# Uni Fees for PR holders Set To Tripple Overnight



## John Clip (Jul 21, 2016)

Just a quick note bring to Immigrants attention of a rule change in this weeks budget that will effect many. 

The 4 years you are on PR waiting for Citizenship you will no longer be able to go to Uni in Oz for the domestic rate, (approx $25k for a degree, you will now be considered an Intl student and need to pay approx $70k for a degree. 

I posted a thread with links in the Education Forums.

(Note, this is not VET or HECS Help Loan or referring to the $3000 Uni fee increase in the media, this is additional. )  
So if you are on PR, you are better off waiting on the Dole until Citizenship before going to Uni in Oz now.


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## John Clip (Jul 21, 2016)

SO Fees for a science degree have gone from $9,050 to $35,824 PER YEAR (x 3 years) when you leave school if you are a Permanent Resident.

I wonder how many will unfortunately just go on the Dole and just wait out your PR then go to Uni. ??? What do you think?

Thread refereed to with links here:
http://www.australiaforum.com/education/218346-google-page-ranking-now-intl-students-say-oz-gov.html


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## JanneKL (Jan 6, 2016)

Is that only Uni or also TAFE?


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## ampk (Sep 21, 2013)

Depending on the wording, it could also include schools?

That will hurt a lot of people.


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## CCMS (Oct 10, 2013)

Yes, this is something that has gone largely unnoticed. It makes me wonder if the several million permanent residents living in Australia are now being considered as being less worthy then Australian citizens. What's next ? Access to Medicare and other services ?


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## anja-swe (Nov 11, 2015)

John Clip said:


> Just a quick note bring to Immigrants attention of a rule change in this weeks budget that will effect many.
> 
> The 4 years you are on PR waiting for Citizenship you will no longer be able to go to Uni in Oz for the domestic rate, (approx $25k for a degree, you will now be considered an Intl student and need to pay approx $70k for a degree.
> 
> ...


I know I have mentioned this in another thread but domestic rates are not 25k. Yes they are if you receive a CSP, which is not always the case. When I got my PR in the middle of my degree I didn't get a CSP straight away and was forced to pay domestic fees which were 10-15% lower than international fees. 10-15% off 35k is not a substantial amount. I see the changes as positive rather than negative as PR students may get access to loans rather than paying up the fee upfront.


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## ampk (Sep 21, 2013)

Nick stop giving them ideas!

Is there any draft legislation for this yet?

I expect that if schools are included then that will also effect the funding given by the government for the schools each year. And home schooling will become even more popular - certainly amongst PR holders.


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## JanneKL (Jan 6, 2016)

CCMS said:


> Yes, this is something that has gone largely unnoticed. It makes me wonder if the several million permanent residents living in Australia are now being considered as being less worthy then Australian citizens. What's next ? Access to Medicare and other services ?


I'm slowly starting to regret my decision to come here (and I've only been here for a few months!). My partner is Australian, but also has a British passport. He could work and live in Germany without any problems (for now). I struggle finding a job here in Canberra. I can't work in a lot of good jobs because it would be for the government and you need to be a citizen to get a security clearance. Many other companies work for the Gov and need clearances as well. Everything else is mostly working in retail and hospitality and as I'm 5 months pregnant I just can't do physically exhausting jobs anymore. My plan was to do a TAFE course to at least broaden my skill set and get some sort of certificate for when I'm ready to go back to work, but I don't think we can afford that if the prices go up.

I'm not even affected by the citizenship changes (4 instead of 1 years), but I feel that the Gov is trying to f**k everyone over. Also Aus citizens.

Will have to see how this works out, but in my home town I would at least get free child care so I could go back to working in a full-time job I'm qualified for (MSc with research and work experience), and would't be forced to work in a under-paid, low qualification job... And education is also free.

Sorry, needed to vent.


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

My understanding is that it is only for CSP courses and not all are so it won't affect them.

I am an Australia citizen and my degree did definately not cost $25k, it was $40k and that was like 9 years ago.


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## EDT (Aug 22, 2014)

Mish said:


> My understanding is that it is only for CSP courses and not all are so it won't affect them.
> 
> I am an Australia citizen and my degree did definately not cost $25k, it was $40k and that was like 9 years ago.


Mish what's a CSP course .
My hubby is set to start uni next semester ( renewable energy ) 
Would he be affected .

What's going on in this country ?
I too regret asking my hubby to move here . We would have be better off staying in France . 
He's already struggling to find work let alone uni fees are going up. This is fuck up


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

EDT said:


> Mish what's a CSP course .
> My hubby is set to start uni next semester ( renewable energy )
> Would he be affected .
> 
> ...


Commonwealth supported places. It means that the government pays some of the fee.


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## EDT (Aug 22, 2014)

Mish said:


> Commonwealth supported places. It means that the government pays some of the fee.


So PR holders are eligible for commonwealth supported places ?

Sorry If i sound dump


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

EDT said:


> So PR holders are eligible for commonwealth supported places ?
> 
> Sorry If i sound dump


Currently yes but after next year they are not.


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## EDT (Aug 22, 2014)

Mish said:


> Currently yes but after next year they are not.


And my hubby is planning to study .
PR holders are basically international students. So what's the point of getting PR


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

EDT said:


> And my hubby is planning to study .
> PR holders are basically international students. So what's the point of getting PR


Honestly there are no benefits. My hubby would have been happy on a TR forever.

For post graduate people there really are no difference as they were already paying full fee domestic.

The PR are full fee paying domestics which is a bit less than internationals. However, the PR holders can get a government loan.


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## EDT (Aug 22, 2014)

Mish said:


> Honestly there are no benefits. My hubby would have been happy on a TR forever.
> 
> For post graduate people there really are no difference as they were already paying full fee domestic.
> 
> The PR are full fee paying domestics which is a bit less than internationals. However, the PR holders can get a government loan.


Did not know PR holders can get a government loan . I thought it was only for citizen.

Do you know if PR holders can get the loan if they study postgraduate course .


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## anja-swe (Nov 11, 2015)

EDT said:


> And my hubby is planning to study .
> PR holders are basically international students. So what's the point of getting PR


You can still get a loan and basically not pay upfront. Uni is not even free for citizens so why should we on PR get it for free? I see my university studies as an investment, I already have over 100k in student loan plus I am doing my masters soon. In Sweden all that would have been free but it was my choice to migrate here.


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

EDT said:


> Did not know PR holders can get a government loan . I thought it was only for citizen.
> 
> Do you know if PR holders can get the loan if they study postgraduate course .


The loan will be a new thing.

I believe the post graduates on PR can get a govt loan but don't quote me on it but I don't think it is called HELP.


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## EDT (Aug 22, 2014)

anja-swe said:


> You can still get a loan and basically not pay upfront. Uni is not even free for citizens so why should we on PR get it for free? I see my university studies as an investment, I already have over 100k in student loan plus I am doing my masters soon. In Sweden all that would have been free but it was my choice to migrate here.


What's the name of the current loan for PR
Sorry if I don't know much about it .
When I got my PR , my parents were happy to pay my school fees . So I've never had to look through all these .


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## LadyRogueRayne (Aug 17, 2015)

Ok, so now I'm starting to worry. My son will be starting uni next year (he's in year 12 now). Here in WA, on the 820, we are considered residents for schooling purposes, meaning that we would pay resident fees at Uni, not international. He's looking at going to UWA under Pathology (Science). Will this affect us? I was just looking at what tuition will cost, and making plans for it. But that high of a jump? I don't know how we'll do it, without loans. Sorry for being ignorant, but I don't know enough about all of this yet. How do we find out which universities are Commonwealth supported?


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## EDT (Aug 22, 2014)

LadyRogueRayne said:


> Ok, so now I'm starting to worry. My son will be starting uni next year (he's in year 12 now). Here in WA, on the 820, we are considered residents for schooling purposes, meaning that we would pay resident fees at Uni, not international. He's looking at going to UWA under Pathology (Science). Will this affect us? I was just looking at what tuition will cost, and making plans for it. But that high of a jump? I don't know how we'll do it, without loans. Sorry for being ignorant, but I don't know enough about all of this yet. How do we find out which universities are Commonwealth supported?


He will be consider international student on a 820 visa


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## LadyRogueRayne (Aug 17, 2015)

EDT said:


> He will be consider international student on a 820 visa


Thanks for that. I looked it up and you are right. Ugh. This isn't good news for us...but it is what it is. Luckily, he can still use US financial aid (from what I understand). Because without it, there's no way we could afford his Uni. But, on the bright side...he can register as a domestic student once we get PR...as long as he doesn't use the Commonwealth supported program. And eventually, we'll have citizenship. He wants to be a Pathologist, so he'll still be studying once we become citizens.

Sigh. Hopefully some scholarships will come through....


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## JandE (Jul 17, 2015)

LadyRogueRayne said:


> How do we find out which universities are Commonwealth supported?


Providers that offer Commonwealth assistance - Study Assist


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## John Clip (Jul 21, 2016)

" for example, would see the cost of an arts degree rise from $6,349 a year to $29,632 and for a science degree from $9,050 to $35,824. "

Straight form the News article on this very forum.

Currently PR holders are not entailed to any VET HELP or HECS HELP. I don't see any mention of PR holders gaining access to this loan except a post in this thread. Source?
University fees in Australia to rise from 2018


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## JandE (Jul 17, 2015)

This is from Higher Education Reform - Student FAQs - Study Assist

Commonwealth supported places

From 1 January 2018, subsidies for Australian permanent residents and New Zealand (NZ) citizens enrolling in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) will be withdrawn, making them fee-paying students.

The Commonwealth will instead support permanent residents and NZ citizens through access to income-contingent loans which means that they will not have to meet the cost of upfront fees.


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## John Clip (Jul 21, 2016)

'We will leave': Kiwis and permanent residents reeling from uni fee hike | SBS News

A good SBS article re PR holders


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## John Clip (Jul 21, 2016)

Thank you JandE for that link. Very Good info there.

I wonder where TAFE fits into all of this ?


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## JandE (Jul 17, 2015)

John Clip said:


> 'We will leave': Kiwis and permanent residents reeling from uni fee hike | SBS News
> 
> A good SBS article re PR holders


That report is saying that PR will have to pay international fees.

I've been reading that PR will just have to pay the full Domestic fees, and not get the discounted Domestic fees.

I am wondering which is correct.

The government sites say:

From 1 January 2018, subsidies for Australian permanent residents and New Zealand (NZ) citizens enrolling in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) will be withdrawn, making them fee paying students.

There are many citizens on full fee paying courses. Doesn't this just treat PR the same as those Australian citizens.

I think that the CSP discount is 54%.


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## John Clip (Jul 21, 2016)

With in mind that most folks will be on PR for 4years (4 and a bit while processing Citizenship), and currently most Degrees are 3 years, but many are earmarked to go to 4 years soon. I know UNSW from 2019 are changing what are currently 3 year degrees to 4 year degrees. Doing 3 "courses" (previously known as subjects per semester as apposed to 4 subjects a semester now).

It is likely that a person will change status from PR to Citizen during the degree. In this case do you think they will during the degree change fee structure?


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## JandE (Jul 17, 2015)

John Clip said:


> With in mind that most folks will be on PR for 4years (4 and a bit while processing Citizenship), and currently most Degrees are 3 years, but many are earmarked to go to 4 years soon. I know UNSW from 2019 are changing what are currently 3 year degrees to 4 year degrees. Doing 3 "courses" (previously known as subjects per semester as apposed to 4 subjects a semester now).
> 
> It is likely that a person will change status from PR to Citizen during the degree. In this case do you think they will during the degree change fee structure?


They currently change fees on a change of eligibility, so I would assume no change on that.

eg: If you are granted Australian Permanent Residency during your studies you will need to notify the University, as your tuition fee liability may change. https://www.newcastle.edu.au/resear...ts/candidature-management/permanent-residency

However, not all courses are CSP eligible anyway. That would need to be checked. And that of course may change.

Also: 


> You don't have to accept a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) if you don't want to (some students choose not to for a number of different reasons). However, these places are much cheaper than fee paying places.
> 
> If you don't want to accept a CSP, or if you want to be in a CSP for only some of your units, you need to inform your university of this in writing by the census date (or earlier administrative date) for the relevant study period. Bear in mind that your university does not have to offer you a fee paying place instead. Commonwealth supported places - Study Assist


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## EDT (Aug 22, 2014)

Anyone knows if PR holders can get a government loan to pay for their fees?


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## JandE (Jul 17, 2015)

EDT said:


> Anyone knows if PR holders can get a government loan to pay for their fees?


It looks like they will be able to from July 2018 when these changes take effect.


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## John Clip (Jul 21, 2016)

I hope you don't mind me quoting JandE in this thread form the other one in Education that no one seems to have read.

It is an excellent point I think.

_There are three levels of fees for University in Australia.

Domestic Commonwealth supported.
Domestic Full Fee.
International.

Australian permanent residents will no longer be able to apply for Commonwealth supported university places.

Does that mean they pay normal domestic fees?_


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

Yes they will pay full fee domestic fees which is less than international fees. Still expensive compared to subsidised places but not as expensive as international fees.

I believe this is another thing that needs to get voted through parliament too.


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## ampk (Sep 21, 2013)

https://future-students.uq.edu.au/apply/student-contributions-tuition-fees

Domestic from this.


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## EDT (Aug 22, 2014)

In the years to come , we will see less educated people.

PR holders can't access Fee-help as its only available to citizens and permanent humanitarian visa holders


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## ampk (Sep 21, 2013)

I must say page 21 are very deceptive and poor examples.

https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/ed17-0138_-_he_-_glossy_budget_report_acc.pdf


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## ampk (Sep 21, 2013)

This would be more honest and transparent!

Current situation: Elizabeth is a UK citizen who moved here when she was one year old and is an Australian permanent resident. She wants to study engineering at university. As she is not an Australian citizen, she is not able to access a HELP loan but may access a government subsidy through being in a CSP. Elizabeth will have to pay her student contribution amount upfront $10,808 per year, as well as her student services and amenities fee.
After measure is enacted: Elizabeth will no longer receive a CSP, but she will be able to defer her tuition fees by accessing a FEE-HELP loan. If her university chose to charge Elizabeth for the current full cost of a subsidised place, her fees could be $27,021 per year. 

Current:- Elizabeth 3 year degree will cost her $32,425
After the change she will have to pay $81,063
an extra mere $48,638 in total.

Scenario 2: New Zealand citizen in Australian higher education 
Current situation: Jonah is a 19 year old New Zealand citizen who arrived in Australia two years ago. Although Jonah arrived as a dependent minor, he does not satisfy the other long-term eligibility requirements to access a HELP loan. Jonah wants to study a Bachelor of Nursing and would have to pay his student contribution upfront of $8,184 per year.

After measure is enacted: Jonah no longer has access to a CSP, but he can access a FEE HELP loan. He can enrol in an undergraduate fee paying place and defer his fees. If his university chose to charge Jonah for the current full cost of a subsidised place, his fees would be $20,462 per year.

Current :- Jonah's 3 year degree will cost $24,552
After the change total to pay will be $61,386
Only $36,834 extra.


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## JandE (Jul 17, 2015)

EDT said:


> In the years to come , we will see less educated people.
> 
> PR holders can't access Fee-help as its only available to citizens and permanent humanitarian visa holders


They can't at the moment, but that is another thing that is changing.

From the date of the changes, July 2018, Permanent residents who are currently enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP), will have two options:
- continue your course in a CSP and continue to pay your student contribution amount upfront.
- transfer your enrolment to a fee paying place and access a FEE-HELP loan to pay your fees.

*New students will be on Domestic fees with access to loans, the same as Citizens.*



> Replacing subsidies with loans for most permanent residents and New Zealand citizens.
> 
> From 1 January 2018, subsidies for most Australian permanent residents and most New Zealand (NZ) citizens enrolling in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) will be withdrawn,making them fee-paying students.
> 
> This reform will address this anomalous situation by extending loan support to such permanent residents and New Zealand citizens and removing access to CSPs, effectively treating these students the same as domestic full fee-paying students.


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## JandE (Jul 17, 2015)

ampk said:


> Current situation: Elizabeth is a UK citizen who moved here when she was one year old and is an Australian permanent resident. She wants to study engineering at university. As she is not an Australian citizen,....


I would suggest she gets Citizenship. 
My daughter moved here when she was 1, from UK, and we knew that if she was only PR, she would not be entitled to the same University costings as a Citizen, even back them, 20 years ago.

There has always been a discrepancy between PR and Citizen.
They have just removed one and replaced it with another.

Before the change: Lower cost but NO access to loans.
After the change: Higher cost but with access to loans.

It will hurt those on PR who do have the money for Uni Fees up front.

The change will suit those on PR who can't afford Uni Fees up front, due to cash shortage.
The typical Loan Repayments will be $8 per week when they earn $800 per week after they finish, and begin work. Obviously more as they earn more.


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## ampk (Sep 21, 2013)

If I was a current student I would certainly beg, borrow or steal to keep on the CSP system and have the Commonwealth pay 60% of the total cost.

$30,000 over the 3 years is not bad and if a loan was taken over 5 years, the interest would not be too bad. Yes help from family and friends would be needed, but a far better option.


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## ampk (Sep 21, 2013)

The point JandE is they picked both poor examples and neglected totally to show the increase in cost!

That alone proves they don't want people to know about many reforms.

They also as we all know that they are controlling the Partner Visa section with kids not born to the Australian that need to be in Australia for currently around 7 years before *eligible to apply* for citizenship. We know they shift the goal posts at wish of a $ or 2.

That released paper is very dishonest in the way it tries to explain changes. But not un expected from current governments.


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## JandE (Jul 17, 2015)

ampk said:


> But not un expected from current governments.


But not un expected from *any* government in power.


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## LadyRogueRayne (Aug 17, 2015)

JandE said:


> But not un expected from *any* government in power.


Amen!!!!!!


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## John Clip (Jul 21, 2016)

Hi JandE or any one,
Anyone know the new proposed repayment schedule ?

LIke what % at how much and is it off you total income, (including the first $18k and counting the tax you pay, eg VET includes counting the tax you already pay)

EDIT, found it, page 15 here : https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/ed17-0138_-_he_-_glossy_budget_report_acc.pdf


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## ddori34 (Mar 1, 2017)

I have a more refined question in relation to the tuition fee to go up. 

What if one person was not a citizen when he or she enrolled in a uni but on the second year he or she got a citizenship? Is he or she eligible for the tuition fee for citizens from the second year on? 

One friend of mine told me that most probably the citizenship status at the time of enrollement will decide the while course years throughout whether or not he or she gets citizenship in the middle of the course? What's your opinion or a fact to be?

Thanks in advance,


Brian


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## JandE (Jul 17, 2015)

ddori34 said:


> I have a more refined question in relation to the tuition fee to go up.
> 
> What if one person was not a citizen when he or she enrolled in a uni but on the second year he or she got a citizenship? Is he or she eligible for the tuition fee for citizens from the second year on?
> 
> ...


A statement on a University website:



> You may be eligible to change your fee status from fee-paying international student to fee-paying domestic student if you have been granted:
> 
> Australian permanent residency,
> Australian humanitarian visa,
> ...


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## guscas (Apr 23, 2017)

ddori34 said:


> I have a more refined question in relation to the tuition fee to go up.
> 
> What if one person was not a citizen when he or she enrolled in a uni but on the second year he or she got a citizenship? Is he or she eligible for the tuition fee for citizens from the second year on?
> 
> ...


I got PR halfway through uni. Had to reapply through QTAC and meet the (higher) entry requirements, but did manage to get the fee reduced.


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## AmericaninOz (Nov 28, 2014)

There's always New Zealand. Seriously - that's the option my partner and I are considering at the option. Australian Permanent Residents can go to NZ Unis on domestic rates - and those were a lot lower than Australian domestic rates!


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## DanilKa (Aug 10, 2017)

Greens and Labor against it.
aph. gov. au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Education_and_Employment/HigherEducation2017/Report 
May be best to get support from independent Senators.


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## Ella2016 (Oct 23, 2017)

Any updates on permanent residents with FEE-HELP, because reading this just made me depressed. 

My husband was hoping to have a career change as we were planning what he could do once we get to Australia, although we are still waiting for the visa to be approved.


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## JandE (Jul 17, 2015)

Ella2016 said:


> Any updates on permanent residents with FEE-HELP, because reading this just made me depressed.
> 
> My husband was hoping to have a career change as we were planning what he could do once we get to Australia, although we are still waiting for the visa to be approved.


Have you looked at this: https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans-and-csps/fee-help

The 2018-19 Federal Budget contains a number of measures that affect Higher Education students.


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## aussiesteve (Mar 16, 2012)

Here is a link to the current situation, it appears to have remained as it was previously, only Citizens are eligible for Commonwealth sponsored places, and loans, permanent residents pay local not international fees.
https://www.studyassist.gov.au/helpful-resources/hereform-faqs


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## wrussell (Dec 31, 2014)

When I completed my 4 degrees 1974... degrees were free and students received an allowance. Sole parents could receive the sole parents benefit plus the allowance. 
I have been thinking about applying for FEE-HELP to undertake an online law degree, perhaps a JD.


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## Ella2016 (Oct 23, 2017)

I emailed Study Assist and asked them what are our options. Let's see what they say.


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## John Clip (Jul 21, 2016)

When I started this thread it appears many of the things that were said that night effecting many people on this forum seem to have "vanished"... eg Harder English Test

Even the recent links in this thread are* "(subject to the passage of legislation) ".* attempts to find out more have not been answered, ) I meant to MP's etc. 
it is now less than a month away !!!


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## John Clip (Jul 21, 2016)

*So it looks like it (the proposed changes) is not going through.*

Quote: 
_Page updated 21 December 2017
Improving the sustainability of higher education
A previous proposal to extend HELP loans to NZ citizens and Australian permanent residents (and remove access to CSPs) will not proceed.

Current and Future Students
What are the arrangements for NZ citizens and Australian permanent residents from 2018?

The Government will not proceed with previously proposed changes to extend access to the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) to all Australian permanent residents and all New Zealand citizens. Eligibility for access to a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) will remain as per the established legislation.

Permanent humanitarian visa holders and New Zealand Special Category Visa holders who meet the long-term residency requirements will continue to be eligible for both a CSP and HELP loans._

Source:
https://www.studyassist.gov.au/helpful-resources/hereform-faqs


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## John Clip (Jul 21, 2016)

Well Turnball got Hecs repayments changed a couple of weeks ago.
_"On 1 July 2018 the threshold falls by more than $10,000,"_

Now it is 2018 Financial year, anyone know the facts about whats changed ?

Here is a link to the quote above.Click here. takes you to a 'The Guardian' news story.

These changes about PR, Hecs/VET Loans and importantly removing PR holders from Comm courses makes a hue difference for many, actually making people just wait a year or more before starting their professional education.

Anyone know ?


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