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Student services and amenities fee
The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) pays for important student services and amenities such as health and welfare services, financial advice, accommodation assistance, advocacy, sport, cultural and recreational activities.
It’s important to remember that student services and amenities funding helps to improve everyone’s student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.
To get the most out of university life, discover some of the services the SSAF contributes to including:
- student support services (includes chaplaincy, counselling, health, accommodation, finance, disability support and careers)
- clubs and societies
- advocacy service
- legal advice
- leadership and volunteer program
- sport and fitness
- night bus
- student events
- student media publications.
How much is the SSAF?
The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) differs per student. Your SSAF is a pro-rata fee calculated based on your course load, up to a maximum of A$315 per year in 2022; this will increase to a maximum of A$326 in 2023.
Calculating your SSAF
All higher education (online and on-campus) students pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). This includes all students who are enrolled in undergraduate, postgraduate and UniLink courses.
The main student groups who are exempt from paying the SSAF are vocational education and international students.
How the fee is calculated
Your SSAF is a pro-rata fee calculated based on your course load (number of credit points that you’re enrolled in).
In 2022, this fee is calculated up to a maximum of A$315 per year. The charge per credit point is A$3.776.
For example, the 2022 SSAF for a typical 12.5 credit point unit is A$47.20 (12.5cp x A$3.776 = A$47.20).
In 2023, SSAF will be calculated up to a maximum of A$326 per year and the charge per credit point will be A$3.904.
Fee calculations by course type
The following tables summarise the fees that apply for standard and non-standard scenarios. Fees are based per course type, whether you are a full-time or part-time student (enrolled in <75 per cent of a full-time load for the year) and what mode of study you are undertaking (such as online, Professional Placement, etc.).
2022 standard higher education scenarios
| Type of student | Charge per credit point | Maximum fee |
|---|---|---|
| Associate degree | A$3.776 | A$315 |
| Local undergraduate | A$3.776 | A$315 |
| Local postgraduate | A$3.776 | A$315 |
| National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) | A$3.776 | A$315 |
| Staff | A$3.776 | A$315 |
| Cross-institutional (outbound) | A$3.776 | A$315 |
| Scholarship recipients e.g. VC Scholarships, Dean Scholarships, external Scholarships, sponsored students (local) |
A$3.776 | A$315 |
| Domestic Pathway (UniLink) | A$3.776 | A$315 |
| Open Universities Australia (OUA) – Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) | A$3.776 | A$315 |
2023 standard higher education scenarios
| Type of student | Charge per credit point | Maximum fee |
|---|---|---|
| Associate degree | A$3.904 | A$326 |
| Local undergraduate | A$3.904 | A$326 |
| Local postgraduate | A$3.904 | A$326 |
| National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) | A$3.904 | A$326 |
| Staff | A$3.904 | A$326 |
| Cross-institutional (outbound) | A$3.904 | A$326 |
| Scholarship recipients e.g. VC Scholarships, Dean Scholarships, external Scholarships, sponsored students (local) |
A$3.904 | A$326 |
| Domestic Pathway (UniLink) | A$3.904 | A$326 |
| Open Universities Australia (OUA) – Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) | A$3.904 | A$326 |
2022 non-standard higher education scenarios
| Type of student | Rule |
|---|---|
Mix of Professional Placement and standard study in same course Example: 1 x on-campus unit while undertaking a Professional Placement for 12 months |
SSAF charged for on-campus unit at A$3.776 per credit point |
Mix of on-campus and online study Example: 2 x on-campus units and 5 x online units = 7 units or 3 x on-campus units and 3 x online units |
SSAF charged per credit point up to A$315 maximum fee |
| Single course load is an overload i.e. > 1 FTE | SSAF charge of A$315 maximum fee |
| Any combination of part-time and full-time load that exceeds > 1 FTE | SSAF charged against full-time units only at $315 maximum fee |
2023 non-standard higher education scenarios
| Type of student | Rule |
|---|---|
Mix of Professional Placement and standard study in same course Example: 1 x on-campus unit while undertaking a Professional Placement for 12 months |
SSAF charged for on-campus unit at A$3.904 per credit point |
Mix of on-campus and online study Example: 2 x on-campus units and 5 x online units = 7 units or 3 x on-campus units and 3 x online units |
SSAF charged per credit point up to A$326 maximum fee |
| Single course load is an overload i.e. > 1 FTE | SSAF charge of A$326 maximum fee |
| Any combination of part-time and full-time load that exceeds > 1 FTE | SSAF charged against full-time units only at $326 maximum fee |
Part-time study Students studying fewer than 75 credit points in one year |
SSAF charge capped at $244 for part-time study Students studying on a part-time basis cannot be charged more than 75 per cent of the maximum fee |
Some students are exempt from paying the SSAF. This includes students enrolled in the following courses or programs for 2022:
- vocational education courses
- international students in Australia (undergraduate, postgraduate and research)
- international students living overseas (Swinburne Online international)
- Astronomy Online
- exchange (outbound and inbound)
- Study Abroad (outbound and inbound)
- cross-institutional (inbound)
- Open Universities Australia (OUA) — single subject enrolment in a non-award course
- online taught by Industry Partner
- off-campus taught by Industry Partner
- domestic PhD and Masters by Research
- Recognised Prior Learning (RPL).
Can you defer a payment?
Yes, you may be eligible to defer payment of the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) using a government SA-HELP loan. Learn more about SA-HELP loans.
Looking for past SSAF allocations?
View the 2022 Student Services and Amenities Fee allocation at Swinburne.
What can the SSAF be spent on?
The federal government states that universities must only use the SSAF funds for specific services. Find out what services the SSAF expenditure may and may not be spent on.
An overview of services that the SSAF can be spent on includes:
- providing food or drink to students on a campus of the higher education provider
- supporting a sporting or other recreational activity by students
- supporting the administration of a club most of whose members are students
- caring for children of students
- providing legal services to students
- promoting the health or welfare of students
- helping students obtain employment or advice on careers.
What can't the SSAF funding be spent on?
The fee cannot be used for the provision of academic services, nor can it be used to support political parties or the election of a person to a Commonwealth, State, Territory Parliament or Local Government body.
Want to know more about the 2023 SSAF allocation process?
Read our 2023 Student Services and Amenities fee allocation process and review student consultations, expectations and priorities for expenditure in 2023.