Undergraduate places for eligible domestic students at UOW are Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP).
This means that, for eligible domestic students, tuition fees are made up of two parts:
Enrolled students can review subject costs in SOLS. Access your enrolment record, and click on the subject code.
The Non Weighted Student Contribution Amounts will list the student contribution amount for the subject based on the relevant Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS Scheme) for when you commenced your course (for example Post-2010 or Post-2021)
Future students can review student contribution amounts per subject.
Note: For a flexible or prescribed program, clickable subject codes are generally listed inside course structure. For courses with majors or minors, you may need to click through to a major or minor before finding a clickable subject code.
Aside from tuition fees, and to contribute to providing student services and amenities, undergraduate students also need to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), and depending on the subject, additional non-tuition costs (e.g. lab coats, stethoscopes, text books).
The HECS-HELP system allows eligible students to defer payment of their student contributions through a loan from the Australian Government. Deferred repayment of these loans means you only have to start repaying your HECS-HELP loan when your income reaches a minimum threshold.
In 2020, the Australian Government introduced a combined HELP loan limit, which is a cap on what you can borrow from the Australian Government to cover the costs of your tuition fees. The Australian Government's Study Assist website has more information about HECS-HELP loans.
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) are available for Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of an Australian permanent visa (including humanitarian).
HECS-HELP Loans are available to students enrolled in a CSP, who are either:
You must also:
The Australian Government's Study Assist website has more information about eligibility.
New domestic students from 2021 must have a Unique Student Identifier (USI) to study in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and access Commonwealth Financial Assistance (e.g. HECS HELP, FEE HELP, OS HELP) in a course of study. Visit the USI website for further information.
To apply for a HECS-HELP loan when you enrol, eligible students will need:
From 1 January 2021 the Australian Government has reintroduced the upfront payment discount for Commonwealth Supported Students. The 10% discount will be automatically applied to upfront payments of $500 or more made on or before the semester census date.
If you are eligible for HECS-HELP and you make a full upfront payment of 90% of your student contribution for your unit/s of study, or a partial upfront payment of $500 or more for your unit/s of study, you will receive a 10 per cent discount. This is known as the ‘HECS-HELP discount’. This discount effectively increases the value of your upfront payment (refer to the following examples).
Example only – HECS-HELP discount for full upfront payment of 90% of student contribution amount
Matthew is an Australian citizen. He is enrolled in four units of study for his Bachelor of Engineering and his total student contribution amounts for the semester will be $4,384. Matthew is eligible for a HECS-HELP loan but he wants to pay his entire student contribution amounts upfront. To do so, he only needs to pay $3,945 ($4,384 – 10 per cent i.e. 90% of his total student contribution amounts for his units of study) by the census date (amount is rounded down to the nearest dollar).
Example only – HECS-HELP discount for partial upfront payment of $500 or more
Grace is a permanent humanitarian visa holder. She is enrolled in four units of study for her Bachelor of Information Technology and her total student contribution amounts for the semester will be $4,384. Grace is eligible for a HECS-HELP loan, but she wants to pay half her student contribution amounts upfront ($4,384 ÷ 2 = $2,192) and use a HECS-HELP loan for the remainder. As Grace’s partial upfront payment is more than $500, she is also eligible for the HECS-HELP discount. Her upfront payment amount is multiplied by 1.1111 to determine the full value of her payment ($2,192 x 1.1111 = $2,435.53). The HECS-HELP discount has effectively increased the value of Grace’s upfront payment, so she will only need to use a HECS-HELP loan for $1,948 (amount is rounded down to the nearest dollar).
Your student contribution payment type depends on when you're paying.
Your payment type also depends on whether your fees are up front, partial up front or deferred. Find out more about HECS-HELP loans and payment types.
Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF) may also be deferred under a different loan type (SA-HELP). Find out more about this deferment option.
Enrolled students can access their fee statement via SOLS.
Fee statements show a breakdown of all charges and payments involving your tuition fees (except for any fees which have been deferred to a HECS-HELP Loan).
To check your fees online (updated every 24 hours), log onto SOLS, and select 'fee statement'. SOLS will display any outstanding balances.
The Commonwealth Assistance Notice Statement (CAN) is a summary of payments and deferrals made by a student who is receiving any form of Commonwealth assistance (such as a Commonwealth Supported Place).
Visit the Australian Government's Study Assist website for more information about CAN.
Tuition fee refunds for domestic students are administered under the legislative guidelines of the Higher Education Support Act and the UOW Fees Policy.
You may be eligible for a refund, depending on when you withdraw from subjects, and other circumstances. Find out more about refunds for domestic students.
When you enrol in units of study ('subjects' at UOW), you become liable for student contributions (or tuition fees) as soon as census date occurs. This means that if you withdraw from a subject before census date, you're not liable for it (charges are automatically reversed). Census date varies depending on which session you are enrolled in and is listed in the UOW key dates page.