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Student financial assistance & fees updates

UOW students can access a variety of financial support services, scholarships and bursaries.

Financial assistance information is different depending on whether you are an international or domestic student, and what your fee-paying status is. Find out more below.

Domestic commonwealth supported students

Fees update:

  • Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) means that the Australian Government subsidises your tuition fees by up to 75%. All domestic undergraduate students holding Australian or New Zealand citizenship, or holders of an Australian permanent visa (including Humanitarian) living in Australia, are eligible for a CSP. Some domestic postgraduate students may also be eligible for a CSP.

  • Students are required to pay the remainder of the fee not covered by the Commonwealth – this is known as the student contribution. Student contribution fees appear on UOW fee statements through SOLS. More information about this can be found here. More information about this can be found here.

    Eligible CSP students can elect to defer all or part of their student contribution fees to an Australian Government HELP loan. More information on HELP and eligibility.

    In 2021, if you make an upfront payment of $500 or more on your HECS-HELP loan you will receive a 10% discount. The HECS HELP up-front payment discount will apply for up-front payments of $500 or more for units of study with a census date on or after 1 January 2021. You can find out more about this on the Study Assist website.

  • Our SSAF funded projects, essential services and programs play a critical role in supporting our students and enriching their university experience. Most of these essential services continue to be available for students whether studying remotely or on campus. To ensure these essential services continue to be available for students in 2021, the SSAF Fee for Trimester 1 and Autumn Session 2021 will be charged as per normal. To learn more about how SSAF relates to you, visit the SSAF website.

Financial hardship options

  • The Australian Government has introduced COVID-19 specific financial support for domestic students already in receipt of Centrelink payments such as Austudy or Abstudy. For the most up-to-date information about these financial support measures, visit the Services Australia website.

  • UOW has a range of scholarships for future and current students – you can find more information about them on our Scholarships page.

Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment Scheme
The Australian Government has announced a Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment Scheme, to support people onshore in Australia living in New South Wales who can't earn an income because they must self-isolate, quarantine, or care for someone who has COVID-19. For the most up-to-date information about this scheme, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the Services Australia website.

Please note this scheme is not administered by UOW, so please contact Services Australia for any questions or further information.

COVID-19 Disaster Payment
The Australian Government has also announced the COVID-19 Disaster Payment. This lump sum payment is to help workers unable to earn income due to a COVID-19 lockdown, hotspot or period of restricted movement. Students who are Australian residents, or hold an eligible working visa, and live in or have visited a Commonwealth-declared COVID-19 hotspot may be eligible for the payment. For the most up-to-date information about this scheme, including the full list of eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the Services Australia website (information available in several different languages).

Please note this scheme is not administered by UOW, so please contact Services Australia for any questions or further information.

Information for domestic full-fee paying students

Fees update:

  • In 2021, if you make an upfront payment of $500 or more on your student contribution you will receive a 10% discount on the amount you have paid. The discount will apply for up-front payments of $500 or more for units of study with a census date on or after 1 January 2021. You can find out more about this on the Study Assist website.

  • Our SSAF funded projects, essential services and programs play a critical role in supporting our students and enriching their university experience. Most of these essential services continue to be available for students whether studying remotely or on campus. To ensure these essential services continue to be available for students in 2021, the SSAF Fee for Trimester 1 and Autumn Session 2021 will be charged as per normal. To learn more about how SSAF relates to you, visit the SSAF website.

  • Eligible students can receive an Australian Government FEE-HELP loan to pay all or part of their tuition fees.

  • 2021 tuition fees for domestic full-fee paying students have been held at 2020 rates.

Financial hardship options:

Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment Scheme
The Australian Government has announced a Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment Scheme, to support people onshore in Australia living in New South Wales who can't earn an income because they must self-isolate, quarantine, or care for someone who has COVID-19. For the most up-to-date information about this scheme, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the Services Australia website.

Please note this scheme is not administered by UOW, so please contact Services Australia for any questions or further information.

COVID-19 Disaster Payment
The Australian Government has also announced the COVID-19 Disaster Payment. This lump sum payment is to help workers unable to earn income due to a COVID-19 lockdown, hotspot or period of restricted movement. Students who are Australian residents, or hold an eligible working visa, and live in or have visited a Commonwealth-declared COVID-19 hotspot may be eligible for the payment. For the most up-to-date information about this scheme, including the full list of eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the Services Australia website (information available in several different languages).

Please note this scheme is not administered by UOW, so please contact Services Australia for any questions or further information.

Information for international students

  • Our SSAF funded projects, essential services and programs play a critical role in supporting our students and enriching their university experience. Most of these essential services continue to be available for students whether studying remotely or on campus. To ensure these essential services continue to be available for students in 2021, the SSAF Fee for Trimester 1 and Autumn Session 2021 will be charged as per normal. To learn more about how SSAF relates to you, visit the SSAF website.
  • 2021 tuition fees for international students have been held at 2020 rates.
  • Future students may be eligible for a reduced deposit to receive their Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). Contact UOW’s Compliance Team to find out more: futurestudents@uow.edu.au

Visas and commencing study

We understand that international students are experiencing delays in the processing of visa applications and that current restrictions preclude students from being able to travel to Australia to commence their studies.

To ensure students continue to be able to commence and/or progress in their course:

  • Students should continue to apply for the relevant visa, in preparation for when travel restrictions are eased and students are able to again travel to Australia to study
  • Students should continue to enrol in their course and commence/continue their studies online. International students will still need to obtain a visa outcome as soon as possible, and advise us of that notification once received
  • Students must have a visa in order to travel to Australia, to study
  • UOW will provide a tuition fee refund where the student, through no fault of their own, receives a visa refusal after they have commenced their course online. This refund is limited to students commencing in Session 1, or Trimester 1 2021 and will be capped at a full first session study load (maximum 24 credit points for semester students, and 18 credit points for Trimester students). 

Financial hardship options

Tuition fee instalment plan
Students who are experiencing difficulty in paying their tuition fees by census date can apply for a tuition fee instalment plan. You can find out more about tuition fee instalment plans here.

Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment Scheme
The Australian Government has announced a Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment Scheme, to support people onshore in Australia living in New South Wales who can't earn an income because they must self-isolate, quarantine, or care for someone who has COVID-19. For the most up-to-date information about this scheme, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the Services Australia website.

Please note this scheme is not administered by UOW, so please contact Services Australia for any questions or further information.

COVID-19 Disaster Payment
The Australian Government has also announced the COVID-19 Disaster Payment. This lump sum payment is to help workers unable to earn income due to a COVID-19 lockdown, hotspot or period of restricted movement. Students who are Australian residents, or hold an eligible working visa, and live in or have visited a Commonwealth-declared COVID-19 hotspot may be eligible for the payment. For the most up-to-date information about this scheme, including the full list of eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the Services Australia website (information available in several different languages).

Please note this scheme is not administered by UOW, so please contact Services Australia for any questions or further information.

Extreme Hardship Support Program
The Australian Red Cross is currently offering an Extreme Hardship Payment for international students living in Greater Sydney who are not able to access Commonwealth income support (such as JobSeeker) and have zero or limited income, savings or community support. The payment is an emergency payment of up to $400. For more information about this payment including eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the Australian Red Cross website: Extreme Hardship Support Program – NSW | Australian Red Cross

Please note this scheme is not administered by UOW, so please contact the Australian Red Cross for any questions or further information.

Other options
Students experiencing difficulty in paying tuition fees by census date can also contact the UOW Fees team to discuss their options: student-fees@uow.edu.au