Fees for local undergraduate students
This overview covers everything you need to know to about paying all your fees, and how to access loans to help you pay them.
This information is for you if you’re:
- an Australian or New Zealand citizen, humanitarian visa holder or an Australian permanent resident, and
- enrolled in an undergraduate degree, double degree or UniLink diploma.
If you're an Open Universities Australia (OUA) student enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported place (CSP), please refer to the Ask George help page regarding information on Student Services Amenities Fees and SA HELP. Completing the Commonwealth Supported place (CSP) HECS HELP form does not defer your Student Services Amenities Fees. Refer to the OUA website for information on fees.
What fees do I need to pay?
Tuition fees
Your tuition fees cover the basic cost of delivering your nationally recognised Swinburne course.
If you are a local student offered a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), your tuition fees are made up of two parts: a portion subsidised by the Australian Government (you don’t need to pay this back), and your own student contribution (most students use a HECS-HELP loan to pay this).
Students not offered a CSP can still enrol on an upfront fee-paying basis.
Student services and amenities fee (SSAF)
The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) funds campus services and amenities of a non‐academic nature, including:
- sport and recreation
- employment and career advice
- health and financial services
- welfare, advocacy and equity services.
The SSAF is compulsory for all online and on-campus enrolled undergraduate, postgraduate and UniLink students whether you use these services or not.
You may need to pay other miscellaneous fees from time to time.
Find out more about how the SSAF is allocated.
What loans and discounts am I eligible for?
In general, a HECS-HELP loan can be used to defer payment of your tuition fees if you are a local student who is offered a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
If you are not offered a CSP and need to borrow the full cost of your course from the government, you can access a FEE-HELP loan, provided you have not reached the FEE-HELP limit.
The FEE-HELP limit is the maximum amount you can borrow from the government in your lifetime towards your education costs. It is fixed and cannot be topped up.
An SA-HELP loan is specifically to assist with paying the Student Services and Amenities Fee.
OS-HELP is available to eligible local students for international study experiences, including exchange and study tours.
You can apply for Swinburne loans for to help cover the cost of your study materials.
There are also several scholarships available to local undergraduates who meet the criteria. You are strongly encouraged to apply.
How much are my fees?
The amount of your fees varies, depending on which units you are studying. You may be eligible to defer payment of your fees under HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.
The Student Services and Amenities Fee is calculated based on your unit load, up to a maximum of $303 per year. See how your SSAF is calculated.
To find out the exact amount you need to pay, log in to My Financials and view your Statement of Account and Tax Invoice. This always shows the current calculation based on your enrolment, and any loans and discounts you’ve successfully applied for.
View unit costs and indicative course fees.
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Note: The cost of your tuition fees as shown on your Statement of Account may not match the cost outlined on your letter of offer. This is because your Statement of Account always reflects the most current information, with any additional fees or loans and discounts applied, as well as changes to your enrolment. |
How do I pay?
You can pay your tuition fees and your SSAF for each teaching period up-front, partially, or defer the whole amount. These are your payment options:
Via a HECS-HELP (or FEE-HELP) loan from the government (and SA-HELP for the SSAF)
If you’re eligible for a HECS-HELP or SA-HELP loan and choose to defer repayment, you will only need to pay back these loans once your income rises above the minimum repayment threshold. HECS-HELP loans do not cover your SA-HELP loan, hence you need to submit an SA-HELP form if you wish to defer your fees.
Pay up-front
If you are not eligible for a HELP loan you must pay your fees up-front. If you are eligible for a HELP loan you may elect to pay your fees upfront to the university to avoid a HELP debt.
Note: All upfront payments must be received by the census date.
Partial payment
You can choose to pay a portion of your fees in a teaching period, in which case the balance for that teaching period accrues to your HECS-HELP or SA-HELP loan debt.
Payment methods
There are several ways to pay your fees:
- online via the Swinburne website/portal (My Financials)
- online via BPay (Biller Code 334193) – register with your bank or financial institution
- online via Post Billpay (Billpay code 2299) – use the website or smart phone app. You can also phone 13 18 16 or pay in person at any post office. Your reference number is on your Statement of Account
- studentHQ – pay in person on campus 9am to 5pm weekdays using credit card, EFT or cheque (cash is not accepted).
For more information about paying your fees online see our help guide My Financials: How to manage your financials online [PDF 289KB].
Note: If your account is overdrawn, you will be charged a $100 dishonour fee each time.
When do I pay?
Payment dates are spread throughout your course. You only pay for the units you’re enrolled in for each teaching period, not the whole course all at once.
To avoid penalties, you need to pay your fees by the due date on your Statement of Account, usually the census date.
What to do if you receive an 'overdue fees' notice
It’s important to pay all fees on time, including tuition fees, the SSAF and any other miscellaneous fees.
Failure to pay fees by the due date can affect your enrolment, ability to view results, and stop you graduating. You can also incur more financial penalties.
If you’ve received an overdue fees notice but believe you have paid:
- log in to My Financials and check
- if you haven’t paid the fees, make payment as soon as possible to avoid penalties, or
- if you’ve paid your fees, forward your Statement of Account and proof of payment to: fees@swin.edu.au (undergraduates, postgraduates and UniLink students)
If you’ve incurred a late-payment penalty fee for being overdue, but can show you did pay your fees on time, apply online to have the late payment fee waived.
Please note that if you do not pay your overdue fees it may be referred to a debt collection agency.