FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

FEE-HELP
FEE-HELP is an interest free loan given to eligible fee-paying students to help pay part or all of their tuition fees. A FEE-HELP loan can cover all or part of a student’s tuition fees. Students repay their loan through the tax system once their income is above the minimum threshold for compulsory repayment. A maximum of $50,000 in tuition fees may be paid using FEE-HELP over a student’s lifetime. This is the FEE-HELP limit. This limit is indexed each year. A loan fee of 20% applies to FEE-HELP loans for undergraduate courses of study. The $50,000 FEE-HELP limit does not include the loan fee. No loan fee applies to FEE-HELP loans for postgraduate courses, bridging courses for overseas trained professionals, enabling courses or units of study undertaken directly with Open Universities Australia (formerly OLA). The Commonwealth pays the amount of the loan directly to the student’s provider.

HECS-HELP
HECS-HELP loans are available to eligible students enrolled in Commonwealth supported places (CSP). A HECS-HELP loan will cover all or part of the student contribution amount. If you receive a HECS-HELP loan, the Australian Government pays the loan amount directly to your higher education provider on your behalf and a HECS-HELP debt is recorded with the Tax Office. There are no loan fees charged on HECS-HELP loans.

Austudy
As a full-time student, you may be eligible for Youth Allowance or Austudy (an allowance for students aged 25 or older). It is important that you put in an application, even if you think you may not be eligible. Please contact your local Centrelink office for more information. The Centrelink enquiry line for both Youth Allowance and Austudy is: Phone:132 490. Youth Allowance and Austudy information, advice and advocacy are also available from SRC Welfare staff: Phone: (02) 9660 5222.

Financial Assistance Office
The Financial Assistance Office provides interest free loans and bursaries to students in financial need. Financial assistance is for essential living and study related expenses, not for tuition fees and HECS payments. It is not meant to provide ongoing income support but to supplement other income and to help in emergencies such as paying housing bond, rent, household bills, medical expenses and buying textbooks and equipment and helping with compulsory excursions. Interest free loans may be provided to postgraduate students to cover the travel and accommodation costs for conferences. Contact the Financial Assistance Office on (02) 9351 2416.

SRC Student Representative Council
The Students' Representative Council also offers interest-free loans of up to $750. Phone: +61 2 9660 5222.

Careers Centre
Casual and part-time jobs are advertised through the Careers Centre Jobs Database.

School of Psychology Tutoring
The School of Psychology offers tutoring positions. To apply to work as a tutor apply through the online form, applications usually open late January and close early February each year.

Living costs and accommodation services

The DCP/MSc is a very demanding and intensive full time program. The timetable is very full, comprised of academic coursework, supervised clinical placements and a full research project and thesis. The time commitments for each of the coursework, clinical placement and research components of the degree are outlined on the workload distribution section. Students are not encouraged to work, however, it recognised that students need to support themselves financially. Some students manage to work casually one day a week, for example, finding employment as a tutor or research assistant in the School of Psychology, or other independent casual work.