Contributions payable under the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) are reviewed annually by the Australian Government. The university's fees are also periodically reviewed. Students enrolling in full-fee-paying undergraduate or postgraduate courses or as a single unit non-award student are ineligible for HECS.
The scheme was introduced by the Australian Government in 1989 and requires contributions to be made by students towards the cost of their higher education studies. The amount to be contributed depends on the study load (units) undertaken each semester, and is payable whether or not a pass in each unit is achieved.
Most undergraduate students, some postgraduate students, and cross-institutional students who are not enrolled as fee-paying students in the award course being undertaken at their home institution are liable for payment under the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS). HECS contributions will not be required from:
Comprehensive HECS information will be provided with offer letters to students offered a Government-funded course place. You may select either the deferred payment option (in which case payment is deferred until your taxable income reaches an annually indexed threshold), including partial upfront payment or the full upfront payment option (in which case a 25 per cent discount may apply). Payment of a contribution under the upfront payment option will be required on a semester basis. HECS guidelines are updated annually and it is the student's responsibility to read and understand them. Further information can be obtained from http://www.hecs.gov.au.
If withdrawal from a unit or course occurs by 31 March in the first semester, or 31 August in the second semester, the unit or course will not attract a HECS liability for the semester. These are referred to as 'census dates' as they are the dates at which the Government calculates HECS liability. Where summer-semester units are offered, the census date normally is the date on which the student begins a course of study (where the study period is less than six weeks long), or 14 days after course commencement (where the summer-semester period is greater than six weeks).
More detailed information will be provided with offer letters, but may also be obtained from the Student Service Centre at the Gippsland campus. Read the booklet 'HECS: your questions answered 2004' for all information regarding HECS.
The standard annual contribution for 2004 had not been determined at the time of printing this book. University fees are also reviewed periodically - see course information. As a guide, the 2003 HECS annual course contribution for a standard full-time study load was set by the Australian Government in three study discipline bands:
All 'differential HECS rate' units of study are allocated a band, and total HECS payable is determined by each student's particular study program for each year. The Australian Government also sets a pre1997 `non-differential' rate that applies in certain circumstances.
Amenities are invoiced on a semester basis. Amenities fees for 2004 had not been finalised at the time of publication, however the following categories may apply. For the purpose of calculating amenities fees:
Most new off-campus learning students enrol as part-time students. As a guide, students in this category may expect the amenities fee to be at least $62.50 for the semester.
Students who are only enrolled at Monash University as cross-institutional studies students, with results to be credited to an award course at another institution, may produce evidence of payment of fees at their home institution as an alternative to payment of the amenities fee at Monash University.
Where unit/tuition fees are applicable to an undergraduate or postgraduate course, the fees payable will be described under the appropriate course heading within this handbook. Some courses may have both HECS and fee-paying places available. Amenities fees are payable for fee-paying postgraduate courses unless stated otherwise in your offer letter.
The Postgraduate Education Loans Scheme (PELS) provides an interest-free, income-contingent loan facility for eligible students enrolled in fee-paying postgraduate non-research award courses. Australian citizens and some Australian permanent resident visa holders are eligible. Students should note that the loan amount will be for tuition fees only.
New students will be issued with a `PELS loan request' form and
`PELS: your questions answered' booklet as part of your offer package. Any
student who believes they may be eligible for PELS and who does not
receive this information should contact the Student Service Centre on their
home campus for further details.
Eligible students who wish to pay for part or all of their tuition fees
through PELS must fully complete a `PELS loan request' form by the relevant
census date (ie 31 March for semester one, 31 August for semester two),
including the provision of a tax file number. A student can then elect to pay a
portion of fees directly to the university, and the remaining debt will be
registered as a loan through the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) (similar to
the current practice for deferring a HECS debt). As with a HECS debt,
a student will commence repaying any PELS loan through the ATO once their
income reaches the minimum threshold for compulsory repayment.
Students who already have a HECS debt should note that a PELS loan and
HECS debt will not be separated on the `HECS information statement' issued by
the ATO in June each year. The university will, however, provide a PELS
notice separate to a `HECS liability notice' on a semester-by-semester
basis.
More information is available by contacting the Student Services Centre on
your home campus or by contacting the PELS inquiry line on 1800 020 108 (free
call), or visit theDEST website at http://www.hecs.gov.au/
pels.htm.
Upfront HECS payments, single-unit fees and amenities fees are refundable until 31 March for first semester and 31 August for second semester.
Some postgraduate course/unit fees and single unit course fees may
include a nonrefundable component, or a separate non-refundable administration
fee.
Full details will be included in the 2004 Student Resource Guide
(available on the internet at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs).
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