Find out if you're eligible for a VET Student Loan (VSL) 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.
A VET Student Loan is a loan from the Australian Government that you can use to pay some or all of your tuition fees for approved higher-level (diploma and above) vocational education and training (VET) courses. The amount you can borrow depends on the VSL loan cap for your program. Find out if you're eligible and how to apply.
Are you eligible for a VET Student Loan?
Find out if you're eligible via the Australian Government’s VSL eligibility check.
VET Student Loans are only available to students in approved courses at the diploma level and above. To find out if your program is eligible for a VET Student Loan, check the ‘Fees’ section on the relevant program webpage. You can search for your program here.
The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology advises that:
- VET Student Loans will not be approved for students who do not meet eligibility requirements; and
- a VET Student Loan gives rise to a HELP debt that continues to be a debt due to the Commonwealth until it is repaid.
New Zealand students on a Special Category Visa
If you’re a New Zealand citizen, go to the Australian Government's Your Career 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 and keep track of your VET Student Loan. You must submit your VET Student Loan application before the census date for the classes you want the loan to cover.
For detailed information about how to apply, refer to the Australian Government’s VSL Student Manual.
1. Check you meet all eligibility requirements
Check your VET Student Loan checklist in Enrolment Online to ensure you've met all eligibility criteria.
To see your VET Student Loan checklist:
- 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.
2. Let us know you intend to apply for a VET Student Loan
If eligible, you’ll be prompted to indicate if you intend to access a VET Student 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 VET Student 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 VET Student Loans, select Request and follow the prompts.
3. Log in to the government eCAF portal
Once you've requested a VET Student Loan eCAF, an email will be sent to your RMIT student email address from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. 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.
4. Provide all required details including your Tax File Number (TFN)
Follow the prompts within the eCAF portal to complete your application. For additional information about the details you must provide, refer to the government's VSL Student Manual.
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 VET Student 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 get an email advising of problems with your Tax File Number, immediately follow the instructions to validate your TFN.
5. 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 VET Student Loan is approved
Your loan is not approved unless you have been issued with a VET Student 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.
Important: Submit your VSL progression form
To maintain your loan, you must complete all progression forms issued by the government. They're issued in February, June and October of each year. The Department will send an email to your nominated email account when it's time to complete your progression forms.
If you don’t submit your progression forms, your VET Student Loan will be cancelled and you’ll need to pay your tuition fees to RMIT.
For more information, go to Submit your VSL progression forms.
Starting a new program?
If you're transitioning into a new version of your training package or enrolling in a new program, you’ll need to re-apply for a VET Student Loan following the steps above.
VET Student Loan Program Cap
The Australian Government sets a VET Student Loan Cap for your program. This is the maximum amount of tuition you can defer to your VET Student Loan for this program, and includes any study in the same program at a different provider.
Your Program Loan Cap is displayed on your eCAF and on your invoice. Once you reach your loan cap, you'll need to pay any remaining tuition fees by the due date.
Caps are indexed annually. For more information, go to VET Student Loans Course Caps Indexed Amounts.
Your Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN)
Your Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) outlines the VET Student Loan 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 VET Student Loan 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).
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 VET Student Loan doesn’t cover the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) or other administrative fees.
Submit your VET Student Loan progression forms
You must complete all progression forms issued by the Australian Government to retain your VET Student Loan.
They're issued in February, June and October of each year. The Government will send an email to your nominated email account when it's time to complete your progression forms.
It takes about 2 minutes to complete and submit your VSL progression form.
If you don’t submit your progression forms, your VET Student Loan will be cancelled and you’ll need to pay your tuition fees to RMIT.
For more information refer to the Australian Government’s VSL Student Manual.
Need help?
- For detailed information about VET Student Loans, refer to the Australian Government's VSL Student Manual. If you still need assistance, contact Student Connect
- If you do not want to obtain a loan, you can pay your fees instead
- Tax invoices
- Understand your fees.
