Your HELP and census obligations - QUT

If you're in a Commonwealth Supported Place course (CSP), regardless of whether you pay your tuition fees upfront or defer them to a HELP loan, there are a number of compliance obligations that you must meet in order to remain enrolled in your units.

This page lists these obligations and explains the consequences if they are not met on time and how to address them.

Obligations for all Commonwealth supported students

Submit a Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) before the census date

HECS-HELP (all CSP students)

If you don't submit your Request for a Commonwealth supported place and HECS-HELP loan form by the census date, you will be cancelled from your course as a CSP student and you will have to reapply to study in a future teaching period.

This is Australian Government Higher Education Support Act (HESA) legislation under which QUT has no discretion to accept HECS-HELP forms after the census date. If you wish to continue studying in the current teaching period, we can only reinstate you into your units at the domestic tuition full fee rate, which is significantly higher than the CSP rate.

Learn more by visiting StudyAssist

FEE-HELP (eligible domestic fee paying students)

If you're eligible for a FEE-HELP loan but don't submit a Request for a FEE-HELP loan form by the census date, you need to pay your outstanding fees in full immediately.

This is Australian Government Higher Education Support Act (HESA) legislation under which QUT has no discretion to accept FEE-HELP forms after the census date.

SA-HELP (eligible CSP and domestic fee paying students)

If you're eligible for a SA-HELP loan but don't submit a Request for SA-HELP loan form by the census date, you need to pay your outstanding fees in full immediately.

This is Australian Government Higher Education Support Act (HESA) legislation under which QUT has no discretion to accept SA-HELP forms after the census date.

CSP students in a Summer Program unit

If you're enrolled in a Summer Program unit that isn't Commonwealth Supported but don't submit a Request for a FEE-HELP loan form by the census date, you need to pay your outstanding fees in full immediately or your enrolment will be cancelled.

This is Australian Government Higher Education Support Act (HESA) legislation under which QUT has no discretion to accept FEE-HELP forms after the census date.

Pay your fees by the census date

Australian permanent residents and New Zealand citizens

If you haven't paid upfront and in full by the census date, your enrolment will be cancelled and you won't be able to continue studying in the current semester as a CSP student.

This is Australian Government Higher Education Support Act (HESA) legislation under which QUT has no discretion to accept payments after the census date. If you wish to continue studying in the current teaching period, we can only reinstate you into your units at the domestic tuition full fee rate, which is significantly higher than the CSP rate.

Learn more by visiting StudyAssist

Australian citizens, permanent humanitarian visa holders, Pacific Engagement visa holders (from 1 February 2024) and eligible New Zealand citizens

If you choose not to defer your fees to a HELP loan but haven't paid upfront and in full by the census date, your enrolment will be cancelled and you won't be able to continue studying in the current semester as a CSP student.

However, if you have provided your Tax File Number (TFN) or Certificate of Application for a Tax File Number on the HECS-HELP form for your course, we will defer your fees. For this reason, we recommend all students provide a TFN as a safety net in case an upfront payment is forgotten or late.

This is Australian Government Higher Education Support Act (HESA) legislation under which QUT has no discretion to accept payments or TFNs after the census date. If you wish to continue studying in the current teaching period, we can only reinstate you into your units at the domestic tuition full fee rate, which is significantly higher than the CSP rate.

Learn more by visiting StudyAssist

CSP students in a Summer Program unit

If you're enrolled in a Summer Program unit that isn't Commonwealth Supported and you haven't submitted a FEE-HELP form or paid your tuition fees by the census date, you need to pay your outstanding fees in full immediately or your enrolment will be cancelled.

This is Australian Government Higher Education Support Act (HESA) legislation under which QUT has no discretion to accept FEE-HELP forms after the census date.

Provide your Tax File Number (TFN) by the census date

If you haven't provided your TFN or Certificate of Application for a Tax File Number on your HECS-HELP form or paid upfront and in full by the census date, your enrolment will be cancelled and you won't be able to continue studying in the current semester as a CSP student.

Learn more by visiting StudyAssist

Pay or defer your Student Services and Amenities fees

Provide your Unique Student Identifier (USI) by the census date

Australian citizens, permanent humanitarian visa holders, Pacific Engagement visa holders (from 1 February 2024), permanent residents, and New Zealand citizens in a CSP course

From 1 January 2023, all CSP students (including those who commenced prior to 2021) will need to provide a USI. If you haven't provided your USI by the census date, you will not be able to continue studying in the current semester as a CSP student or access a HELP loan (if you're eligible for one).

This is Australian Government Higher Education Support Act (HESA) legislation under which QUT has no discretion to accept USIs after the census date. If you wish to continue studying in the current teaching period, we can only reinstate you into your units at the domestic tuition full fee rate, which is significantly higher than the CSP rate.

Australian citizens, permanent humanitarian visa holders, Pacific Engagement visa holders (from 1 February 2024) and New Zealand citizens in a domestic tuition course

If you need to access FEE-HELP and SA-HELP (and you're eligible), you'll need a USI. If you haven't provided your USI by the census date when you apply for FEE-HELP, you’ll need to pay your tuition fees upfront in full immediately or your enrolment will be cancelled.

This is Australian Government Higher Education Support Act (HESA) legislation under which QUT has no discretion to accept USIs or FEE-HELP forms after the census date.

Meet the genuineness criteria

You must be regarded as a genuine student to receive Commonwealth assistance.

The Australian Government has provided guidance around criteria that may be used when making an assessment of whether a student is genuine or not, and our criteria relate to these.

Commencing students

We regard a commencing (i.e. new) student as genuine when:

they have accepted the terms and conditions of their offer of admission; and
they have provided contact details to the university via their application; and
they are enrolled in a unit or units as at the census date for the teaching period; and
they have accessed their student account and the Learning Management System (LMS).

The university regards these actions as demonstrating a student's commitment to commencing their studies.

Continuing students

We regard a continuing student as genuine when:

they have accepted the terms and conditions of their offer of admission; and
they have provided contact details to the university via their application; and
they are enrolled in a unit or units as at the census date for the teaching period.

The university regards these actions as demonstrating a student's commitment to continuing their studies.

What happens if I miss the census date and my enrolment was cancelled?

If your enrolment has been cancelled because you missed the deadline to pay your fees, provide a Unique Student Identifier (USI), Tax File Number (TFN) or submit a valid HECS-HELP form, you will no longer be able to continue studying in the current semester as a CSP student.

This is Australian Government Higher Education Support Act (HESA) legislation under which QUT has no discretion to accept payment, USIs, TFNs or HECS-HELP forms after the census date. If you wish to continue studying in the current teaching period, we can only reinstate you into your units at the domestic tuition full fee rate, which is significantly higher than the CSP rate.

If you believe that you made payment, provided your USI, TFN or your valid HECS-HELP form by the census date, email Student Fees and Compliance via fees@qut.edu.au with supporting evidence.

If you believe that QUT has made a procedural error, in line with our grievance resolution procedures, you can appeal your cancellation by emailing the Director, Student Administration, via fees@qut.edu.au with supporting evidence. If you did not make payment, provide your USI, TFN or your valid HECS-HELP form by the census date, personal circumstances such as illness, work commitments or issues with your internet are not grounds for appeal under the Australian Government's HESA legislation.

Learn more by visiting StudyAssist

Other issues you may need to address

You provided your Certificate of Application for a Tax File Number (CATFN) but didn't provide your Tax File Number (TFN) when it arrived

If you provided a CATFN with your HELP form, you must submit a new HELP form with your TFN as soon as you receive it from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

If you don't submit a new HELP form within seven weeks of your CATFN, your enrolment will be cancelled and you won't be able to continue studying in the current semester as a CSP student.

This is Australian Government Higher Education Support Act (HESA) legislation under which QUT has no discretion to accept payment or TFNs after the seven weeks. If you wish to continue studying in the current teaching period, we can only reinstate you into your units at the domestic tuition full fee rate, which is significantly higher than the CSP rate.

Learn more by visiting StudyAssist

Your QUT details don't match your ATO or USI Registry details

If you are accessing a HELP loan, it is a legislative requirement that all your details (first name, middle name, surname, date of birth, TFN, and USI) are the same at QUT, the ATO and the USI Registry.

If you're contacted by QUT about a mismatch of your details, it is essential that you remedy this error immediately. If the error is with the ATO or USI Registry, your details must be updated at their end, likewise if the error is with QUT, your details must be updated at our end.

If this happens to you and you wish to continue studying in the current teaching period, your only option is to do so as a domestic fee paying student.