VET Student Loans
The VET Student Loans program is an Australian Government loan program that helps eligible students enrolled in approved courses at diploma level or above, at approved course providers pay their tuition fees. The loan has income-contingent repayment arrangements, which means you only need to make repayments if you are earning above the minimum repayment threshold. You can make voluntary repayments at any time.
If you are an eligible student, the department may approve your VET Student Loan for an approved course. The department will pay your loan directly to your approved course provider. You will be responsible for any gap amount in the tuition fees, which are not covered by the loan. You will owe a debt to the Australian Government for the loan, which will be managed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
Eligibility
To get a VET Student Loan, you must be an eligible student who is studying an approved course with an approved course provider. You must apply to the government using the approved form and must confirm your engagement and progression to continue to access the loan throughout your course.
Further details of eligibility are given below:
You are an Australian citizen or a New Zealand Special Category Visa (SCV) holder who meets the long-term residency requirements, or a permanent humanitarian visa holder.
You have not exceeded the FEE-HELP limit.
You are enrolled with an approved course provider in an approved course and have enrolled in accordance with the application requirements.
You are studying the approved course primarily at a campus in Australia.
Your course meets the course requirements if it is
specified on the VET Student Loans (courses and loan caps) determination (the courses and loan caps determination)
delivered by an approved course provider
a qualification for diploma, advanced diploma, graduate certificate or graduate diploma in the Australian Qualifications Framework.
You have been assessed by your approved course provider as academically suited to undertake the approved course by either
providing your Australian Year 12 Certificate; OR
providing evidence of successful completion of an Australian Qualifications Framework Certificate IV or higher qualification (where the language of instruction is English); OR
Displaying competence at Exit Level 3 in the Australian Core Skills Framework in both reading and numeracy through an approved Language, Literacy and Numeracy test.
In addition, your approved provider must reasonably believe you show competence in completing the course.
You meet the Tax File Number (TFN) requirements.
You have a Unique Student Identifier (USI) or are otherwise exempt.
You have read the VET Student Loans information booklet
You have given the required documents to your approved course provider and submitted the loan application form by the first census day no less than two business days after enrolling.
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You must provide your personal email and mailing address. All the information related to the vet student loan enrolment and vet student loan fee invoices will be sent to this email address, which is an important document that will include all the information about your vet student loan.
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You will need to be aware of the census day(s) as this date is critical to getting a loan or withdrawing your enrolment.
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If you are withdrawing from the course you must withdraw in writing before the census date to avoid incurring a debt.
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A student engagement and progression requirement applies to your continued access to a vet student loan. A student engagement and progression requirement applies to your continued access to a VET Student Loan.
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Be familiar with the IHNA policies and procedures relating to your study.
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Aware of the complaint, appeal and withdrawal process.
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The Commonwealth Government has introduced loan caps for each VET student loan eligible course.
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Eligible students will be entitled for loans up to the capped amount for their individual course enrolment.
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IHNA course fee may exceed the capped VET student loan amount. In this instance you will be required to pay the difference by using the available payment option.
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You must start repaying your HELP debt through the tax system once your income is above the compulsory repayment threshold, even if you are still studying. The threshold is adjusted each year and for the 2020 – 21 financial year is $46,620 or above. To know more, please visit here
Know who to ask for help
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The student administration/enrolments office at your provider will be able to help you with:
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enrolments
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tuition fees
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census days
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eligibility criteria for VET Student Loans
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applying for a VET Student Loan
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the correct withdrawal procedure
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getting your HELP balance re-credited and your VETSL debt removed under special circumstances
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grievance procedures for student complaints.
Get in touch with IHNA through email studentsupport@ihna.edu.au or call 1800 22 52 83
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My Skills is the consumer directory for VET. Using My Skills you can compare courses and providers to choose the course that best suits your needs.
My Skills lists all the nationally registered training providers, their contact details, the publicly available courses they are approved to deliver and where they are being delivered. Students can use My Skills to search for VET Student Loans approved courses and approved course providers. Course price and course duration information can also be entered by training providers to assist students in assessing value for money.
My Skills features:
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course price information: all approved course providers are required to enter on My Skills the fees a student can expect to pay for a course accessed with VET Student Loans
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a VET Student Loans calculator to assist you to understand how your debt will grow after five and ten years if unpaid
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information collected from previous students about their satisfaction with training and their employment outcomes.
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Study Assist provides information about options for financing your tertiary study, including:
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HELP loans available in both the higher education and VET sectors
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courses and providers that offer Australian Government assistance
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student income support
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Australian Scholarships and Awards
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The VET Student Loans Ombudsman began operating on 1 July 2017. The Ombudsman manages and investigates complaints about the VET FEE-HELP scheme and VET Student Loans program.
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The National Training Complaints Hotline (13 38 73) is a joint Australian, state, and territory government initiative which protects students and makes it easier for consumers, such as apprentices, students, employers and others, to lodge complaints if they are concerned about any aspect of the training system.
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The National Training Complaints Hotline directs complaints to relevant authorities, connecting consumers to the appropriate organisation.
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The ATO can help you with:
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your VETSL and/or HELP debt
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compulsory repayments
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voluntary repayments
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overseas repayment
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the best time for you to repay your debt
Contact details:
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visit Study and training support loans
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visit View your loan account online for information on viewing your loan account online
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use ATO online services to view loan accounts and other information such as Payment Reference Number (PRN) and voluntary repayment options
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call 13 28 61 for information about your VETSL and/or HELP account and personal tax topics
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call 13 36 77 TTY or 1300 555 727 TTY for hearing or speech impaired students
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write to Australian Taxation Office PO BOX 1032, ALBURY NSW 2640.
Note: Do not send voluntary repayments to this address
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Services Australia can help you with Youth Allowance, Pensioner Education Supplement, Austudy, and ABSTUDY and other forms of student income support assistance.
Contact details:
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call 13 24 90 for information on Youth Allowance and Austudy
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Freecall™ 1800 132 317 for information on ABSTUDY
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Freecall™ 1800 810 586 for TTY* enquiries
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call 13 12 02 for information in languages other than English.
*TTY is only for people who are deaf or who have a hearing or speech impediment. A TTY phone is required to use this service.
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Department of Home Affairs can help you with visas and Australian citizenship.
Contact details:
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visit Department of Home Affairs for visa and citizenship information
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call 13 18 81 for visa and citizenship information.
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