Vet Loans and
Fee assistance

The VET Student Loans (VSL) program assists eligible students pay tuition fees for approved higher-level (diploma and above) vocational education and training (VET) courses, when studying at VET Student Loans approved course providers. The program is designed to provide financial support to students undertaking higher level training in courses that address workplace and industry needs, creating better opportunities for employment.

 

What is a
VET STUDENT LOAN?

From 1 January 2017, the Commonwealth VET Student Loans program replaced the existing VET FEE-HELP loan program.

This Commonwealth Government program allows you to access loans for courses that:

  • have a high national priority
  • meet industry needs
  • contribute to addressing skills shortages
  • lead to employment outcomes.

The program also features loan caps for course loans. This means if your fees are above the loan cap, you will need to pay the difference. Please refer to the current ACMUSE Schedule of Course Fees and Charges for course costs.

How does it work?

The VET Student Loan program allows eligible students to defer tuition fees for approved diploma or advanced diploma courses.
You can either:

  • Defer all your tuition fees (up to the loan cap limit)
  • Pay some of your tuition fees upfront and defer the balance.
  • Your loan is repaid through the Australian tax system. When you reach the minimum income threshold for repayment. There is a loan fee of 20% for full fee-paying students.

Centrelink benefits do not affect your eligibility or the loan amount you can access. Fee concessions are not available for fee-for-service courses.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible, you must either:

  • be an Australian citizen, or
  • hold an eligible permanent humanitarian visa and usually reside in Australia, or
  • be a New Zealand citizen on Special Category Visa (SCV subclass 444) who meets the long term residency requirements.*

* HOLDERS OF OTHER PERMANENT VISAS AND TEMPORARY VISAS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A VET STUDENT LOAN

You must also:

  • have a tax file number or be applying for one
  • have a Unique Student Identifier (USI)
  • meet the academic suitability requirements of the VET Student Loans Student Entry procedure (that is, assessed as academically suitable to undertake a high level vocational qualification)
  • have a Commonwealth Higher Education Support Number (CHESSN)
    not have exceeded your lifetime Commonwealth student loan limit.

What is a Unique Student Identifier (USI)?

The Commonwealth requires all students studying in a nationally recognised training course to have a USI. If you already have one, please ensure you use this same USI whenever you enrol for any training. If you don’t have a USI, go to https://www.usi.gov.au/to register before you apply to enrol, or you can apply as part of your enrolment.

New Zealand citizens

The residency requirements for New Zealand citizens on a Special Category Visa are:

You first began living in Australia at least 10 years before applying for a loan, and at that time, were a child under 18 years of age and did not have a spouse or de-facto partner.

You have been in Australia for at least eight of the 10 years immediately prior to applying and at least 18 months of the last two years.
You will need to provide evidence of your eligibility to ACMUSE before requesting a VET Student Loan.

Is a VET Student Loan available for my course?

VET Student Loans are available for full-time Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses at ACMUSE. These courses are on the Commonwealth Government’s VET Student Loan program list.

Click here to view the Commonwealth Government’s VET Student Loan program approved course list.

If course prices are above the maximum loan a student may borrow, payment arrangements are available. You will be advised of these when you enquire.

How do I apply?

A VET Student Loan is an agreement between you and the Commonwealth Government.

To apply for a VET Student loan:

  • you must meet all the loan eligibility requirements
  • if you are accepted into a course, ACMUSE will advise the Commonwealth that you wish to apply
  • the Commonwealth will then email your logon details and password to access the online loan application
  • if approved, ACMUSE will be advised by the Commonwealth and your enrolment can be finalised.

As with any loan you take, you must understand the terms and conditions before you make a commitment.

Please read the VET Student Loan information available on the Commonwealth Department of Education website and consider seeking independent financial advice.

Under 18?

There are no age restrictions to apply for a VET Student Loan. For students who are under 18, your parent or guardian must co-sign your loan request.

When you apply online:

  • you will need to print your application
  • have your parent or guardian sign the application
  • then take this to your college.

Your parent or guardian will not be responsible for making loan repayments and it will not affect their credit rating. You will begin making repayments once your income reaches the minimum payment threshold.

ACMUSE Courses approved For
vet student loans

Diploma of Screen and Media

If you want to make up your career; the Diploma course has you covered. Exploring every aspect of the Makeup Industry, this course is designed for anyone wanting to become…

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Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media

Delve into the world of Prosthetic Makeup with the Advanced Diploma Course. This course is designed for anyone wanting to expand their skills and become a Special Effects Makeup artist.

View Course

Personal information and privacy notification

When you enrol at ACMUSE, the collection, storage, use and disclosure of any personal information you provide are protected by legislation. We may disclose your personal information to Australian Government agencies, including Services Australia, where this is required or authorised by Australian law.

  • Information about your enrolment with us may be disclosed if you are claiming or receiving a payment from Services Australia.
  • You are still required to notify Services Australia of any change in circumstances that may affect your payment.

Personal information disclosed to Services Australia is protected by law, including the Privacy Act 1988. More information about the way Services Australia handles personal information can be found on their privacy webpage.