Commonwealth Supported Place
A Commonwealth Supported Place is a higher education place for which the Australian Government makes a contribution to your education provider towards the cost of your education. If you are enrolled in a unit as a Commonwealth supported student you will be required to contribute to the cost of your education through a student contribution.
For eligible students, student contribution amounts can be paid through HECS-HELP which allows for:
- HECS-HELP Loan - a loan for all or part of the student contribution amount to be repaid through the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). You must provide your Tax File Number to the University by the census date. Repayment will commence once your income is above the minimum threshold for compulsory repayment. For 2009 the threshold is set at $41,594.
- HECS-HELP Discount - a payment of at least $500 towards a student contribution before the census date will receive a 20% discount on the amount paid.
Eligibility For Commonwealth Supported Place and HECS-HELP
Census Date
What is Pre-2008
What is Pre-2009
Student Learning Entitlement (SLE)
How and When To Pay Fees & Charges
Further Information
Eligibility
You are eligible to be Commonwealth supported for a unit of study if you:
- have received an offer of a Commonwealth Supported place for your course of study; and
- enrol in the unit on or before the census date and remain enrolled at the end of the census date; and
- submit a completed Request for Commonwealth Support and HECS-HELP form (CAF Form); and
- have a residency status of either
- an Australian Citizen or
- a New Zealand citizen who will be a resident in Australia for the duration of your unit; or
- the holder of a permanent visa who will be resident in Australia for the duration of your unit
- have sufficient Student Learning Entitlement to cover the unit in which you are enrolling.
You are eligible for HECS-HELP if you:
- are enrolled in a unit of study as a Commonwealth supported student; and
- meet the citizenship or residency requirements. That is, you must be
- an Australian citizen
- the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa who will be resident in Australia for the duration of the unit
If you are not eligible for HECS-HELP, you must pay your student contribution in full by the census date (this includes New Zealand citizens and Permanent Resident Visa holders).
Student Contribution
Note that transitional arrangements for pre-2005 and pre-1997 students end on 31 December 2008.
As a Commonwealth supported student you will be charged a student contribution amount for your unit enrolments according to the rates set out on the table below for students commencing in 2009. For continuing students, you can view your student contribution rates from late October 2008 at the following website: Student Contribution and Tuition Fees
The University determines the amount you contribute for each unit of study (student contribution) within the ranges set by the Australian Government.
The student contribution for a unit of study depends on:
- the number of credit points of the unit;
- the band in which the unit is classified;
- the weight of the unit in your course of study [the equivalent full-time load (EFTSL) value of the unit];
- the year when you began a course of study for which you have not yet completed the requirements.
The Student Contribution Amount for 2009 Enrolment
Band - Subject Area |
Annual Student |
Band 1: Humanities, Behavioural Science, Social Studies, Clinical Psychology, |
$5,201 |
Band 2: Computing, Built Environment, |
$7,412 |
Band 3: Law, Accounting*, Administration*, Economics*, Commerce*, Dentistry, Medicine, Veterinary Science |
$8,677 |
National Priority: Education, Nursing, Mathematics**, Statistics**, Science** |
$4,162 |
2009 Students
If you commenced your course in 2009, you are a 2009 student. ** Mathematics, statistics, science units - As a commencing student in 2009 you will be charged at the National Priority rate ($4,162 pa) for mathematics, statistics and science units. Course transfer - If you transfer from a non-science to a science course in 2009 you will be charged at the National Priority rate ($4,162 pa) for mathematics, statistics and science units in your science course. |
Pre-2009 Students
If you commenced your course before 2009, you are a pre-2009 student. ** Mathematics, statistics, science units - As a pre-2009 student you will continue to be charged at the Band 2 ($7,412 pa) rate for mathematics, statistics and science units. You are not eligible to be charged at the National Priority rate for these units in 2009 as you commenced your course prior to 2009. |
Pre-2008 Students
If you commenced your course before 2008, you are a pre-2008 student. * Business units - As a pre-2008 student you will continue to be charged at the Band 2 rate ($7,412 pa) for accounting, administration, economics and commerce units in 2009. |
Calculation of the Student Contribution for an Undergraduate Unit Of Study
To calculate the student contribution for an undergraduate unit(s) of study:
- Go the 2009 Student Contribution and Tuition Fees webpage to find to find the unit of study and obtain its credit point value;
- Go the 2009 Student Contribution and Tuition Fees webpage to find the band for the unit;
What is Pre-2008
As a Commonwealth supported student, you may be eligible for consideration as a ‘pre-2008 student’, if you commenced a course of study as a HECS-HELP liable student before 2008 at Macquarie University or another university and fall into one of the following categories:
- You are returning to Macquarie University in 2009 to the same course of study for which you commenced before 2008 and were a Commonwealth Supported Student, having not completed the requirements of that course;
- You are transferring from one course to another course at the same level in 2009 that you commenced before 2008, were Commonwealth supported and have not completed the requirements for the previous course;
- You are enrolling in an Honours course in 2009 after having completed a related pass degree for which you commenced before 2008, either at Macquarie University or another institution;
- You are enrolling as a cross-institutional student at Macquarie having commenced studies at your home institution before 2008
What being a pre-2008 student means:
- Pre-2008 students - If you commenced your course before 2008 you are a pre-2008 student.
From 2008, there were changes for students who enrolled in Business units. For students who commenced business units before 2008, they were charged at Band 2 rates for these units. From 2008 till the end of 2012, these students will continue to be charged at the Band 2 rates for all business related units.
Students who commenced business related units from 2008 onwards will be charged at the new Band 3 higher rates. From 2013, all students will be charged at the Band 3 rates.
As a pre-2008 student you will continue to be charged at the Band 2 rate ($7,412 pa) for accounting, administration, economics and commerce units in 2009.
For students who were previously classified as either a pre-2005 or pre-1997 student, you will automatically be charged at pre-2008 rates.
For further information relating to student contribution rates or student contribution bands for units, please go to: http://www.mq.edu.au/unifees/
Please Note that transitional arrangements for pre-2005 and pre-1997 students end on 31 December 2008.
If you wish to apply for consideration as a pre-2008 student, you will need to complete the application form and provide the following supporting documentation of your pre-2008 status:
- A recent certified academic transcript, AND
- Evidence of enrolment as a pre-2008 HECS-HELP liable student, EITHER Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) or Letter of verification of HECS-HELP status from previous institution.
Please note: Returning Previous Macquarie Students do not have to provide supporting documentation.
Please download the following form: Pre-2008 Application and return it by mail, together with your supporting documentation, marked to the attention of:
Commonwealth Loan Schemes Manager
C/- Coursework Studies Section
MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY NSW 2109
or FAX to 02 9850 7249.
You will need to do this before you enrol for 2009.
What is Pre-2009
From 1 January 2009, the Commonwealth has made changes for students who are undertaking Mathematics, science and statistic units. For students commencing these courses from 2009, you will be charged at a National Priority Band rate. Previously, these courses were charged at a Band 2 higher rate. For the current Band information and student contribution information in 2009, please see the table below:
Band – Subject Area |
Annual Student |
Band 1 Humanities, Behavioural Science, Social Studies, Clinical Psychology, |
$5,201 |
Band 2 Computing, Built Environment, |
$7,412 |
Band 3 Law, Accounting*, Administration*, Economics*, Commerce*, Medicine |
$8,677 |
National Priority Education, Nursing, Mathematics**, Statistics**, Science** |
$4,162 |
You are a 2009 student if you:
- commenced your course in 2009 OR
- are transferring from a non-science course to a science course OR
- have completed a course and are now commencing a new course
You will pay the National Priority rate ($4,162 pa) for mathematics, statistics and science units.
You are a pre-2009 student if you:
- commenced your course before 2009 AND/OR
- are transferring from an incomplete science course to a non -science course
You will continue to pay the Band 2 ($7,412 pa) rate for mathematics, statistics and science units. You are not eligible to be charged at the National Priority rate for these units in 2009.
Please note: All pre-2009 statuses will be assessed and loaded by Macquarie University staff automatically. You will not need to complete any application form. This is for your information only.
Student Learning Entitlement (SLE)
All Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens and holders of a permanent visa are allocated a Student Learning Entitlement (SLE). To be Commonwealth supported for a unit, you must have enough SLE to cover the equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL) value of that unit.
Your total Student Learning Entitlement is made up of:
- Ordinary SLE - All eligible students are allocated 'ordinary' SLE to the value of 7 ETFSL and;
- Additional SLE - You will be allocated additional SLE if
your course is
- an undergraduate course that will take longer than 6 years of full-time study or
- an honours course, graduate entry bachelor degree or postgraduate course and;
- Lifelong SLE - You will be allocated 1 ETFSL when you begin accruing and 0.25 EFTSL every 1 January thereafter. You will begin accruing lifelong SLE:
- in 2012 if you were aged 20 years or older on 1 January 2005 or
- on 1 January of the year of your 27th birthday if you were aged less than 20 years on 1 January 2005.
If you have been a Commonwealth Supported Student previously, you will be able to use your CHESSN to access your Student Learning Entitlement Balance on the myUniAssist website (operated by Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations ).
Census Date
The census dates for 2009 are:
- for First-Half Year Units - 31 March
- for Full-Year Units Units - 30 April
- for Second-Half Year Units - 31 August.
For the exact census date of your unit please see the Student Contribution and Tuition Fees webpage.
As a Commonwealth Supported Student, on the Census Date you will
- consume your Student Learning Entitlement for each unit of study in which you are enrolled on that date
- you become liable for your student contribution amount for those units
- you incur a HECS-HELP debt for those units if you have taken out a HECS-HELP Loan
For HECS-HELP students if you have not paid your student contribution in full for the unit(s) in which you are enrolled by the census date, and if you have not provided your Tax File Number (TFN), your enrolment in the unit(s) will be cancelled.
For 100% Upfront payers if you have not paid your student contribution in full for the unit(s) in which you are enrolled by the census date, your enrolment in the unit(s) will be cancelled.
Further Information
For more information regarding HECS-HELP and Commonwealth Supported Places please refer to the Commonwealth Supported Students booklet 
published by the Department of Education,
Employment and Workplace Relations
.
For more information regarding the fees and charges for Macquarie University please refer to our Student Contribution and Tuition Fees web page.
For more information on how and when to pay fees and charges please refer to the Office of Financial Services Website.
