Fees and Charges for Domestic Undergraduate Students
If you are an Australian citizen, holder of an Australian Humanitarian Visa, an Australian permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen, you may be either a Commonwealth Supported Student or a Domestic Full Fee Paying Student.
Commonwealth Supported Students
Commonwealth Supported Students pay a student contribution for courses undertaken as part of their program of study either upfront or by deferring all or part of the debt using the HECS-HELP scheme. New Zealand citizens and Permanent Residents in Commonwealth Supported Places must pay their HECS contribution in full by the term census date.
All students contribute towards the cost or their education. The amount students contribute depends upon when they commenced their studies.
Due to recent changes to the Higher Education Support Act (2003 HESA) you may need to contact the Student Financials & Scholarships office to ensure that you receive the correct advice with regard to the category you will be eligible for in regard to your student contribution.
Please note:
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Contact: fees@newcastle.edu.au
Student Contribution Amounts
Information for 2012
Information for 2013
Are You a Fee Paying Student?Fee Paying students pay tuition fees for courses undertaken as part of their program of study, and may do this upfront or, if eligible, by deferring all or part of the debt using the FEE-HELP scheme. Students are not eligible for a discount for upfront payments. |
Student Learning Entitlement
Removal of Student Learning Entitlement (SLE)
SLE was introduced on 1 January 2005. The intent of SLE was to limit a person’s ability to study as a Commonwealth supported student to the equivalent of seven years full-time study.
The Government passed legislation that will abolish SLE from 1 January 2012. Higher education students will no longer have a limit placed on how much study they can undertake as a Commonwealth supported student.
Continuing students need not be concerned by any limits formerly placed on them by the operation of the SLE. Students who have used up their allocation of SLE will now be able to re-enrol from 1 January 2012 to complete their studies as a Commonwealth supported student or to undertake further study in a Commonwealth supported place. Those students who used up their SLE and have paid tuition fees for a fee paying place and/or received a FEE-HELP loan are not able to receive a remittance of those tuition fees or a reduction in their FEE-HELP debt.
For enquiries contact: fees@newcastle.edu.au
How to Calculate Your Fee
Each degree program requires the completion of a number of units. To accumulate the necessary units, students enrol in courses according to the degree requirements for each program. Each course has a unit value and this is ten (10) for most courses at the University of Newcastle. A normal full-time study load is 80 units in any year or 40 units per semester/trimester.
Courses are grouped into a number of academic subject areas where the first four letter abbreviation at the beginning of the course code tells you its subject area.
List of academic subject areas (PDF 38KB)
To calculate your exact fee, you should check the requirements of your program in the relevant program ehandbook.
Undergraduate Handbook
Then refer to the relevant Fees Schedule table where the subject areas are listed in groups.
2012 Domestic Undergraduate Fees Schedule (PDF 10KB)
2013 Domestic Undergraduate Fees Schedule (PDF 10KB)
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For example*, if in 2012 you were to undertake 3 courses in Mathematics (MATH), 2 courses in Philosophy (PHIL), 2 courses in History (HIST) and 1 course in Chemistry (CHEM) then you would calculate your fees as follows: MATH: 3 x 565.00 = 1695.00 PHIL: 2 x 706.00 = 1412.00 HIST: 2 x 706.00 = 1412.00 CHEM: 1 x 565.00 = 565.00 TOTAL = $5084.00
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*The above example is taken from the Domestic Undergraduate Fees Schedule. It assumes all courses have a 10 unit value. If a course has a value other than 10, then the calculation needs to be weighted appropriately.
You can estimate costs for later years based on these rates. Student course fees are adjusted annually so it is recommended to ensure you refer to the correct Fees Schedule.
Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
The Australian Commonwealth Government have introduced a Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) which provides eligible students who commenced studies from 2005, with a loan to help pay their course tuition fees.
You have to start repaying your HELP debt through the taxation system once your repayment income is above the compulsory repayment threshold, even if you are still studying.
The compulsory repayment threshold is adjusted each year. For the 2011-12 income year, the compulsory repayment threshold is $47,195. For the 2012-13 income year, the compulsory repayment threshold is $49,095.
Repayment income is calculated from the amounts given on your income tax return
There are four main types:
HECS-HELP for eligible Commonwealth Supported Students
FEE-HELP for eligible Fee Paying Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students
OS-HELP for eligible Commonwealth Supported Students who want to study overseas (Exchanges and Study Abroad).
SA-HELP for eligible Commonwealth Supported Students
Commonwealth Supported Students
Australian undergraduate students are Commonwealth supported. This means the Australian Government provides funding towards the cost of your education. You are required to pay a portion of the cost as a Student Contribution (HECS).
Eligible students have the option of paying their Student Contribution (HECS) upfront and receiving a discount on their contribution, or to take advantage of a HECS-HELP loan.
Domestic Full Fee Paying Undergraduate Students
A 25% loan fee applies to undergraduate FEE-HELP loans. The FEE-HELP loan fee only applies for undergraduate fee paying courses of study.
Over their lifetime, students will only be able to borrow up to a maximum of $93,204 unless a person is undertaking a medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses (As defined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003). If they are, the FEE-HELP limit is increased to $116,507. The FEE-HELP limit is indexed on 01 January each year.
Note that the higher FEE HELP limit only applies to courses that lead to initial registration to practise in those fields. The lower limit will apply to any further study you undertake once you have gained the requisite level for initial registration.
Student Services and Amenities Fee
New legislation has been passed by the Commonwealth Government which will allow the University to charge all enrolled students a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
This fee is being phased in for all student cohorts for study in 2013 and International students will not be charged until 2013.
All students will be charged a Student Services & Amenities Fee (SSAF) to assist with the funding of non-academic student services and amenities at the University.
In 2013 the SSAF will be charged each semester to a maximum for the year of $273 (full time study) and $204 (partial fee).
More information regarding SSAF can be found at:
Abstudy, Austudy and Youth Allowance
Support schemes are available from the Australian Government to help you continue your studies. Specific criteria must be met to become eligible. Telephone a Centrelink Call Centre on 13 24 90 for more information or visit the Centrelink website.
If you have difficulties after lodging and application, our Student Support Officer may be able to assist you. Telephone (02) 4921 6466.
Remission of Debt in Special Circumstances
Students who are unable to continue with their studies due to Special Circumstances, and who withdraw after the Census Date, may be eligible for Remission of Debt in Special Circumstances.
More information can be found in the University's Refund and Student Indebtedness policies and on the Remission in Special Circumstances page.
