan to cover your course fees or part of your fees, you must meet one of the criteria below and provide evidence, if applicable.

Either:

• you need to have completed your senior secondary certificate of education, awarded by an Australian authority or agency OR an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) Diploma. Please provide a copy when you apply to enrol. A statement of outcomes meets this requirement only if it confirms that the student received the Senior Secondary Certificate. SFC is required to store this for five years after you enrol. OR‍

• you need to have completed an Australian Qualifications Framework qualification at Certificate IV level or above (or at a level in a framework that preceded the AQF, that is equivalent to level 4 or above in the AQF), that was delivered in English, or evidence of an approved Australian Government assessed overseas qualification2 . Please provide a copy of your certificate, if this was achieved at a provider other than SFC. This may be issued by your previous provider or through the national USI Registry at https://www.usi.gov.au/students (for qualifications from 2015). OR‍

• you need to undertake a literacy and numeracy assessment using an approved assessment tool and display competence at or above Exit Level 3 in the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF).SFC will advise you how to undertake this assessment. It is free of charge and will need to be undertaken at our premises under supervision. SFC may use either the Basic Key Skills Builder (BKSB), the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), the Core Skills Profile for Adults (CPSA) or the Foundation Skills Assessment Tool (FSAT) to assess your skills.

SFC must be confident that you complete this test independently and have the required skills. SFC will inform you of your results as soon as practicable after the assessment. A copy of your results will be stored for five years after you enrol and may be provided to the Commonwealth if requested.

1. In NSW, you may obtain a copy of your Higher School Certificate from 1967 onwards for a standard cost where delivery is within 10 days, with an option for priority delivery at a higher fee. Go to the Board of Studies website for more information.
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2. From 1 January 2019, overseas qualifications can be used to demonstrate academic suitability if there is evidence that the qualification is comparable to an AQF Certificate IV level or above. The evidence must be a document issued by an Australian Commonwealth or State Government Department or agency contracted by government for the purposes of assessing overseas qualifications, for example a state or territory overseas qualification unit or the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment qualification assessment service. Please note that these agencies charge a fee for the assessment of overseas qualifications.

Note* Tertiary Preparation Certificate cannot be used in place of a Higher School Certificate. Tertiary Preparation (Certificate IV) can be used as evidence for completion of a Certificate IV.

Purpose

VET Student Loan (VSL) tuition protection arrangements provide support and protections for VSL students in the event their private education provider defaults (ceases delivering their course or closes entirely).

This procedure aims to ensure that SFC will perform required actions in relation to VSL provider default or if requested to become a replacement provider for displaced students.

Scope and context

This procedure applies to VET Student Loan (VSL) students only.

Non-VSL students who made up-front payments (non-VSL and non-subsidies) can find more information on the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) website.

Procedure requirements

The following procedures are to be followed.

What constitutes a Tuition Protection default?

A default occurs when a provider either:

• fails to start a course or part of a course on the day on which it was scheduled to start, and the student has not withdrawn before that day or
• ceases to provide a course or part of a course after commencement but before completion, and the student has not withdrawn before that day.

Student eligibility for Tuition Protection

VSL students studying with SFC are eligible for tuition protection.

If there is a suitable replacement course available, eligible VSL students will be assisted to continue their studies with a replacement provider. Where there is no suitable replacement course, eligible students will be provided with a re-credit to their HELP balance. This re- credit will be for tuition fees paid for the original course or parts of the course, which were not completed due to SFC’s default.

‍SFC obligations if it defaults

Within 24 Hours of default

• Give written notice to the VSL Tuition Protection Director of the circumstances of the default.
• Notify students enrolled in the course, in writing, the course is no longer being provided;
• SFC will send the student notice to the student’s personal email address as shown on the student management system

SFC will specify in the student notice:

• the name of the course, or part or parts of the course the student was enrolled in at the time of the default
• the date of the default
• advise of a website specified by the VSL Tuition Protection Director where the student can get further information about tuition protection.

Within 3 business days of a default occurring

Give written notice to the VSL Tuition Protection Director specifying for each student in relation to who the provider has defaulted:

• the student’s full name and contact details
• the course, or part or parts of the course, the student was enrolled in at the time of the default
• the amount of the tuition fees for each course, or part of the course, the student was enrolled in at the time of the default
• details about the payment of those tuition fees, including the amounts that are covered fees
• whether the student was studying part-time or full-time
• the mode of delivery of the original course
• the location where the original course was primarily delivered
• whether the student has withdrawn from the course or part of the course and the date of withdrawal
• any part of the course for which the student has deferred study, the date of the deferral and the date the student is expected to re-commence study
• the completion status for each part of the course the student has enrolled in, including whether the student’s status is ongoing, passed or failed
• the name and code of each unit of competency as it appears on the National Register of VET for each part of the course the provider has defaulted in relation to a student.

As soon as practicable

• Update our website to reflect the course is no longer being provided and to provide tuition protection information.

If requested by the VSL Tuition Protection Director

• Provide to the VSL Tuition Protection Director in relation to students to whom the provider has defaulted, either:
• a copy of a statement of attainment or other Australian Qualifications Framework certification documentation issued by SFC or an authorised issuing organisation in accordance with the Australian Qualifications Framework for the parts of the course the student has completed or
• a copy of an authenticated VET transcript prepared by the Registrar (within the meaning of the Student Identifiers Act 2014) for the parts of the course the student has completed.‍

SFC obligations as a replacement provider

If requested by the VSL Tuition Protection Director, SFC must provide information to assist the Director to make decisions about whether a suitable replacement course exists for displaced students.

If a student accepts an offer of a place in a replacement course, SFC must give written notice of the acceptance to the VSL Tuition Protection Director within 14 days of the student’s acceptance of the offer.

SFC must also:

• enrol the student in the replacement course as soon as practicable 
• grant course credits for parts of the original course successfully completed by the
  student, as evidenced by: 
  
  a. a statement of attainment or other Australian Qualifications Framework certification documentation issued in accordance with the Australian Qualifications Framework; or
  
  b. an authenticated VET transcript prepared by the Registrar (within the meaning of the Student Identifiers Act 2014)

• not charge the student tuition fees for the replacement component of the replacement course if tuition fees have been paid for the affected part of the original course.

Definitions

VSL - VET Student Loan

Tuition Protection - Support for VSL students whose provider is unable to deliver their course or part of their course.

External Documents

VET Student Loans Manual for Providers

Tuition Protection Service - VET

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The VET Student Loans program assists eligible students enrolled in approved higher level vocational education and training (VET) courses to pay their tuition fees. For more information, view the VSL booklet here.

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Key dates

Payments, withdrawals and refunds for VET Student Loans enabled courses are based on advertised Units of Study/Parts of a Course and are managed according to key dates:

Start date: this is the date on which your Unit of Study begins

Census day: this is a minimum of 20% of the way through a Unit of Study/Part of a Course. If you are taking out a loan, it is the date by which your enrolment in the Unit of Study is confirmed and you incur a debt

End date: this is the date on which your Unit of Study finishes.

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Withdrawing

All students who withdraw from a Unit of Study/Part of a Course or the whole course need to advise the college in writing using the VET Student Loans Withdrawal & Deferral Application form located on our website.

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Withdrawing on or before the Census day

If you withdraw on or before the Census day, this means that you:

• are entitled to a refund if you have paid upfront; or
• do not incur a debt if you have taken out a VET Student Loan.

Withdrawing after the Census day

If you withdraw after the Census day has passed, this will mean that you:

• receive no refund if you have paid upfront; or
• are liable for the full debt if you have taken out a VET Student Loan.

Applying to re-credit a HELP Balance

If you withdraw after the census day and can demonstrate ‘special circumstances’ you will be eligible for either a refund, if you have paid up-front, or a re-credit of your HELP balance if you have taken out a VET Student Loan.

Special circumstances* are outlined below and in the VET Student Loans Information booklet, which you are required to read prior to enrolment. You will need to complete the VET Student Loan Application to Re-credit a HELP Balance form located on our website. The application must be submitted within 12 months of the census day of the Unit of Study/Part of a Course and include any independent documentation to support your claim, for example, a letter from your doctor or counsellor.

You will be notified in writing about the outcome of your application.

If your VETSL balance for a Unit of Study/Part of a Course is re-credited, any HELP debt you have incurred for that unit will also be removed including any indexation which may have been applied.

You are not eligible to apply for a re-credit if you have successfully completed the VET Unit of Study/Part of a Course.

Review and appeals

If your application for a re-credit is not successful, you can request a review of the decision. See the VET Student Loans Student Review Procedures for more information. If your review request is unsuccessful, you may lodge an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). The approximate cost to lodge an appeal with the AAT is $884. In certain circumstances, this fee can be reduced to $100. Go to http://www.aat.gov.au/. VSL Tuition Fees and Refunds Information for Students Version 1.7_ 11 March 2022 Page 2 of 2*

Special Circumstances

1. Beyond the student’s control - Circumstances could be considered beyond the student’s control if a situation occurs that a reasonable person would consider is not due to the student’s action or inaction, either direct or indirect, and for which the student is not responsible. This situation would generally be expected to be unusual, uncommon or abnormal. and 
   ‍
2. Do not make full impact until on or after the census day - Circumstances could be considered not to make their full impact on the student until on or after the census day for the course or the part of the course if the student’s circumstances occurred:
   ‍
   2.1 before the census day, but worsen after that day
   ‍
   2.2 before the census day, but the full effect or magnitude does not become apparent until after that day; or
   ‍
   2.3 on or after the census day and 
   ‍
3. Impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the course, or the part of the course during the student’s enrolment - Circumstances that make it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for their course of part of the course may include:

• medical circumstances, for example, where a student’s medical condition has changed
  to such an extent that he or she is unable to continue studying. 
• family/student circumstances, for example, death or severe medical problems within a
  family, or unforeseen family financial difficulties, so that it is unreasonable to expect a student to continue studies. • employment related circumstances, for example, where a student’s employment status or arrangements have changed so the student is unable to continue their studies, and this change is beyond the student’s control; or 
• course related circumstances, for example, where the provider has changed the course or parts of a course it had offered and the student is disadvantaged by either not being able to complete the course or parts of a course, or not being given credit towards other or courses or parts of a course. A student is unable to complete the requirements for a course or part of a course, for example, if the student is unable to: 
• undertake the necessary private study required, or attend sufficient lectures or tutorials or meet other compulsory attendance requirements in order to meet their compulsory course requirements; or
• complete the required assessable work to the required standard; or
• sit the required examinations and obtain a required mark; or
• complete any other course requirements because of their inability to meet the above.
  

Note: Pre-existing conditions – A circumstance that first occurred before the census day may satisfy the special circumstances requirement where it worsens after that day or the full effect or magnitude does not become apparent until after that day. For example, a student may have an illness or other underlying, pre-existing condition or incapacity prior to the census day for the course or the part of the course, but that condition may worsen, or that student may suffer from an aggravation, deterioration or episode, after the census day. Alternatively, the full implications of a student’s condition may not have been apparent until after the census day. This may be because recovery does not go to plan, or the degree of disability or incapacity for study are not fully realised until after the census day.

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Re-credit of your HELP Balance

Your HELP balance can be re-credited under Division 2 or 3 of Part 6 of the Act;

• that a student may apply to the provider for the student’s HELP balance to be re credited under section 68 of the Act because of special circumstances;
• that a student may apply to the Secretary for the student’s HELP balance to be re credited under section 71 of the Act because:

1. The provider, or a person acting on the provider’s behalf, engaged in unacceptable conduct in relation to the student’s application for the VET student loan; or
2. the provider has failed to comply with the Act or an instrument under the Act and the failure has adversely affected the student;
3. that there is no charge for reconsideration or review of decisions, other than review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal;
4. that the Secretary may re credit a student’s HELP balance in relation to special circumstances if a course provider:
   ‍
   4.1 is unable to act or is being wound up or has been dissolved; or
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   4.2 has failed to act and the Secretary is satisfied that the failure is unreasonable.

Re-credit of your HELP Balance

Every student has the right to request a review of their re-credit application. As such, we guarantee that no student will be victimised or discriminated for: (a) seeking review or reconsideration of a decision ;or (b) using the provider's processes about dealing with grievances; or (c) making an application for re-crediting of the student's HELP balance under Division 2 or 3 of the Act.

Re-credit of your HELP Balance

Every student has the right to request a review of their re-credit application. As such, we guarantee that no student will be victimised or discriminated for:

1. seeking review or reconsideration of a decision; or
2. using the provider's processes about dealing with grievances; or
3. making an application for re-crediting of the student's HELP balance under Division 2 or 3 of the Act.

Under the VET Student Loans Act 2016, students who withdraw from a Unit of Study/Part of a Course after census day are able to apply to have their VETSL debt re-credited under special circumstances* (see below). Students must apply by completing the VET Student Loan Application to re-credit a HELP balance form. The application must be submitted within 12 months of the census day of the Unit of Study/Part of a Course.

If you have been informed that your application to have your HELP balance re-credited is unsuccessful, you have the right to request a review of the decision. This does not apply to students who have self-paid their Unit of Study/Part of a Course as they have not taken a loan and the VET Student Loans Act 2016 does not apply.

If your VETSL balance for a Unit of Study/Part of a Course is re-credited, any HELP debt you have incurred for that unit will also be removed including any indexation which may have been applied.

If you have successfully completed a Unit of Study/Part of a Course, you are not eligible, under any circumstances, to have your HELP balance re-credited, or the VETSL debt removed for that Unit of Study/Part of a Course.

Procedures

If you are requesting a review of a decision not to re-credit a HELP balance, you need to follow theStudent Review Procedures:

1. When you are notified that your re-credit application is not successful, an Application to review a decision not to re-credit a HELP balance form will be sent to you. This will outline what youn eed to do, including advising whether further evidence of your special circumstances is required.
2. Complete your application and submit along with supporting documentation to the SFC Review Officer for your delivery location, as advised to you in your letter. Requirements for submitting a valid request are:
   a. you must apply for a review of a decision within 28 days from the day you first received notice of the original decision not to re-credit your HELP balance
   b. you must provide reasons as to why you are applying for a review c. you should submit original or certified copies of documentation supporting your claim.
3. Your application will be acknowledged in writing and you will receive a response within 45 days of submitting the application for review.
4. The SFC Review Officer will reconsider the decision according to the following available options: a. confirm the decision b. vary the decision, or c. set the decision aside and substitute a new decision.
5. You will be notified in writing of the outcome of the review process and will be provided with the reasons for making the decision.
6. You have the right to make an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) of an unsuccessful Review (this does not apply to students who have self-paid their Unit of Study/Part of Course). The approximate cost VSL Student Review Procedures of lodging an appeal is $884.

The contact details and address of the nearest AAT registry are:

Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT)
Phone: 1800 228 333
Deputy Registrar Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT)
Address: Level 6, 83 Clarence Street SYDNEY NSW 2000
Postal address: GPO Box 9955 Sydney NSW 200

In relation to consideration of appeals by the AAT, SFC will:

1. Provide to the Commonwealth government, within 5 business days of being requested, copies of all the documents it holds that are relevant to your appeal.
2. Keep any originals and copies of the documents relevant to your appeal in accordance with normal record management procedures.
3. Further information can be found on the StudyAssist website.

* Special Circumstances

1. Beyond the student’s control - Circumstances could be considered beyond the student’s control if a situation occurs that a reasonable person would consider is not due to the student’s action or inaction, either direct or indirect, and for which the student is not responsible. This situation would generally be expected to be unusual, uncommon or abnormal. and
   ‍
2. Do not make full impact until on or after the census day - Circumstances could be considered not to make their full impact on the student until on or after the census day for the course or the part of the course if the student’s circumstances occurred:
   
   2.1. before the census day, but worsen after that day
   ‍
   2.2. before the census day, but the full effect or magnitude does not become apparent until after that day; or
   ‍
   2.3 on or after the census day and
   ‍
3. Impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the course, or the part of the course during the student’s enrolment - Circumstances that make it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for their course of part of the course may include:

• medical circumstances, for example, where a student’s medical condition has changed to such an extent that he or she is unable to continue studying.
• family/student circumstances, for example, death or severe medical problems within a family, or unforeseen family financial difficulties, so that it is unreasonable to expect a student to continue studies.
• employment related circumstances, for example, where a student’s employment status or arrangements have changed so the student is unable to continue their studies, and this change is beyond the student’s control; or
• course related circumstances, for example, where the provider has changed the course or parts of a course it had offered and the student is disadvantaged by either not being able to complete the course or parts of a course, or not being given credit towards other or courses or parts of a course. A student is unable to complete the requirements for a course or part of a course, for example, if the student is unable to:
• undertake the necessary private study required, or attend sufficient lectures or tutorials or meet other compulsory attendance requirements in order to meet their compulsory course requirements; or
• complete the required assessable work to the required standard; or • sit the required examinations and obtain a required mark; or
• complete any other course requirements because of their inability to meet the above.

Note: Pre-existing conditions – A circumstance that first occurred before the census day may satisfy the special circumstances requirement where it worsens after that day or the full effect or magnitude does not become apparent until after that day. For example, a student may have an illness or other underlying, pre-existing condition or incapacity prior to the census day for the course or the part of the course, but that condition may worsen, or that student may suffer from an aggravation, deterioration or episode, after the census day. Alternatively, the full implications of a student’s condition may not have been apparent until after the census day. This may be because recovery does not go to plan, or the degree of disability or incapacity for study are not fully realised until after the census day.

Version 2.0 effective 03/02/2020

Before you provide us with any personal information, Australian law requires that you read and understand our Privacy Policy, and consent to us collecting and using that information.

Personal information will not be collected unless it is for a purpose directly related to SFC training services or marketing activities, and the collection of the information is necessary for that purpose. By submitting personal information to SFC through the use of webforms, you are consenting for your information to be used for marketing purposes.

The information you provide to us may be used to identify you, create enrolment records, determine funding eligibility and sources, report training activity and validate your Unique Student identifier (USI). The information may also be disclosed to the Commonwealth and the VSL Tuition Protection Director.

SFC takes all reasonable steps to keep personal information secure at all times, and to ensure that the personal information it collects, and discloses to others, is accurate, complete, and up to date. If an individual establishes that the information held about them is not accurate, complete, up to date, relevant or misleading; once notified of this, SFC will take all reasonable steps to correct the information.

Personal information may be stored on servers owned and operated by SFC, or by approved third party servers. Employees and contractors of SFC have access to personal information on SFC servers, and also third party servers where a contractural agreement exists. Employees and contractors of approved third parties may also have access to your personal information.

SFC has implemented technology and security systems, policies and measures to protect the personal information we collect. Personal data is protected by security safeguards against loss, unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure, and against other misuse. All personal information transmitted between servers (e.g. through submission of a webform) is encrypted before transmission.

SFC will not disclose the information it collects from an individual unless (i) the individual concerned has been made aware that information of that kind is usually passed to that person, body or agency, and (ii) the individual concerned has consented to the disclosure or (iii) the disclosure is required or authorised by or under law.

Students who are enrolled with TAFE NSW should be aware that SFC, as a third party provider to TAFE NSW, is required to send student progress reports to TAFE NSW on a regular basis.

Your file may be also be used for research and teaching, but only in a de-identified manner which precludes attribution to an individual and excludes personal details such as names, addresses, ARN's and phone numbers.

Students may apply in writing to the CEO to be given access to their own personal information held by SFC. Access will be granted within 10 business days. SFC will not disclose any personal information without first establishing the identity of the person requesting the information.

Written correspondence may be delivered by regular or electronic means.

Any complaint by an individual regarding SFC’s management or handling of personal information should be forwarded to the SFC Privacy Officer, who is the Company Secretary, at secretary@sfcaero.com.au.

Anyone may request in writing that SFC delete their data. SFC will then proceed to delete all current data which is not required to be retained by law and data contained in backup files will be progressively overwritten as new backups are made. Backup data is encrypted.

All students have the right to access their personal information and have the right to have their incorrect personal information corrected.

By ticking a checkbox titled ‘I have read and understood SFC’s Privacy Policy’ you are confirming that you have read and understood the above information and consent to your personal information begin held, used, and disclosed in the manner so described.

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For a summary of the important information you need to know, read or download the VET Student Loan- Frequently asked questions Or visit the Department of Education, Skills and Employment and the Study Assist websites.

If you are considering applying for a VET Student Loan, you should familiarise yourself with your obligations by reading the VET Student Loan information booklet.

Further information is available at:

• Department of Education, Skills and Employment 
• Study Assist website 
• VET Student Loans Information booklet 

When you enrol at SFC, the collection, storage, use and disclosure of any personal information you provide are protected by legislation. Please refer to SFC’s privacy policy.

Fees for courses eligible for VET Student Loans are charged by Units of Study. Your course will have at least three Units of Study and your payments will be spread across the duration of your course. Each Unit of Study has a census day, set at no less than 20% into the Unit of Study.

You will be sent a VET Student Loan Fee Notice 14 days before each census day, indicating your fees and census days. Your debt is incurred on the day after the census day. After a census day has passed, SFC will also send you a Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) for that Unit of Study. The CAN will provide you with information about your debt, including the loan fee if applicable. If you believe your CAN is incorrect, you should contact SFC immediately.

For AVI50222 Diploma of Aviation (Commercial Pilots License) there is a gap between the course fee and the loan cap that the Commonwealth will allow for your course. You will be advised of this when you enquire, and also about other payment options that may be available. You must apply for a loan and pay any gap fee prior to the census date in order to finalise your payment for that Unit of Study.

To be eligible, you must either:

• be an Australian citizen, or 
• hold an eligible permanent humanitarian visa and usually reside in Australia, or
• be a New Zealand citizen on Special Category Visa (SCV subclass 444) who meets the long-term residency requirements.*

‍* Holders of other permanent visas and temporary visas are NOT eligible for a VET Student Loan ‍

‍You must also: 

• have a tax file number (TFN) or be applying for one. The personal details of your TFN with the ATO, must match the personal details you have provided to SFC, for example your name and date of birth (Apply for a tax file number here) 
• have a Unique Student Identifier (USI) 
• intend to undertake your course primarily in Australia 
• meet the academic suitability requirements of the VET student loan academic entry requirements. (that is, assessed as academically suitable to undertake a high level vocational qualification) 
• not have exceeded your lifetime Commonwealth student loan limit, which is set each year by the Commonwealth 
• have read the VET Student Loans information booklet. 
• have given any requested documentation to SFC and submitted the electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) online by the first census day no less than two business days after enrolling (see How do I apply) 
• comply with ongoing Commonwealth engagement and progression requests to log on to complete their online student engagement form to confirm that you are a genuine student, continuing to study and the progress in your course. You will get these requests two or three times a year, depending on how long your course is. If you do not complete the form and survey within the required time, you may be ineligible to continue accessing VET Student Loans to pay for the remainder of your course tuition fees. ‍

‍Lifetime Loan Limit

‍The lifetime loan limit is the total amount you can incur in your lifetime under any Commonwealth HELP student loan scheme – whether it is Higher Education FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP or a VET Student Loan. It is indexed each year, in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For 2022, the HELP loan limit is $109,206 for most students. Students can view their loan obligations by logging into myHELPbalance on the Study Assist website. You will need your Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number (CHESSN) to log in.

Renewable HELP Balance

Your HELP balance is renewable. Any compulsory or voluntary repayments starting from the 2019-20 income year will top up your HELP balance. These repayments will be applied to your HELP balance from 1 July 2020 onwards, after you have submitted your tax return to the ATO. Repayments can be re-borrowed in the future, up to the current HELP loan limit.

What is a Unique Student Identifier (USI)?

The Commonwealth requires all students studying in a nationally recognised training course to have a USI. If you already have one, please ensure you use this same USI whenever you enrol for any training. If you don't have a USI, go to https://www.usi.gov.au/ to register before you apply to enrol, or you can apply as part of your enrolment.

What is a Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number (CHESSN)?

A CHESSN was allocated to all students as a primary student identifier when they first accessed a Commonwealth Loan prior to 2021. For new students (from 2021), the CHESSN has been replaced by the USI and will be the primary student identifier moving forward.

New Zealand Citizens

The residency requirements for New Zealand citizens on a Special Category Visa are:

1. You first began living in Australia at least 10years before applying for a loan, and at that time, were a child under 18 years of age and did not have a spouse or de-facto partner; and 
2. You have been in Australia for at least eight of the 10 years immediately prior to applying and at least 18 months of the last two years. 

You will need to provide evidence of your eligibility to SFC before requesting a VET Student Loan.

A VET Student Loan is an agreement between you and the Commonwealth Government.

To apply for a VET Student loan:

• you must meet all the loan eligibility requirements 
• if you are accepted into a course, SFC will advise the Commonwealth that you wish to apply for a loan 
• the Commonwealth will email you a passkey to access the electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) online 
• you will need to provide your valid Tax File Number (TFN), so have it handy when you log on to the online form. If you don't have a TFN, you can apply at most Australia Post outlets. A valid Tax File Number means that the details you provide to SFC must match those held with the Australian Tax Office. If you provide an invalid Tax File Number, you will not be able to access a VET Student Loan for your tuition fees. Check your details are correct by logging into your MyGov account prior to applying for a loan. 
• your loan application (eCAF) is separate to your enrolment with SFC. The Commonwealth Government requires that there is a two day cooling off period between your enrolment and applying for a loan. 
• the census day is the last day you can apply for a loan for the fees for that period, so make sure you complete your application promptly.

As with any loan you take, you must understand the terms and conditions before you make a commitment. You must read the VET Student Loan information available on Study Assist, the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website for students and consider seeking independent financial advice.

During your study, you may be contacted again by the Commonwealth to confirm your engagement and progression in your course and confirm that you wish to continue to use your VET Student Loan to pay your tuition fees for the course. It is important that you advise SFC if any of your personal or contact details change during your study. Further information regarding the VET Student Loan engagement and progression process is available on the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website. If you do not complete the engagement and progression process, you will not be able to continue access to a VET Student Loan for your tuition fees. ‍

Under 18: ‍

There are no age restrictions to apply for a VET Student Loan. For students who are under 18, you must complete one of the following requirements:

• your parent or guardian must sign the Commonwealth's parental consent form for your loan. This is available from your college or on the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website. You must provide this form to your college before you can apply for a loan. OR 
• if you are receiving Youth Allowance on the basis that you are independent, you must provide your Centrelink Income Statement noting your independent assessment.
  Your parent or guardian will not be responsible for making loan repayments and it will not affect their credit rating. 

The VET Student Loans program allows eligible students to repay their tuition fees for any approved diplomas or advanced diplomas.

You can either:

• repay all your tuition fees (up to the loan cap limit) when your income reaches the repayment threshold
• pay some of your tuition fees upfront and repay the balance when your income reaches the repayment threshold.

Your loan is repaid through the Australian tax system when you reach the minimum income threshold for repayment. The minimum income threshold for repayment is set by the Commonwealth each year and is published on Study Assist (Loan Repayment) and in the VET Student Loans information booklet. There is a loan fee of 20% for full fee-paying students. There is no loan fee for eligible students in some NSW Government subsidised (Smart and Skilled) training places.

You must be aware that your loan remains a personal debt until it is repaid, and it may reduce your take-home (after tax) wage and your borrowing capacity. You may wish to seek independent financial advice before applying.

Centrelink benefits do not affect your eligibility or the loan amount you can access.

You repay your loan through the tax system when your income is above the minimum repayment threshold. Repayment thresholds are adjusted each year to reflect changes in average weekly earnings. The minimum repayment income threshold for 2021-22 is $47,014.

A VET Student Loan is a personal debt obligation that can affect your credit rating and have wage and tax repayment implications. From 1 July 2017, all existing and future debtors from any Commonwealth student loan program who move overseas must make compulsory HELP repayments. If you are living overseas and earning an income that exceeds the minimum repayment threshold, you will be required to make compulsory repayments towards your debt. Please refer to the ATO website for more information.

For more information regarding Commonwealth loan repayment thresholds, please visit the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website.

Application to re-credit a HELP Balance form

Students who withdraw after the census day may apply under special circumstances:

• to have their HELP balance re-credited if they have taken out a VET Student Loan/VET FEE-HELP loan; or
• to have their tuition fees refunded (if they have paid upfront).

Special circumstances are specified under the VET Student Loans Act 2016 or the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (for students enrolled under the VET FEE-HELP loan scheme prior to 31 December 2016). Special circumstances are listed on this form. Please read these carefully to ensure you are eligible before applying.

All decisions to re-credit a HELP balance can only be made in accordance with the requirements of the Acts. Requests for re-crediting a HELP balance should be made within 12 months of the census day of the Unit of Study/Part of a Course (unless the provider is satisfied your application could not be made within the time frame because of special circumstances). Students cannot apply for a re-credit if they have successfully completed the course. Students who have not completed the course can apply for a recredit for UoS where the ‘Special Circumstances’ criteria apply.

Applications for re-crediting under section 71 of the Act must be made within 5 years after the census day for the course, or the part of the course, concerned, or within that period as extended by the secretary.

Refer to our grievance procedures for making and resolving complaints or grievances.

This document describes the SFC procedure for making and resolving complaints or grievances. The SFC grievance procedure supplements the SFC Complaint Management Policy and Procedure. 

Any complaints made via the SFC complaint form under the Complaint Management Policy that relate to SFC will be referred to SFC to be dealt with in accordance with these procedures. 

All current students enrolled in a SFC qualification are entitled to make a complaint or raise a grievance in relation to academic or non-academic matters. 

Persons seeking to enrol in a SFC qualification are entitled to make a complaint or raise a grievance in relation to non-academic matters. 

Persons making a complaint or raising a grievance are entitled to have the matter dealt with sensitively and promptly. 

Students enrolling into SFC qualifications will be given information about complaint and grievance procedures during orientation.