Student Services and Amenities Fee

The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) is a semesterly fee that supports student services and amenities at RMIT.

What is SSAF?

The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) is a compulsory semesterly fee charged by most Australian universities. SSAF pays for non-academic services and amenities that don’t relate directly to your program – everything from clubs to career advisors. Check out what SSAF pays for at RMIT below. 

What does SSAF pay for?

SSAF funds a wide range of online and face-to-face services and amenities:

Download the 2022 SSAF Allocation and Expenditure Report (PDF) Download the 2022 SSAF Allocation and Expenditure Report (PDF, 2MB)
RMIT departments and RUSU can also put forward project and activity proposals for SSAF funding. These are reviewed by the Student Experience Advisory Group (SEAG) (PDF, 214KB) to ensure they meet all SSAF funding guidelines, and approved by the SSAF Steering Committee (PDF, 214KB).
 
RMIT ensures that all SSAF funding is spent in line with the Australian Government SSAF Administration Guidelines.
 
The guidelines state that institutions can only spend SSAF on the provision of the services that fall under the 19 allowable items. Providers can choose to deliver the services and amenities themselves or contract a third party to deliver the services and amenities on the providers' behalf.
 
Want to find out more? Download the latest SSAF Allocation and Expenditure Report below, which includes details of actual SSAF allocation and expenditure.

Who decides what SSAF is spent on?

Your voice helps inform how your SSAF supports student life outside of the classroom at RMIT. As part of the annual student consultation process, RMIT students who pay SSAF are emailed a survey, asking them to choose their top five listed initiatives. The survey results are then used to inform funding decisions.

RMIT also engages with democratically elected student representatives and representatives from major student organisations regarding the specific uses of proceeds from SSAF. These include RUSU, strategic advisory groups and committees, and student focus groups.

For more information, download the SSAF Annual Student Consultation Process (PDF, 330KB)

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Thanks SSAF logo.

Thanks SSAF

Look out for the Thanks SSAF logo on webpages and at events. If you see the logo, it means the service or event was funded, in part or in full, by SSAF.

Who pays SSAF?

Any student who is studying an RMIT coursework program in Australia or online (including RMIT Online), and who is charged tuition fees by RMIT, will also be charged SSAF based on their enrolment.

This includes students studying in the Free TAFE initiative, and outbound exchange students who remain enrolled at RMIT.

Domestic research students commencing in 2021 or later are also charged SSAF.

If you’re unsure about whether you are required to pay the fee, please view your student invoice or your online account in Enrolment Online.

How much does SSAF cost?

How much you pay in SSAF will depend on how many courses (subjects) you take each semester. SSAF rates are determined by the Australian Government and set on an annual basis.

In 2024, SSAF will be charged each semester at the following rate:

  • Higher education and Foundation Studies students: $3.66 per credit point for each course, not exceeding the annual maximum of $351 for the year
  • Vocational education students: $0.49 per nominal student contact hour,  not exceeding the annual maximum of $351 for the year. Vocational education students who are eligible for a concession on tuition fees are also eligible for a concession on SSAF. The 2024 concession rate is $0.10 per nominal student contact hour

If you change your enrolment before census date, this will affect the amount of SSAF you are charged for that semester. If you have already paid your SSAF for that semester, and your SSAF amount decreases because you drop a course or take a leave of absence before census date, you can apply for a fee refund.

If you change your enrolment after census date, you will remain liable for your SSAF fee and SA-HELP for that semester.

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When do I pay my SSAF?

The due date for SSAF is the same as for your course fees. 

If you are enrolled in courses in a standard semester, your SSAF and course fees will generally be due on the semester census date (see table below for 2024 census dates). You can also find your due date listed in Enrolment Online and on your invoice.

Cohort Semester Census date
Higher education (Undergraduate and postgraduate) students Summer semester 2023-2024 12 January 2024
Semester 1 2024 31 March 2024
Semester 2 2024 31 August 2024
Spring semester 2024 6 December 2024
Vocational education (TAFE) students Semester 1 2024 3 April 2024
Semester 2 2024 2 September 2024

If you are enrolled in a flexible term, your SSAF will be calculated at the point you enrol and your SSAF due date will be listed in Enrolment Online and on your invoice.

How do I pay my SSAF?

See your invoice for fee payment methods and due dates. 

You are required to pay SSAF in full by the due date on your invoice, or apply to defer payment with SA-HELP (if you are eligible) by the census date for that semester.

On your invoice, SSAF and course fees are listed separately so you can easily see how much each costs.

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.