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My FAQ
Fees
- When do I have to pay my fees?
- I am paying my fees up front. Why do I have to complete a HECS-HELP form?
- How do I pay for my fees?
- Can my employer pay for my deferred fees?
- Can I get my fees deducted from my Centrelink payments?
- Can I defer my fees to tax?
- What is FEE-HELP?
- I have chosen to pay my fees up-front but my financial situation has changed. What do I do?
- Can I pay my fees by instalment?
- Are refunds automatic?
- I have received an invoice but do not understand how the fees were calculated. Is there anyone who can explain this to me?
- My employer or another third party has agreed to pay for my fees. How do I inform the University of this arrangement?
- Why have I been sent an invoice when my employer has agreed to pay for my fees?
- What if my employer does not pay my fees on time?
- If I withdraw from a unit(s) after the census date, will my employer be reimbursed?
- Do you have a question we haven't answered below? Email us...
Note: The information below may contain pdf files. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view pdf files. Get Adobe Acrobat reader.
When do I have to pay my fees?
Please refer to the Higher Education Student Guide or Vocational Education and Training Student Guide depending on which course you are studying. All fees are due on the first day of the relevant semester or term of the unit you are studying, regardless of when the unit commences.
I am paying my fees up front. Why do I have to complete a HECS-HELP form?
All undergraduate places offered to domestic students at Charles Darwin University are Commonwealth-Supported Places. Whether you are deferring or paying up front, all domestic students must complete the form in order to access the subsidised Commonwealth-Supported Place or you will have to pay full fees.
You can make payment in person at any campus or centre, via BPay, credit card or cheque. For more information on payment options refer to higher education student guide or the VET student guide. If you experience difficulties making payment, please contact the Information Centre.
Can my employer pay for my deferred fees?
No, if you defer your fees to tax, your employer cannot make payment to the University. You should discuss with your employer the possibility of reimbursing you directly and you can use this to repay your HECS debt with the Australian Taxation Office.
Can I get my fees deducted from my Centrelink payments?
Yes, but this refers to VET fees only, please contact Cashiers on 08 8946 7191 or 08 8946 7192 or visit your local campus Information Centre.
In order to defer your higher education fees to tax, you must be either an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa and you must have completed a Request for Commonwealth Support and HECS-HELP form or a FEE-HELP form. Visit the going to uni website for further information.
VET students cannot defer their fees to tax.
FEE-HELP is a loan given to eligible fee-paying students to help pay part or all of their tuition fees.
A FEE-HELP loan can cover all or part of a student's tuition fees. A maximum of $50,000 in tuition fees may be paid using FEE-HELP over a student's lifetime. This is the FEE-HELP limit. This limit is indexed each year. A loan fee of 20 per cent applies to FEE-HELP loans for undergraduate courses of study. The $50,000 FEE-HELP limit does not include the loan fee. No loan fee applies to FEE-HELP loans for postgraduate courses, bridging courses for overseas trained professionals, enabling courses or units of study undertaken directly with Open Universities Australia (formerly Open Learning Australia).
The commonwealth pays the amount of the loan directly to the student's provider. Students repay their loan through the tax system once their income is above the minimum threshold for compulsory repayment. FEE-HELP will be available to all eligible fee-paying students who are either commencing or continuing their higher education studies in 2005 or later.
Find out more about fee-paying places and FEE-HELP by visiting the going to uni website.
Who administers FEE-HELP?
FEE-HELP is administered under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) by the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), the Australian Taxation Office, higher education providers and Open Universities Australia.
I have chosen to pay my fees up-front but my financial situation has changed. What do I do?
If you have ticked the up-front option, but have provided us with your tax file number, we will automatically defer your fees to tax after the relevant census date. If you have not given us your tax file number, you need to contact the Information Centre with your tax file number or you can change the payment option online or complete another HECS-HELP form and indicate the new payment option.
Note: You must do this prior to the census date for the relevant units or your enrolment will be cancelled due to non-payment of fees.
Can I pay my fees by instalment?
An instalment plan agreement is solely for VET fees, full fee student fees where the fees are over $100.00. If you have an outstanding debt from a previous semester you won't be eligible for the instalment plan agreement.
Contact the Cashiers to organise an agreement.
Refunds are not automatic; they must be requested on the relevant change of enrolment form when you change your enrolment details (i.e. withdraw from a unit or course or seek a leave of absence). Complete a VET102 Change of Enrolment/Complete Cancellation or an HE102 Change of Enrolment or send an email to student.admin@cdu.edu.au.
I have received an invoice but do not understand how the fees were calculated. Is there anyone who can explain this to me?
Contact the Information Centre for more information/explanation.
My employer or another third party has agreed to pay for my fees. How do I inform the University of this arrangement?
A third party may enter into an agreement with the University whereby they pay for your fees. For VET students there is a section on the VET101 VET Enrolment, which can be completed at the time of enrolment, or VET104 VET Third Party Authorisation or VET105 Third Party Authorisation for Apprentices to be completed after enrolment.
For higher education students must notify the University by submitting a HE105 Employer Authorisation if the intention is for a third party to pay fees.
Why have I been sent an invoice when my employer has agreed to pay for my fees?
The University is obliged to send an Enrolment and Fee Advice to all students regardless of who is paying their fees. If you have advised the University in writing that your employer has agreed to pay for your fees your Enrolment and Fee Advice will display a sponsored amount for higher education students. This is an indicator that a third party is responsible for paying your fees.
VET students will have a ‘nil’ balance indicated on the Enrolment and Fee Advice.
What if my employer does not pay my fees on time?
If you have advised the University in writing that your employer has agreed to pay for your fees they will be reminded by the University's Accounts Receivables area.
If I withdraw from a unit(s) after the census date, will my employer be reimbursed?
If you withdraw from a unit after the relevant census date, your employer will only be reimbursed if you are successful in your Application for Remission of HECS.
Do you have a question we haven't answered above? Email us...
... At enrolmenthelp@cdu.edu.au.
