The FEE-HELP and VET Student Loan (VSL) are loan schemes, provided by the government, that assist eligible students in the payment of part or all of their tuition fees.

Over their lifetime, eligible students may borrow up to the combined HELP loan limit. For students applying at AIT, the limit is $109,206 effective from 1 January 2022. In addition, there is a one-off loan fee of 20%, imposed by the government, for undergraduate courses and vocational courses of study. 

The government pays AIT the amount of the loan, and students pay it back through the Australian taxation system once their annual taxable income reaches the minimum repayment threshold.

From 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023 the threshold at which you begin to pay back your loan is $48,361. This amount is subject to change annually. You may view the threshold here.

FEE-HELP and VET Student Loans don’t attract interest but a CPI increase is applied every June 1st for amounts that have been unpaid for 11 months or more.

Read more about FEE-HELP and VET Student Loans here.

- Are enrolled in a FEE-HELP approved course offered by a FEE-HELP approved provider.

- Meet citizenship/residency requirements.

- Have an available HELP balance of more than $0 (that is, have sufficient HELP balance remaining).

- Meet student entry requirements.

The first Census Date is the date by which you will need to submit your application for FEE-HELP or VET Student Loan. This is the date by which you can also withdraw from a Unit of Study without penalty or incurring any fees or a FEE-HELP or VET Student Loan debt. All vocational courses offered by AIT and its partners generally have 3 study periods and census dates.

If you are aged under 18 at the time of applying for a VET Student Loan you must complete the Parental Consent Form and submit to AIT before we can provide you with an eCAF (Student loan Application form).

VET Student Loans is a Government loan program that helps students pay for their tuition fees up to a set amount (known as a loan cap). As the difference between the loan cap and course price varies by study mode, please speak to your Course & Careers Adviser about what this means for you.

The government directly pays AIT the amount of the loan, and students (that is you) pay it back through the Australian taxation system once their annual income reaches the minimum repayment threshold.

This amount is subject to change annually, you may view the threshold here. From 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023 the threshold at which you begin to pay back your loan is $48,361.

Eligible students can apply for a loan to pay for their fees up to capped amounts through the Commonwealth Government’s VET Student Loans scheme. The loan applies to eligible courses at the Diploma level or above. Academy of Information Technology is an approved VET Student Loans provider. For more information, read the VET Student Loan Booklet.

Find out more about Applying for VSL

For further information about VET Student Loans click here to visit the VSL section of the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman.

• be an Australian citizen; or
• hold a permanent humanitarian visa and usually reside in Australia; or
• be a qualifying New Zealand citizen.

Check your eligibility here.

For further information about VET Student Loans visit the Australian Government website and download the current VET Student Loans Information Booklet.

To read AIT's Tuition Assurance Provider Obligations Statement please  CLICK HERE

For students utilising either of the Commonwealth Government's student loan schemes (FEE-HELP or VET Student Loan) information provided as part of the application process will upon submission automatically be copied to Services Australia.

AIT is an approved provider of FEE-HELP & VET Student Loan courses for Higher Education Diplomas and Bachelors & VET Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas.

Students are advised that in accordance with government reporting requirements students' details in relation to the loan will automatically be reported to Services Australia.

For helpful links, see below:

* VET Student Loans

* VET Student Loans Information Booklet

* FEE-HELP

* FEE-HELP Information Booklet

* HELP Video