HELP Loans

HELP Loans are available, from the Australian Government, for eligible domestic students to help pay for the costs of your higher education.

If you are enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) you are a Commonwealth supported student and may be eligible for a HECS-HELP loan to help pay your student contribution amounts.

If you are not enrolled in a CSP you are a fee paying student in a fee paying place and may be eligible for a FEE-HELP loan to help pay your tuition fees.

Each study period you will also pay a student services and ammenities fee (SSAF) and may be eligible for a SA-HELP loan to cover this fee.

If you're enrolled in a CSP and want to study overseas, you could get an OS-HELP loan to help pay your expenses.

Combined HELP Loan Limit

The combined HELP loan limit is a cap on what you can borrow from the Australian Government to cover the costs of your tuition fees. The HELP loan limit replaced the FEE-HELP limit on 1 January 2020.

The HELP loan limit includes all FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP, VET Students Loans and HECS-HELP (with a census date from 1 January 2020). HECS-HELP debts with a census date prior to 1 January 2020 will not be included in the HELP loan limit.

Renewable HELP balance

The renewable HELP balance is your available borrowing capacity for HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP and VET Student Loans. This is your available HELP balance.

Any repayments you make on your HELP debt will credit your available HELP balance, up to your applicable HELP loan limit. Taking out a loan will reduce your available HELP balance, and making a repayment will increase your available HELP balance.

Checking your HELP balance

Your myGov account will show you how much you owe and any repayments you have made.

The myHELPbalance portal will show your available HELP balance (the amount you have available to borrow using HELP loans).

myHELPbalance portal does not:

  • show how much you owe,
  • show loan fees or indexation on your debt, or
  • include any debts incurred before 2005.

You will need your Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number (CHESSN), a student ID from any university, higher education provider or VET Student Loans provider you have studied at, and your first name, last name and date of birth to access myHELPbalance.