Fees and Charges for Domestic Undergraduate Students 2012

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.

Contact: fees@newcastle.edu.au

Students who commenced 2010, 2011 and 2012

These students will pay the maximum Band rate associated with their courses.

• Student Contribution for Commonwealth Supported Students who commenced from 2010 onwards

Students who commenced prior to 2010

• Student Contribution for Commonwealth Supported Students who commenced prior to 2010

Education and Nursing

If you are a student studying Education or Nursing courses and your year of commencement for your current program was prior to 2010, you will pay the maximum National Priority rates for these courses.  Otherwise you will be pay the maximum Band 1 rate.

Students who commenced prior to 2009

• Student Contribution for Commonwealth Supported Students who commenced pre-2009

Mathematics, Statistics and Science

If you are a student studying Mathematics, Statistics or Science courses and your year of commencement for your current program was prior to 2009, you will be pay the maximum Band 2 rates for these courses.  Otherwise you will pay the maximum National Priority rate.

Students who commenced prior to 2008

• Student Contribution for Commonwealth Supported Students who commenced pre-2008

Accounting, Administration, Economics and Commerce

If you are a student Accounting, Administration, Economics or Commerce courses and your year of commencement for your current program was prior to 2008, you will pay the maximum Band 2 rates for these courses.  Otherwise you will pay the maximum Band 3 rate.

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 
• Postgraduate Handbook

Then refer to the relevant 2012 Fees Schedule table where the subject areas are listed in groups.

• Domestic Undergraduate Fees Schedule (PDF 10KB)
• Domestic Fee Paying Undergraduate Fees Schedule (PDF 59KB) (including Non-Award) 
• Domestic Postgraduate Fees Schedule (PDF 13KB) (including Non-Award)
• Domestic Research Higher Degree Fees Schedule (PDF 16KB) 
• International Undergraduate Fees Schedule (PDF 16KB) (including Non-Award) 
• International Postgraduate Fees Schedule (PDF 16KB) (including Non-Award)
• International Research Higher Degree Fees Schedule (PDF 16KB) 

*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. However, International Student course fees are adjusted regularly so it is recommend 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 fees. Payments on these loans may be deferred until their income reaches over $47,196 in the 2011/2012 financial year (indexed each year).

There are three 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).

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.

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 $89,706 unless a person is undertaking a medicine course completion of which satisfies the academic requirements for provisional registration as a medical practitioner. If they are, the FEE-HELP limit is increased to $112,134. The FEE-HELP limit is indexed on 01 January each year.

 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:

Under HECS-HELP

• HECS-HELP debt remission;
• A refund of an upfront payment of the student contribution (HECS-HELP).

Under FEE-HELP

• FEE-HELP balance re-credit;
• A refund of an upfront payment of tuition fee.

Full Fee Paying Students - Domestic and International

• A refund of an upfront payment of tuition fee.

More information can be found in the University's Refund and Student Indebtedness policies and on the Remission in Special Circumstances page.