Contributions payable for Commonwealth-supported places (previously HECS places) are reviewed annually by the Australian Government. The university's fees are also periodically reviewed. Monash University reserves the right to adjust annual tuition fees for continuing students for future years of their course to take into account increases in university and course delivery costs. However, Monash University undertakes that any increases will not exceed 10 per cent per annum. Course fees for students in Commonwealth-supported places and full-fee places will be available on the web at www.adm.monash.edu.au/ssd/fees/ from September 2004. All fee rates below are subject to change and ratification.
Amenities are invoiced on a semester basis. Amenities fees for 2005 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.
Under new government legislation, all Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens and holders of Australian permanent visas will receive a Student Learning Entitlement, giving them access to seven years full-time (or equivalent part-time) study in a Commonwealth-supported place. The seven-year entitlement may be extended where a student is undertaking an initial undergraduate course or pathway in which the normal enrolment period is longer than six years (eg a double-degree program with an honours year).
Commonwealth-supported places are where both the student and the government make a contribution to the cost of the student's education, ie the student pays a proportion of the cost of their course and the government funds the balance. The amount to be contributed by the student depends on the study load (units) undertaken each semester and the unit discipline and is payable whether or not a pass in each unit is achieved.
Other fee arrangements apply for the following student groups:
The following table describes the different discipline bands. Students' Commonwealth-supported place contributions in 2005 will range between $3840 and $8004, depending on their area of study:
| Band | Monash unit discipline group | Projected differential fees for 2005* |
National priority areas |
Education, nursing |
$3840 |
1 |
Humanities, arts, behavioural science, social studies, foreign languages, visual and performing arts |
$4800 |
2 |
Accounting, commerce, administration, mathematics, statistics, computing, built environment, health, engineering, science |
$6837 |
3 |
Law, medicine |
$8004 |
* Average student contribution per year in a Commonwealth-supported place (previously HECS)
Most students in a Commonwealth-supported place have two payment options. They can either pay all or some of their contribution upfront at the time of enrolment and receive a 20 per cent discount, or defer the payment via the new HECS-HELP scheme. Under the HECS-HELP scheme, Australian citizens and holders of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa will be eligible for a Commonwealth loan.
HECS-HELP is the mechanism by which eligible students can defer their Commonwealth-supported place contributions and make the payments via the taxation system once their income has reached a pre-determined level. HECS-HELP debts (any contribution students do not pay upfront) are increased in line with the Consumer Price Index. Those who make early repayments on their HECS-HELP debts will receive a 10 per cent bonus where the payment is $500 or more. For example, a $500 early repayment on a HECS debt would reduce the debt by a total of $550. (For more information about HECS-HELP, refer to the Department of Employment, Science and Training (DEST) website at www.dest.gov.au.)
All students enrolled in a Commonwealth-supported place, whether they choose to defer their payments under the HECS-HELP scheme or pay upfront, will receive a Commonwealth assistance notice (see below) after the census date for each semester.
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 Commonwealth-supported places and fee-paying places available. Amenities fees are payable for fee-paying postgraduate courses, unless stated otherwise in your offer letter.
A new government loan scheme known as FEE-HELP provides an income-contingent loan facility for eligible full-fee students enrolled in:
Australian citizens and holders of a permanent humanitarian visa are eligible. New Zealand citizens and holders of other permanent visas do not have access to FEE-HELP loans and must pay their tuition fees upfront without a discount.
Eligible students wishing to fund part or all of their tuition fees through FEE-HELP must complete the loan request form by the relevant census date and provide a tax file number. A student can 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. Students will commence repaying any FEE-HELP loan through the Australian Taxation Office once their income reaches the minimum threshold for compulsory repayment. A loan for up to the full tuition fee charged for the course can be accessed, but there is a lifetime limit of $50,000.
For more information, contact the Student Services Centre on each campus or visit the Department of Education, Science and Training website at www.backingaustraliasfuture.gov.au/reforms.htm.
If withdrawal from a unit or course occurs by the census date, the unit or course will not attract a financial liability for the semester.
More detailed information will be provided with offer letters, but may also be obtained from the Student Service Centre at the Gippsland campus.
Upfront Commonwealth-supported place payments, single-unit fees and amenities fees are refundable until the census date for each semester.
Some postgraduate course/unit fees and single unit course fees may include a non-refundable component, or a separate non-refundable administration fee.
Full details will be included in the 2005 Student Resource Guide (available on the internet from December 2004 at www.monash.edu.au/pubs).
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