Commonwealth Supported Students

1. What is a Commonwealth supported place and a Commonwealth supported student?
2. What are the benefits of having a Commonwealth supported place?
3. How many Commonwealth supported places will be available?
4. How will Commonwealth supported places be allocated?
5. Who is eligible for a Commonwealth supported place?
6. How do people apply for a Commonwealth supported place?
7. Can people still undertake higher education if they don't receive a Commonwealth supported place?
8. Will there be any undergraduate fee paying places available?

1. What is a Commonwealth supported place and a Commonwealth supported student?

A Commonwealth supported place is a place for which the Australian Government makes a contribution towards the cost of the course.

A Commonwealth supported student is a student who is studying in a Commonwealth supported place.

Commonwealth supported students may be required to contribute to the cost of their course.

2. What are the benefits of having a Commonwealth supported place?

There are six main benefits of having a Commonwealth supported place:

• The Australian Government will contribute to the cost of the course.
• The Australian Government will limit the student contributions that providers can charge.
• Students may be eligible for a HECS-HELP loan to cover their student contribution.
• Students may be eligible for discounts if they pay their student contributions up front.
• Students may be eligible for a Commonwealth Learning Scholarship.
• Students may be eligible for an OS-HELP loan.

3. How many Commonwealth supported places will be available?

The number of Commonwealth supported places will be similar to the current number of HECS places. Eligible students will have about the same chance of being offered a Commonwealth supported place as current students have of being offered a HECS place at the University of Wollongong..

4. How will Commonwealth supported places be allocated?

Each year the Australian Government will allocate a number of Commonwealth supported places to the University of Wollongong. The University will then distribute these places to students on the basis of academic merit. The criteria may include university entrance scores, work experience, etc. This is similar to how HECS places are allocated now.

5. Who is eligible for a Commonwealth supported place?

The University of Wollongong is able to offer Commonwealth supported places to:

• Australian citizens;
• New Zealand citizens; and
• holders of a permanent visa.

Students must also have sufficient Student Learning Entitlement to access a Commonwealth supported place.

6. How do people apply for a Commonwealth supported place?

The application process for a Commonwealth supported place will be similar to the current processes for applying for a HECS place. That is, students will be able to apply through the University's admissions centre. When the University makes an offer of a place, they will indicate whether it is a Commonwealth supported place that they are offering.

7. Can people still undertake higher education if they don't receive a Commonwealth supported place?

The University of Wollongong will be offering full fee-paying places to domestic postgraduate students only. Students who accept a fee paying place will have to pay for the full cost of their course. The Australian Government will not contribute to course costs and will not set maximum fees for fee paying places. Therefore, the tuition fees for fee payers will generally be higher than the student contributions for Commonwealth supported students.

Eligible fee paying students will be able to access a FEE-HELP loan to pay for their tuition fees. FEE-HELP loans are different to HECS-HELP loans (only Commonwealth supported students may access HECS-HELP).

8. Will there be any undergraduate fee paying places available?

While the Higher Education Reforms do allow providers to offer full fee paying undergraduate places, the University of Wollongong has announced that it will not be introducing any domestic full fee paying places for undergraduate courses, therefore there will only be Commonwealth Supported Places available.

Last reviewed: 5 March, 2008