Student services and amenities fee
In October 2011, the Australian Parliament passed the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities) Bill 2011 to allow Universities and other higher education providers, to charge a compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) from 2012 (see the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities) Act 2011).
With the passage of the legislation and as previously announced by the Vice-Chancellor, the ECU Council has agreed to introduce the Fee for all students.
Proceeds from the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) will be allocated to a range of services and expanded initiatives in areas including health, counselling, sport and recreation, social clubs and societies, student welfare, careers advice, student advocacy, orientation, and student representation. Some services will be provided through the Student Guild, others will be provided by the University. All fees, however, will be allocated entirely to student services and amenities.
SA-HELP
SA-HELP is a deferred loan scheme for eligible students for the Student Services and Amenities Fee introduced from 1 January 2012. Similar to HECS-HELP, there is no interest applied however, the loan is annually indexed for inflation.
To be eligible to defer the Services and Amenities Fee via SA-HELP you must be:
- An Australian Citizen or
- Hold a Permanent Humanitarian Visa
Please note that Permanent Residents of Australia are eligible for the Commonwealth Supported rate of fees for eligible courses however may not defer payment of the Services and Amenities Fee on SA-HELP.
If you obtain a SA-HELP loan, this amount is added to any existing HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP debt you may have.
You will be able to opt to defer payment of the Services and Amenities Fee using SA-HELP via your SIMO account.
2012 Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
Although the maximum amount of the fee for 2012 is set under legislation to be $263 per full-time student, ECU has decided to set the fee for 2012 to be significantly lower than the maximum allowable amount and also the fee charged by other universities in Western Australia. At ECU, the maximum SSAF is set to be $100 per year for full-time students, $50 a year for part-time students, and $30 a year for off-campus students as per the details summarised in the following table:
| Type of Student/Courses | Annual Fee (2012) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Time* | Part Time | ||
| Domestic | |||
|
Commonwealth Supported |
$100 | $50 | Australian Citizens and permanent humanitarian visa holders are eligible for a SA-HELP Loan to defer payment of the fee |
|
Domestic Fee Paying |
$100 | $50 | |
|
Off-Campus students ** |
$30 | $15 | |
|
Higher Degree Research Domestic |
$100 | $50 | |
| VET | $100 | $50 | Not eligible for a SA-HELP Loan |
| Cross-Institutional students** | $100 | $50 | Unless can demonstrate that they have already paid SSAF at their home institution |
| Non-Award (on-campus) | $100 | $50 | Not eligible for a SA-HELP Loan |
| Non-Award (off-campus) | $30 | $15 | Not eligible for a SA-HELP Loan |
| Enabling Courses (including University Preparation Course) |
$0 | $0 | |
| International | |||
| Fee-Paying (FPON) | $0 | $0 | The University pays an amount equivalent to SSAF from fee revenue |
| Inbound Study Abroad | $0 | $0 | |
| Outbound Student Exchange | $0 | $0 | |
| External International (FPOS) | $0 | $0 | |
| Fee-paying offshore students (FPOF) |
$0 | $0 | |
* Full-time means a study load of at least 75% of the normal full-time student load for the relevant period (six monthly).
** Enrolment in one or more On Campus units will incur the On Campus fee.