Find out if you're eligible for a FEE-HELP loan and how to apply.
You now need a Digital ID to log in to the myHELPbalance portal
The myHELPbalance portal is where you can view your remaining borrowing balance under the combined Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) loan limit. This includes HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP and VET Student Loans.
You now need a Digital ID to log in to the myHELPbalance portal.
The Australian Government’s Digital ID app is called myID. To set up your myID, visit the myID website and follow the instructions.
FEE-HELP is a loan from the Australian Government that you can use to pay all or part of your tuition fees in a full fee place when you study an approved higher education course. Find out if you're eligible and how to apply.
Are you eligible for FEE-HELP?
Find out if you're eligible on the Australian Government’s Study Assist website.
New Zealand students on a Special Category Visa (or former SCV holders)
If you’re an Australian Permanent Resident (Non-Humanitarian Visa holder) and/or New Zealand citizen, see the Non-Australian citizens information on the Study Assist website for information about eligibility.
To assess your eligibility, RMIT requires a copy of your International Movement Record. You can request a copy of this document by visiting the Department of Home Affairs website. We recommend applying for this document immediately after enrolment to allow the department time to process the request, and RMIT to assess your eligibility before your first census date.
Please submit your documents via Student Connect at least 5 business days before your first census date for assessment of your eligibility and resubmission of your updated eCAF if deemed eligible.
Not eligible?
If you’re not eligible, or don't apply before your census date, you must pay your fees by the due date or your enrolment will be cancelled.
How to apply
Follow the steps below to apply for FEE-HELP. You must submit your FEE-HELP application before the census date for the classes you want the loan to cover.
1. Let us know if you intend to apply for FEE-HELP
If eligible, you’ll be prompted to indicate if you intend to access a FEE-HELP loan when you enrol in Enrolment Online. A notification email will be sent to your RMIT student email address confirming your response.
If you did not apply for a FEE-HELP loan during enrolment, but would now like to access one, follow these steps:
- Log in to Enrolment Online with your RMIT email address and password. Forgotten your password? Reset it
- Select Finances
- Select Commonwealth Support
- Select Commonwealth Loans
- Next to FEE-HELP loans, select Request and follow the prompts.
2. Log in to the government portal
Once you have requested an eCAF, an email will be sent to your RMIT student email address from the Department of Education. The email contains a unique passkey that, together with your date of birth, is required to log in to the government's eCAF portal.
Read the email and follow the instructions to log in to the government’s eCAF portal and begin your application.
If you can’t find your email, make sure to check your spam folder and search for messages from ecafsystem@education.gov.au.
3. Enter your Tax File Number (TFN)
Enter your TFN or certificate of application for a TFN on your eCAF.
If you're using a Certificate of Application for a TFN, make sure you upload supporting evidence in your eCAF. If you have already received your TFN, enter it directly in the TFN field. Your TFN will be validated as part of your eCAF application with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). If it does not validate, you'll receive a message advising that the validation was unsuccessful.
If your TFN does not successfully validate with the Australian Taxation Office, your FEE-HELP loan will not be approved, and your tuition fees must then be paid in full to RMIT by the due date.
Can’t validate your TFN?
If you receive an email advising of problems with your Tax File Number, immediately follow the instructions to validate your TFN.
4. Submit your application via the government's eCAF portal
Remember to submit your application before your first census date.
There are no provisions to backdate your loan application if you submit after your census date.
How to check your FEE-HELP loan is approved
Your loan is not approved unless you have been issued with a FEE-HELP loan approval letter.
Once you submit your eCAF, with a validated Tax File Number, it will be approved and a loan approval letter will be issued to you the next day.
Follow these steps to access your loan approval letter:
- Log in to Enrolment Online with your RMIT email address and password. Forgotten your password? Reset it
- Select Finances
- Select Commonwealth support
- Select Loan approval letter.
Starting a new program?
If you change your program and/or enrol in a new program, you’ll need to re-apply for FEE-HELP for your new program following the steps above.
Know and track your loan
Your Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN)
Your Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) outlines the FEE-HELP debt you've incurred and any upfront payments you've made towards your fees.
RMIT will issue you with a Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) within 28 days of each class census date. A notification email will be sent to your RMIT student email account and your nominated personal email when your CAN is available.
If there are any discrepancies between your FEE-HELP debt and the amount you were expecting to pay, you have 14 days from the CAN issue date to submit a written request for a correction.
To view or print your Commonwealth Assistance Notice
- Log in to Enrolment Online with your RMIT email address and password. Forgotten your password? Reset it
- Select Finances
- Select Commonwealth support
- Select Assistance notices (CANs).
FEE-HELP and your tax invoice
If your FEE-HELP loan is approved, your fees will automatically defer to your loan shortly after each census date. You’ll still receive a tax invoice each time you vary your enrolment, to give you the option of making an upfront payment to reduce your overall loan amount.
HELP loan limit
There's a combined limit to how much you can borrow under HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP and VET Student Loans. This is called your combined HELP loan limit.
If you’ve reached your combined HELP loan limit, you’ll need to pay your tuition fees before the census date to ensure your enrolment isn't cancelled.
How to check your combined HELP loan limit
Go to the myHELP balance portal to find out your current HELP limit and how much of your HELP balance you have left to borrow. For more information about the combined HELP limit, go to Study Assist.
Remember to pay your non-tuition fees
Your FEE-HELP loan doesn’t cover the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) or other administrative fees. You may be eligible to apply for SA-HELP to cover your SSAF. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay it upfront by the due date.
Need help?
- For detailed information about FEE-HELP and other Commonwealth assistance loans, go to the Australian Government's Study Assist website.
- If you have questions about your application for FEE-HELP, contact Student Connect.
- If you do not want to obtain a loan, you can pay your fees instead.
- Tax invoices.
- Understand your fees.
