Eligibility Criteria

Vouchers are available to students who can demonstrate financial hardship and genuine need.

The vouchers will be provided as a physical or electronic grocery voucher.

Eligible students may be provided up to $200 in vouchers per academic year.

Eligibility

Applications for Hardship Vouchers will only be considered from students who:

• Can demonstrate financial hardship.

Students will be required to provide:

• Bank statements for all accounts they hold, showing the current balance and transactions for at least the past 60 days.
• Centrelink Income Statement, if applicable.

Hardship Grants are available for students experiencing extreme financial hardship, whose continued study might be at risk without assistance.

Hardship Grants may be provided to help with expenses including accommodation, transport, textbooks and course materials, and other basic living costs such as utility and medical bills.

Eligible students may be provided up to $2,000 in an academic year.

Eligibility

Applications for Hardship Grants will only be considered from students who:

• Are enrolled in an Undergraduate or Enabling program. (Note: Post-Graduate and HDR students are not eligible for Hardship Grants.)
• Can demonstrate they are experiencing significant financial hardship. We define this as being unable to meet your, or your dependents’, basic living costs.
• When assessing hardship, we will consider all income sources, including scholarships, any savings you have, and your recent spending.
• Do not have the ability to make loan payments.

Students will be required to provide:

• Bank statements for all accounts they hold, showing the current balance and transactions for at least the past 60 days.
• Centrelink Income Statement, if applicable.
• Evidence of costs you are seeking assistance with, e.g. rental bond, utility bill, textbook quote.

Placement Grants are available for domestic students who are required to complete a work placement as part of their degree.

These grants are provided to covers costs directly associated with undertaking the placement, including accommodation, transport, uniforms and equipment.

Payment amounts range from $250 to $2,000, based on the duration of the placement.

Students who need to relocate to complete the placement, may also be eligible for:

• Relocation Allowance of up to $500, if they have to pay accommodation costs.
• Travel Supplement of up to $250.

Eligibility

Applications for Placement Grants will only be considered from students who:

• Meet HEPPP criteria.
• Are undertaking a work placement that is a compulsory requirement of their program.

Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP)

From July 2025, the Australian Government will introduce the CPP to provide financial assistance to eligible students undertaking mandatory placements in nursing, midwifery, teaching or social work. Students who are eligible to receive the CPP, will NOT be eligible to receive a HEPPP Placement Grant.

To find out more about the CPP eligibility criteria and how to apply, go to:

• Commonwealth Prac Payment - The University of Newcastle
• Commonwealth Prac Payment - Department of Education

If you do not meet the criteria for a Placement Grant, you may still be eligible to apply for a Hardship Voucher or Hardship Grant.

There may also be other support available:

• Support / Career-ready placements / Current Students / The University of Newcastle, Australia
• Health students: HETI (Higher Education and Training) Student Grants for Allied Health
• Education students: NSW Department of Education - Teach NSW - Get paid to study

Students opting to undertake a Global Experience are not eligible for a Placement Grant, but there are other financial assistance options you may be able to apply for, including OS-Help Loans.  See here for more information:

• Global Experience / Current Students / The University of Newcastle, Australia
• OS-HELP loans and overseas study - StudyAssist, Australian Government

Students applying for a Placement Grant will be required to provide:

• Documentation showing the location and dates of placement, e.g. SONIA screenshot or placement letter.
• Evidence of any placement related costs, e.g. accommodation quote, receipt for uniforms.
• Bank statements for all accounts they hold, showing the current balance and transactions for at least the past 60 days.
• Centrelink Income Statement, if applicable.

Please note:

• Applications submitted after the completion date of the placement will not be accepted.
• Students can apply for a grant for each eligible placement, however preference may be given to students who have not received a prior Placement Grant.
• We receive a high volume of applications for Placement Grants and funding is limited.  We may close applications prior to the end of semester, if funding is exhausted.

Laptop Grants are available for students who do not have access to a personal computer.

Students may receive up to $1,000 in the form of a JB Hi-Fi voucher.

Eligibility

Applications for Laptop Grants will only be considered from students who:

• Are enrolled in an Undergraduate or Enabling program. (Note: Post-Graduate and HDR students are not eligible for Laptop Grants.)
• Can demonstrate they are in financial hardship and are not able to meet the cost of purchasing a new laptop or repairing their existing device.
• We define financial hardship as being unable to meet your, or your dependents’, basic living costs. When assessing hardship, we will consider all income sources, including scholarships, any savings you have, and your recent spending.
• Do not have the ability to make loan payments.

Students will be required to provide:

• Bank statements for all accounts they hold, showing the current balance and transactions for at least the past 60 days.
• Centrelink Income Statement, if applicable.
• Screenshot of the device you wish to purchase, or quote for repair of existing device.

If you are not eligible for a Laptop Grant, remember there are computers available for students to use in various locations on campus, including the library and student hubs, see here for details: IT Facilities - Current Students - The University of Newcastle.

The Library also provides laptops for loan to University of Newcastle students: Laptops and Equipment / Search and borrow / Library / The University of Newcastle, Australia

Grants are available for residents of Student Living, who are experiencing financial hardship.

Grants may be provided to help with expenses including accommodation, transport, course materials, and other basic living costs.

Eligible students may be provided up to $2,000 in an academic year.

Eligibility

Applications for Student Living Grants will only be considered from students who -

• Are a current resident of Student Living.
• Can demonstrate they are experiencing significant financial hardship. We define this as being unable to meet your basic living costs.

When assessing hardship, we will take into account all income sources, including scholarships, any savings you have, and your recent spending.

• Are enrolled in the current semester and are in good academic standing.

Note: Grants will not be provided to assist with payment of university tuition fees or fines.

Students will be required to provide -

• Bank statements for all accounts they hold, showing the current balance and transactions for at least the past 60 days.
• Centrelink Income Statement, if applicable.
• Evidence of costs you are seeking assistance with, e.g. utility bill, quote for study materials.

Student loans are interest-free loans that are available to students who demonstrate genuine need and whose continued study might be placed in jeopardy without assistance.

Eligible students may be approved to borrow up to $2,000.

The Loan term is generally 12 months. Terms up to 24 months may be considered, however all loans must be paid in full prior to the completion of your course.

Eligibility

Applications for loans will only be considered from students who:

• Have successfully completed at least one semester of study at UON.
• Demonstrate ability to meet the required repayments without experiencing financial hardship.

Loans will not be issued for:

• Expenses not directly associated with studying.
• University fees or fines, including payment plans and tuition fees.

IMPORTANT: Students need to be aware, if they do not make loan repayments according to the agreed schedule, there are serious consequences. These may include a hold being placed on the student’s account, being unable to re-enrol or graduate, and referral to an external debt collection agency.

Work and Development Orders (‘WDOs’) are a way to help people who can’t pay their NSW Revenue fines through unpaid work, education courses and treatment programs.

The University can sponsor a WDO for students, and record attendance at face-to-face classes as payment towards the student’s outstanding fines.

Eligibility

Applications for sponsorship of a WDO will only be considered from students who:

• Have successfully completed at least one semester of study at UON.
• Are actively enrolled in the current semester and in good academic standing.
• Can demonstrate they are in “acute financial hardship” (as defined by NSW Revenue) and are not able to pay their fine.

Students will be required to provide:

• Bank statements for all accounts they hold, showing the current balance and transactions for at least the past 60 days.
• Centrelink Income Statement, if applicable.
• Evidence of the fine, e.g. copy of Penalty Notice. (Note: WDO’s can only cover NSW Revenue fines.)

For more information about WDO’s, and other payment options, see:

• Difficulty paying your fine | NSW Government
• Can’t pay your fines | LegalAid.nsw.gov.au