Fee-related information
Domestic students
The information on this page is for domestic students. International students can click here for costs and fee-related information.
Fees are the same for domestic and international students. FEE-HELP and tuition assurance arrangements are applicable to eligible domestic students only.
Course fees, census dates and policy information
Learn more about the HDR course fees, payment dates (census dates), unpaid fees, withdrawal and refund policy.
FEE-HELP loan
Australian citizens and holders of permanent humanitarian visas are generally entitled to apply for FEE-HELP assistance to pay part or all their tuition fees. A FEE-HELP loan does not cover costs like accommodation, laptops or text books.
Sydney College of Divinity is an approved higher education provider and our research students may be eligible for a FEE-HELP loan to pay part or all of your tuition fees.
You can borrow up to the combined HELP limit to pay your tuition fees. This includes all FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP and Vet Student Loans and any HECS-HELP loans incurred from 1 January 2020. The HELP loan limit replaced the FEE-HELP limit from 1 January 2020. Learn more about the 2020 loan limit changes.
For 2021, the HELP loan limit will be $108,232. There is no loan fee for HDR courses.
To get a FEE-HELP loan, you will need a tax file number (TFN) and a Request for FEE-HELP assistance form that is available from the Graduate Research School office. This form must be submitted to the Registrar before the census date of the semester for which the student is requesting FEE-HELP.
Amendments were made in June 2020 to the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA).
- From 1 January 2021, it is compulsory for new students commencing in 2021 to apply for and obtain a Unique Student Identifier (USI) in order to be eligible for Commonwealth assistance (Commonwealth supported place (CSP) and/or HELP loan).
- The Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number (CHESSN) will be gradually decommissioned and replaced by the USI.
For up-to-date information always visit www.studyassist.gov.au
Tuition Assurance Requirements
Statement of Course Assurance
Sydney College of Divinity is a body corporate registered on the Australian Qualifications Framework in the states of New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, and Tasmania. Under the provisions of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) and the associated HEP Guidelines, Sydney College of Divinity is required to provide a tuition assurance arrangement for Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or holders of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa who are enrolled in higher education courses it offers. This requirement is to protect students in the event that we cease to provide a course of study in which a student is enrolled.
In the event that Sydney College of Divinity ceases to provide a course of study in which a student is enrolled the student is entitled to either:
Course Assurance Option which is an offer of a place in a similar course of study with the Australian College of Theology (ACT) without any requirement to pay ACT any student contribution or tuition fee for any replacement units OR
Student Contribution/Tuition Fee Repayment Option which is a refund of any up-front fee payments made by the student for any unit of study commenced but not completed as Sydney College of Divinity is no longer providing the course of study of which the unit forms a part.
Sydney College of Divinity has met the tuition assurance requirements of the HESA through its current membership of the Sydney College of Divinity Tuition Assurance Scheme (TAS).
For students using FEE-HELP, the Government has introduced new arrangements from 1 January 2018 that include exempting particular higher education providers from Tuition Assurance, subject to meeting certain conditions.
Students studying on an Australia student visa are covered by the Tuition Protection Service (TPS), an initiative of the Australian Government to assist international students whose education providers are unable to fully deliver their course of study. Sydney College of Divinity makes a compulsory payment to the Government to protect the interests of our international students.