VET Student Loans

VET Student Loans

Find out if you're eligible for a VET Student Loan and how to apply.

Are you eligible for a VET Student Loan?

Find out if you're eligible on the Australian Government’s VET Student Loans website.

VET Student Loans are only available to students in approved courses at the diploma level and above. Find out which RMIT courses are approved for VET Student Loans.

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.

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.

Before you apply

There are a few things to check before you apply for a VET Student Loan.
 

1. Read the government information booklet

When you submit a request for a VET Student Loan to the government, you are declaring that you have read and understood the booklet and your obligations before you access the loan.

2. Make sure your citizenship has been verified

To be eligible for a VET Student Loan, you must verify your citizenship. This is part of the enrolment process in Enrolment Online. If you haven't already done so, verify your citizenship now.

3. Make sure you have a Unique Student Identifier (USI)

The USI is your life-long individual education number. It’s a government requirement that you have a USI to enrol in a vocational education program.

4. Have your Tax File Number or certificate of application ready

You must have a Tax File Number (TFN) or certificate of application for a TFN to apply for a VET Student Loan. If you don't have a TFN, apply for one now.

Your TFN must also validate on your loan application. Once you have a TFN, confirm the details with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) before submitting your application.

Under 18?

You need to complete the VET Student Loans Parental Consent Form and submit it via the Student Connect portal at least 5 business days before your census date.

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 VET Student Loan eCAF fact sheet.

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

2. Let us know you intend to apply for a VET Student Loan

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.
  • Go to My student record.
  • Under Financial details, select Manage Commonwealth Assistance and Optional Loans.
  • Select Request next to VET Student Loans and follow the prompts.

3. Log in to the government 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.

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.

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 VET Student Loan eCAF fact sheet.

As part of your application, you must enter your TFN or certificate of application for a TFN on your eCAF.

Unless your TFN successfully validates 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 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.

6. Submit your VET Student Loan progression forms

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 VET Student Loans – Student Progression Fact Sheet.

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:

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.

Know and track your loan

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.
  • Select My student record.
  • Under Financial details, select View Commonwealth Assistance Notices (CANs).

VET Student Loan Program Cap

The Australian Government sets a VET Student Loan Program 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.

Loan limit

There's a combined limit to how much you can borrow under HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, VET-FEE-HELP and VET Student Loans. This is called your HELP loan limit.

If you’ve reached your combined HELP loan limit, you’ll need to pay your student contribution (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. 

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