The HECS‑HELP scheme is both a student loan and a student discount.

Eligible students may access a HECS HELP loan to pay their student contribution amounts, or receive a 10% discount on upfront payments of $500 or more.

To be eligible for HECS HELP, you must:

be studying in a Commonwealth supported place;
be an Australian citizen; or
be a New Zealand Special Category Visa holder who meets the long-term residency requirements; or
be a permanent humanitarian visa holder;
be enrolled in each unit at your university by the census date;
meet the relevant HECS-HELP residency requirements;
and
submit a valid Request for Commonwealth support and HECS‑HELP form by the census date (or earlier administrative date) to your university.

HECS-HELP residency requirements

For Australian citizens

If you are an Australian citizen you will meet the HECS-HELP residency requirements if your university reasonably expects that you will undertake at least some of your course of study in Australia.

For eligible New Zealand Special Category Visa holders

If you are a New Zealand Special Category Visa (NZ SCV) holder (who meets the specific NZ SCV residency requirements for HELP loans), you must be resident in Australia for the duration of your unit(s) to meet the HECS-HELP residency requirements.

For permanent humanitarian visa holders

If you are a permanent humanitarian visa holder, you must be resident in Australia for the duration of your unit(s) to meet the HECS-HELP residency requirements.

Contact:

Write to the ATO at:
Australian Taxation Office
PO Box 1032,
ALBURY NSW 2640
For international callers - phone: +61 2 6216 1111
call 1800 020 108