Information for Current & Continuing Students
- Overview
- The New Student Support System
- How do I find my Current Loan Details?
- Effect on current HECS students
- What are the changes to PELS, OLDPS and BOTPLS?
1. OverviewFollowing from the 2002 Review of Higher Education, the Australian Government has announced a package of new higher education policies, which will be implemented within the University of Wollongong from the January 1, 2005. The purpose of the reforms is to ensure that no Australian citizen is prevented from attending a public or eligible private higher education provider, such as the University of Wollongong, based on their ability to pay fees, as well as, increasing opportunities for students to undertake the course of their choice. The University of Wollongong is offering new Commonwealth Learning Scholarships to expand educational opportunities and choices for students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.
2. The New Student Support System Partial deregulation of course feesFrom 2005 the Australian Government will no longer set standard student contributions through the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS). Rather, the University of Wollongong will be responsible for setting it's own student contributions, within limits determined by the Australian Government, from $0 to a maximum of 25% above current levels. The University of Wollongong has decided not to increase the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) for current and prospective students in 2005. However, the University will monitor its fees levels in 2005 to determine if there is any need for required changes in 2006.
Currently students contribute on average 26% towards the cost of higher education. Under these new reforms, this is estimated to increase only marginally to around 27%. The Government, through Australian taxpayers, will continue to fund around three-quarters of the cost. Commonwealth Course ContributionsAll undergraduate students, studying at the University of Wollongong will be Commonwealth supported students. For these students, the Australian Government will continue to contribute towards the cost of the course for each student each year. The Commonwealth contribution amount will depend on the discipline. Student Learning Entitlement (SLE)All eligible Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent visas, studying at the University of Wollongong, will be provided with a Student Learning Entitlement, which will allow them to access a Commonwealth supported place for seven years of equivalent full-time study (longer if studying part-time). The seven year entitlement will be extended where a student is undertaking an undergraduate course that is longer than six years, such as an honours course, a graduate entry bachelor degree or a postgraduate course. Commonwealth Learning Scholarships (CLS)The University of Wollongong has implemented a new scholarship program to help Australian students enrolled in Commonwealth supported places, to meet accommodation and educational expenses while studying. Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)From 2005, here at the University of Wollongong, there will be a suite of income contingent loans for Australian citizens and holders of permanent humanitarian visas to assist them with the payment of their fees:
- HECS-HELP - will be available for eligible UOW students enrolled in Commonwealth supported places, to be used to cover student contributions.
- FEE-HELP - will be available for eligible UOW fee paying students enrolled at eligible higher education providers. Loans will cover up to the full amount of their tuition fees with students able to borrow up to a total limit of $50,000.
- OS-HELP - will be available for eligible full-time UOW undergraduate Commonwealth supported students who wish to study one or two study periods overseas. Loans will be up to $5,000 per six months study period. OS-HELP loans will be subject to a 20 per cent loan fee.
Repayments for all HELP loans will be income contingent. Students will not be required to start paying their HELP debts until their income reaches $35,000 in 2004-05 and $36,184 in 2005-06. 3. How do I find my Current Loan Details?Higher Education Information Management System (HEIMS)Students will be able to access information on their 'Student Learning Entitlement' and other details of their HELP loans on the web (www.goingtouni.gov.au) using their Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number (CHESSN). HEIMS will also contain information on student contributions and admission requirements for higher education courses supported by the Australian Government. 4. Effect on current HECS studentsWithin the University of Wollongong, current HECS students, both full-time and part-time, will be able to study under the current HECS rates and eligibility criteria until the end of 2008 unless they:
Students commencing their course as a HECS student in 2004, both full-time and part-time, must incur a HECS liability on a 2004 census date if they are to be considered current students for the purpose of remaining under the current HECS rates and eligibility criteria as outlined above.
This means that most students who are currently studying in a HECS place and, if commencing in 2004, incur a HECS liability in 2004, will complete their course under the current HECS rates.
Changes to HECS that will affect all students studying here at the University of Wollongong from 2005 are as follows:
- All continuing HECS students will begin to access their Student Learning Entitlement from 1 January 2005.
- The discount for up front payments of HECS will change from 25% to 20% from 1 January 2005.
- The minimum HECS repayment threshold will increase to $35,000 in 2004-05 (currently $25,348), the bottom two repayment bands will be removed, and new repayment bands will be added at the higher income levels.
- The bonus on voluntary repayments over $500 will change from 15% to 10% from 1 January 2005.
5. What are the changes to PELS, OLDPS and BOTPLS?FEE-HELP will replace the existing Postgraduate Education Loan Scheme (PELS), Open Learning Deferred Payment Scheme (OLDPS) and Bridging for Overseas-Trained Professionals Loan Scheme (BOTPLS) from 1 January 2005, here at the University of Wollongong. Current PELS students, and PELS students commencing in 2004, will be able to access FEE-HELP under the eligibility requirements for PELS until 2008 unless they:
- discontinue their enrolment without formally deferring; or
- complete their current course; or
- transfer into a course (which must be at the same level as their current course) and then complete that course.
Under FEE-HELP, students studying through Open Learning Australia (OLA) may borrow up to the full amount of the tuition fee charged by OLA. The changes to HECS repayment arrangements mentioned above, also apply to PELS, OLDPS and BOTPLS debtors.
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