VET Student Loans (VSL) is a Government scheme that assists eligible students to enrol in approved higher-level vocational education and training (VET) courses to pay their tuition fees.

VET Student Loans:

• Are a loan from the Commonwealth
• Will remain a personal debt until it is repaid to the Commonwealth
• The loan may, until the debt is repaid, reduce the student’s take-home (after-tax) wage or salary and may reduce the students borrowing capacity; and
• A student may wish to seek independent financial advice before applying for a loan.

The debt must be paid back at the relevant repayment rate when your income is above to compulsory repayment threshold. For more information about VET Student Loans, please refer to the VET Student Loans information booklet. More information is also available at the Department of Employment and Workforce Relations

You must meet the eligibility criteria (below) to be eligible for VET Student Loans:

1. an Australian citizen, or
2. a qualifying New Zealand citizen, or
3. a permanent humanitarian visa holder, who is usually resident in Australia.
4. Students will also need to be assessed academically to undertake an approved course by being deemed academically suited on the basis of either:–  providing your Australian Year 12 Certificate; or
   –  providing evidence of successful completion of an Australian Certificate IV or higher qualification; or
   –  providing an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Diploma as a form of entry into the course (you can refer to Page 7 of the VSL handbook here)
   –  displaying competence at Exit Level 3 in the approved Language, Literacy and Numeracy test.

Check your eligibility Here

Eligible students will be entitled to access loans up to a capped VET Student Loan Limit (detailed below). Course providers may charge above this cap for a course, and if so, students will be expected to pay for the difference (gap) according to the provider’s billing period.

A Vet student loan is only available for the below courses:

The amount loaned cannot be greater than the student’s remaining HELP Balance.

The amount of HELP debt a student accrues if you receive the maximum amount of the VET Student Loan for the course could be up to 120% of the loaned amount.

Use the VET Student Loans Calculator to help you understand what your debt will be when you start your course.

If you are not eligible for VET Student Loans or you need to (or choose to) pay part of your tuition fees directly the other payment options available to you are outlined in Course Payment Options.

For information on how to apply, enrol at AACDS and apply for a VET Student Loan please review our Student Recruitment and Enrolment Policy and Procedure.

IMPORTANT: You must submit your electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) application to apply for a VET Student Loan to the Commonwealth before your first commencement day. If you do not submit an eCAF prior to commencing your studies, you will be required to pay your first study period yourself. You can submit an eCAF application prior to the commencement of later study periods if you chose to use a VET Student Loan for future study.

In order for a student to continue to access VET Student Loans, students may require during their course of study to communicate their agreement that the Secretary continue to use VET Student Loans to pay ongoing tuition fees for the course.

Students will need to confirm they are active and legitimately continued to be enrolment in a course by logging into the Department of Education and Training’s electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF). Failure to do so may affect their ability to continue accessing VET Student Loans.

Tuition fees will be reasonably apportioned across a specific number of sequential fee periods. Each fee period will contain at least one census date.

Your study periods are outlined on your relevant Schedule of Fees

A census date is a date by which enrolment may be cancelled/ withdrawn without incurring tuition fees for the course or a part of the course.

A student may cancel / withdraw their enrolment in their course or part of the course as per the Student Withdrawal and Cancellation Policy

If a student cancels / withdraws before the census date for a course or part of a course, the student will not incur a VET Student Loan debt for the course or part of the course and will receive a refund for any additional tuition fees already paid for the course or part of the course.

• Step one – Ask us if the course you’re interested in studying is an approved course for VET Student Loans
• Step two – read the VSL Student information handbook and Important Additional Information, Policies and Procedures
• Step three – Enrol with us!
• Step four – Give our Enrolment team the required eligibility information evidence
• Step five – If eligible, and deemed academically suited to study your chosen course you will be asked to complete the required information in the electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) to request use of A VET Student Loan to pay.

IMPORTANT: You must submit your eCAF application to the Commonwealth before your first census day.

• Student Recruitment and Enrolment Policy and Procedure
• VET Student Loans Information Booklet
• Withdrawal and Cancellation Policy
• Fees, Charges Refunds and Re-Credit Policy
• Complaints and Appeals Policy and Procedure
• Statement of Tuition Assurance
• Student Personal Information Policy

To view our full polices and procedures, click here
For more information about VET Student Loans, click here.