(1) Western Sydney University receives a large proportion of its funding from student fees either directly as tuition fees or indirectly as part of Commonwealth Government student funding and loan arrangements. (2) This policy applies to both commencing and continuing fee paying students. (3) This policy only relates to student tuition fees and the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) and identifies the requirements and arrangements for: (4) Student fees are usually calculated on the basis of students' registration in a (5) For the purpose of this policy definitions that apply can be found in the Policy DDS Glossary, in addition to the following: (6) The University sets student tuition fees and receives student fee payments within the parameters of Commonwealth legislation for both domestic and international students in research degrees, coursework (7) Different financial arrangements may apply to Commonwealth supported students, domestic fee paying students, international fee paying students, online students and sponsored students. (8) Fees are adjusted annually or when government legislation is changed. (9) All student fee liabilities are recorded on the Student Management System. (10) Service, miscellaneous and penalty fees may apply to students. (11) Students will be advised of their tuition fees each (12) Tuition fees are payable by the advised due date for each (13) The University reviews tuition fees on an annual basis for all fee paying (14) Any fee increases approved by the Vice-Chancellor and President will be effective from 1 January of each calendar year and will apply to all International, domestic and (15) If students are enrolled in a fee paying (16) Fees are published annually when they have been approved by the Vice-Chancellor and President. (17) From time to time, the Commonwealth government introduces changes to the legislation that impact on student funding arrangements. In most cases, the government will legislate that all eligible continuing students are provided with grandparented arrangements and conditions for their enrolment until a stipulated end date. The University will ensure that students who meet the criteria will be grandparented as per the Commonwealth government legislation. (18) From time to time, the University may decide that fees changes will not apply for specified cohorts of students and will ensure that students who meet the criteria will be grandparented subject to any overriding government requirement. (19) Each (20) Students must ensure that their enrolment is finalised by the approved census date for the (21) Census dates for the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) are set by the University and may differ from census dates for (22) Students are able to access a Statement of Accounts (SoA) from the University student portal confirming their enrolment and student contribution liability/ tuition fees prior to the approved census date for the (23) It is the student's personal responsibility to check this information and notify the University of any errors or omissions. (24) The SSAF applies to all students of the University and The College unless listed on the Fees and university costs webpage as a cohort exempted from the fee or eligible for a reduced fee. (25) Students will receive advice of their SSAF liability twice per year, or three times per year if the student is enrolled in Sydney City, College (26) The SSAF is indexed annually. (27) Students who pay the SSAF based on a part-time study load in a half year and subsequently vary their attendance pattern to full-time are required to pay the balance owing by the approved SSAF census date. (28) Students who pay the SSAF based on a full-time study load in a half year and subsequently vary their attendance pattern to part-time will be refunded the difference automatically. (29) Commonwealth supported students will be charged full tuition fees for (30) Students wishing to register in such additional (31) Checks will occur to monitor students deemed to be in excess of (32) Where a fee or charge is payable by a student to the University, the amount must be paid by the date stipulated for the particular item, which is normally the approved census date of the enrolled (33) Payments will be allocated sequentially from the oldest fee liability to the most recent liability. (34) The University does not grant extended time for payment of compulsory fees. (35) Domestic Commonwealth supported students who are experiencing financial hardship are advised to apply to defer their student contribution payment and SSAF before the approved census date for the (36) Domestic students in fee paying (37) International students are required to pay compulsory fees by the due dates as part of their visa and Commonwealth government requirements. (38) On occasion, the University may offer payment plans to International students experiencing extenuating circumstances who cannot pay their tuition fees by the due date. (39) Payment plan applications are assessed by Data Integrity, Quality and Operations in accordance with eligibility criteria. (40) A payment plan application will only be considered if it meets the following circumstances: (41) Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of a payment plan may result in ineligibility for future payment plans or cancellation of enrolment. (42) Appeals against the outcome of a payment plan application are assessed by the Senior Manager, Completion, Enrolment and Load Data. (43) The University reserves the right to apply sanctions to students with debts to the University including the following: (44) International students whose enrolment is cancelled will be reported to the Commonwealth Government as required by legislation. (45) If a sponsor is unable to meet the student's liability, the University will provide the student with the option of becoming a self-funded student and change the status of the student from sponsored to self-funded. If neither the student nor the sponsor is able to pay the outstanding liability by the due date, the University will apply the following sanctions: (46) Prior to the census date, all or part of a fee may be refunded. (Refer to the relevant student funding category in Section 4 for details). (47) Tuition fees will only be refunded after the census date if extenuating circumstances apply (refer to Section 5 for details of criteria). (48) The SSAF will not be refunded after the relevant census date under any circumstances. (49) International students may be entitled to a full or partial refund of tuition fees in certain circumstances as described in Section 4, Part C. (50) This section provides detailed fee administration requirements for various student funding categories. (51) Australian citizens, holders of Humanitarian Visas, New Zealand citizens and holders of Australian Permanent Resident Visas who are enrolled in (52) Australian citizens, holders of Humanitarian Visas, New Zealand citizens and holders of Australian Permanent Resident Visas need to continue to meet the above requirements in order to retain their Commonwealth supported place. (53) International students, domestic students enrolled in full fee paying (54) Student contribution amounts are levied at rates prescribed for the calendar year and are subject to review on an annual basis. The amounts are published in the booklet HECS-HELP which is available online. A student contribution liability will be incurred in each (55) Students enrolling in a Commonwealth supported (56) Students must include their Tax File Number (TFN) on the eCAF if they are planning to defer their student contribution liability. Students must supply their TFN on the eCAF, or provide evidence that they have requested a TFN from the ATO, by the census date for the (57) Commonwealth supported students who wish to defer their SSAF payment must complete a separate eCAF by the prescribed date advertised on the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) webpage to be eligible for the loan (SA-HELP). If the TFN is not supplied on the SA-HELP form and student has not made payment by the due date, sanctions will be applied. (58) The eCAF (excluding SSAF eCAF) is (59) The eCAF will not be accepted after the approved census date for the (60) Any eCAF submitted after the census date will mean that deferral of the student contribution liability will only occur for future (61) Students may change their payment options for future (62) Students do not need to lodge a new form if they decide to make upfront payments. (63) Commonwealth supported students can access information via the government's StudyAssist website. (64) It is the student's responsibility to ensure the requirements of being a Commonwealth supported student are understood and fulfilled. Students who are enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place who do not continue to meet the requirements of being Commonwealth supported will no longer be eligible for such a place. (65) Students must have finalised enrolment by the approved census date, as stipulated in the Enrolment Policy. (66) Students who have not met Commonwealth support requirements, including the non-provision of an eCAF and proof of Australian Citizenship by the approved census date, will have their enrolment cancelled. Note that it is not necessary for students to submit a new eCAF each (67) Students who have not supplied a valid TFN, or proof that they have applied for a TFN and have not made their student contribution payment in full by the approved census date will have their enrolment cancelled. (68) Students who have not complied with Commonwealth support requirements by the approved census date, but who wish to continue studies in the current (69) Students wishing to continue studies in future (70) Within four weeks after the approved census date, Commonwealth supported students and students who have opted for HECS-HELP will be issued a CAN confirming their enrolment and student status as at the approved census date. (71) Commonwealth supported students who have nominated for an SA-HELP loan to cover their SSAF liability will receive a separate CAN confirming their liability for the loan within four weeks after the due date. (72) Students must notify the University in writing of any errors or omissions within 14 calendar days of the date of the CAN being issued. (73) Commonwealth supported students who withdraw from a (74) Commonwealth supported students who withdraw from a (75) Following withdrawal of (76) Commonwealth supported students who withdraw from their (77) Applications for refunds due to extenuating circumstances must be made within 12 months of the last day of the (78) Commonwealth assisted students who have deferred their student contribution liability and subsequently withdraw after the approved census date due to extenuating circumstances may apply for a remission of their student contribution liability. Applications should be made direct to the University after the withdrawal has been processed. Applications for remissions due to extenuating circumstances must be made within 12 months of the last day of the (79) A SSAF liability will not be refunded under any circumstances if the student withdraws after the approved census date. (80) Refer to the Fees and university costs webpage for further details of remission of debt and the appeals process. (81) (82) Students enrolling in (83) Domestic fee paying students enrolled in (84) The FEE-HELP form must be lodged prior to the approved census date for the (85) The SA-HELP form (for deferment of the SSAF liability) must be lodged prior to the specified due date for which the loan is being sought. (86) Students who gain Australian Citizenship during the period of their enrolment will be deemed eligible for Commonwealth assistance (FEE-HELP) by providing originals or certified copies of their Australian Citizenship Certificate. Evidence of citizenship needs to be provided prior to census date in order to be eligible for FEE Help from that (87) After a student has been confirmed as a FEE-HELP student, they will have the option of deferring part or all of their payment, according to the guidelines, for the duration of their study in the (88) A debt will only be incurred for the amount of tuition fees unpaid by the student at the approved census date. (89) A SSAF debt will only be incurred for the amount of the SSAF unpaid by the student at the advertised due date, as determined by the University. (90) (91) Within four weeks of the approved census date, eligible students who have opted for FEE-HELP will be issued a CAN confirming their enrolment and deferred fee liability. (92) Within four weeks of the due date, eligible students who have opted for an SA-HELP loan to cover their SSAF liability will receive a separate CAN confirming their liability for this loan. (93) Students must notify the University in writing of any errors or omissions within 14 calendar days of the date of the CAN being issued. (94) Students who have not completed payment of their tuition fees by the relevant due date will have their enrolment cancelled. (95) A student whose enrolment is cancelled for non-payment of compulsory fees may apply for re-instatement of their enrolment at the discretion of the Senior Manager, Completion, Enrolment and Load Data. Re-enrolment may incur higher fees or additional charges as determined by the University. (96) A student who has not paid their SSAF by the due date will not have their enrolment cancelled, but will have sanctions imposed on them in accordance with this policy. (97) Domestic students who defer, withdraw or take an approved leave of absence from their (98) Domestic students who withdraw (99) Domestic non-award students who withdraw from their (100) Following withdrawal of (101) Domestic students who withdraw after the approved census date will not receive a refund of their tuition fees unless they are able to prove they have endured extenuating circumstances. (102) Applications for refunds in extenuating circumstances must be made within 12 months of the last day of the (103) Commonwealth assisted students who withdraw from their (104) Applications for refunds in extenuating circumstances must be made within 12 months of the last day of the (105) Commonwealth assisted students who have deferred their student contribution liability and subsequently withdraw after the relevant census date due to extenuating circumstances may apply for a remission of their student contribution liability. Applications should be made direct to the University after the withdrawal has been processed. Refer to the relevant section in the Enrolment Policy. (106) A SSAF liability will not be refunded under any circumstances if the student withdraws after the relevant census date for the (107) Refer to the Fees and university costs webpage for more details of remission of debt and the appeals process. (108) The fee conditions for University International students are provided as part of the University's International Offer Pack. These conditions are therefore part of the written agreement between each international student and the University. (refer also to the International Studnet Fees and Refunds Agreement) (109) Tuition fees for international students will be reviewed annually and may be increased during the period of an international student's enrolment in a (110) International students who have not completed payment of their tuition fees by the payment due date (i.e., start of (111) International students who are student visa holders who have not made payment by the due date will be issued with a notice of the University's intention to cancel their enrolment. International students have the right to appeal against cancellation and consequent reporting to the Commonwealth. Appeals must be lodged within 20 working days of the notification of intent to cancel enrolment being sent. Appeals will be considered by the Senior Manager, Completion, Enrolment and Load Data. If a student does not appeal, their Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) will be cancelled and they will be notified to contact the Department of Home Affairs to seek advice on the potential impact on their student visa. Students who are unsuccessful in their appeal will be notified via their student email. Students who were unsuccessful have the opportunity to appeal externally with the NSW Ombudsman. Students who appeal externally with the NSW Ombudsman must notify the University in writing within 14 days of being notified of their unsuccessful internal appeal, that they have submitted an external appeal. (112) International students who have satisfied the NSW Ombudsman that they should be permitted to continue studying, will be able to continue studying provided that all outstanding fees are paid prior to reinstatement. (113) Students who are permitted to continue their enrolment must ensure that they still have a valid CoE. (114) Students who are unsuccessful in their internal and external appeal, or who do not submit an appeal within the required timeframe, will have their enrolment cancelled. If the student wishes to continue their studies they will need to reapply to the University. If their application is successful, the student will be permitted to recommence in the following (115) The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 and the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students mandate particular tuition fee refund entitlements for overseas students studying in Australia. (116) These procedures are ESOS compliant and provide details of the grounds on which a student is eligible for a refund and to ensure overseas students' particular consumer rights are protected.(refer to the International Student Fees and Refunds Agreement) (117) The University provides all prospective overseas students with access to these procedures as part of the University's International offer pack and therefore forms part of the written agreement between each overseas student and the University. (refer to the International Student Fees and Refunds Agreement) (118) If a student wishes to resign from their studies at the University and request a refund, the student must complete the discontinuation or break from studies application. (119) Student wishing to resign who have not yet completed six months of their principal (120) Refunds to International students will not normally be approved if the student is a continuing student. Any credit on the student’s record will apply to future (121) To apply for a refund of fees, a student must: (122) Where a third party paid a student's fees, the University will refund the fees to that third party unless the third party authorises the University in writing to pay the refund to another person. (123) The University: (124) A student's change in status from temporary resident to permanent resident is recognised from the date the new visa is stamped in the student's passport, not the date on which application for permanent residency was lodged. (125) Under Commonwealth government legislation, permanent residents are not eligible to obtain HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP or SA-HELP loans. All fees must be paid in full by the approved census date or enrolment will be cancelled. (126) If the status of an International student changes from temporary resident to permanent resident, they must advise the University by the census date in order for their change in status to be recognised in that (127) If a student has already paid tuition fees as an international student for a (128) If a student obtains permanent resident status after the relevant census date for the (129) Paying Your Fees webpage (130) International Student Fees and Refunds Agreement (131) Extenuating circumstances are defined in Commonwealth Government guidelines to be events or circumstances which: (132) Students will need to prove their claim for extenuating circumstances by providing appropriate independent supporting documentation. The University will not approach doctors, hospitals, police, etc to obtain documentation on behalf of the student. The University may seek verification from these agencies that the certificate has been issued to the student.Student Fees Policy
Section 1 - Purpose and Context
Section 2 - Definitions
Top of Page
Section 3 - Policy Statement
Fees - General
Grandparenting or Transition of Funding Arrangements
Approved Census Dates
Advice of Enrolment and Tuition Fees/Student Contribution Liability
Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
Fees for Commonwealth Supported Students Exceeding Award Requirements
Payment of Fees/Liabilities
Extension of Time for Payment
Sanctions for Non-payment of Compulsory Fees
Sponsored Students
Refund of Fees
Section 4 - Procedures
Part A - Commonwealth Supported Students
Eligibility for Commonwealth Support
Student Contribution Amounts
Electronic Commonwealth Assistance Forms (eCAF)
CAF and Changing Programs
CAF and Change of Payment Options
Non-compliance with Commonwealth Support Requirements
Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN)
Refund of Student Contribution Payments/SSAF
Remission of HECS-HELP and SA-HELP Debts Following Withdrawal after the Approved Census Date
Part B - Domestic Tuition Fee Students
Financial Assistance - Commonwealth Assistance (FEE-HELP and SA-HELP)
Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN)
Non-payment of Fees
Refund of Fees
Remission of FEE-HELP and SA-HELP Debts following Withdrawal after the Relevant Census Date
Part C - International Fee Students
Non-payment of Tuition Fees - International Students
Refund of Fees for International Students
Part D - International Students who Obtain Permanent Resident Status
Section 5 - Guidelines
Withdrawal without Financial Penalty: Guidelines on what Constitutes Extenuating Circumstances
View Current
This is not a current document. To view the current version, click the link in the document's navigation bar.