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Financial support and scholarships

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Going to university is a big financial commitment, but don’t let the cost of study deter you. At the University of Sydney we can help you in many ways.

There are five main avenues of financial support available to you. It’s helpful to think of them separately, as each has a different timeline and application process.

Centrelink

The first thing is to check whether you’re eligible for a Centrelink allowance or scholarship. Start investigating this at least six months before your uni course starts.

Scholarships

There are also University of Sydney and faculty scholarships. You need to apply for most of these by September of the year before your course starts.

While you're at uni, there are ongoing scholarships you can apply for too.

HECS-HELP

Next, you need to pay for your course fees at the start of semester. As a Commonwealth-supported student, the federal government will pay a large portion of your course fees.

Eligible students can access HECS-HELP assistance – they can either pay upfront with a 10 percent HECS-HELP discount or obtain a full or part HECS-HELP loan. If you obtain a HECS-HELP loan, you will start paying your loan when the income is above a certain amount (in 2012 the minimum threshold was $47,196).

SA-HELP

You also need to pay the Student Services and Amenities (SSA) fee at the start of semester. This has an annual limit of $263 in 2012, indexed annually thereafter. Eligible students can obtain an SA-HELP loan from the government if required.

  • More about the SSA fee
  • Visit the government's Study Assist website to find out about SA-HELP

Financial Assistance Service

If you need help later on, we offer bursaries (payments for students in need), interest-free loans and emergency financial help, which you can apply for at any time during your studies.