How much does a unit of study (subject) cost?

To calculate the cost of a unit of study (subject) as a Commonwealth supported student follow the simple steps below.

Step 1

Visit the units of study database and take note of:

• the student contribution band the unit of study is in
• the EFTSL value of the unit of study

Step 2

In this table, look up the contribution per 1 EFTSL for the student contribution band in the unit of study you are interested in.

If you are unsure of which contribution rate you should use, ensure to calculate your liability as a student commencing in 2012 (i.e. “Students commencing study after January 2010” column).

Step 3

Use your calculator and multiply the unit of study's EFTSL value by its contribution band rate.

For example, the unit of study EDUF1018 – Education, Teachers and Teaching is worth 0.125 EFTSL (6 credit points) and is in student contribution Band 2 ($8,050 per 1 EFTSL, for a student who commenced their studies after 1 January 2010).

The contribution for this subject is calculated as follows:

$8,050 x 0.125 = $1,006.25

As the result consists of dollars and cents, the amount is to be rounded down to the nearest dollar. Therefore, the contribution for EDUF1018 is $1,006.00.

To calculate your student contribution for the year, you will need to follow these steps for each of the units of study you intend to complete this year.

Please note the following:

Australian citizens and permanent humanitarian visa holders who do not wish to pay their student contribution upfront and ask for a HECS-HELP loan (i.e. opting to defer their student contribution to the tax system) will have $1,006.00 reported to the tax office as a HECS-HELP loan for EDUF1018; while all other permanent resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens will be required to pay $1,006.00 for EDUF1018 up front to the University.

Australian citizens and permanent humanitarian visa holders who opt to pay their contribution upfront are eligible to receive a 20%* discount (referred to as a HECS-HELP discount). To determine the discounted amount for EDUF1018, multiply the contribution amount by 0.80.

For example: $1,006.00 x 0.80 = $804.80 (here, the amount is not rounded down to the nearest dollar and students are required to pay dollars and cents)

For further information on Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP please refer to the Going to Uni website. Please note: in mid-December, the Going to Uni website will be replaced by a new website called Study Assist).

*20% is the current (i.e. in 2011) discount received on upfront payments. Pending Government legislation, this discount rate may change to 10% from 2012.