Other Helpful Information
Find further helpful information in the sections below by clicking on the area you are interested in.
AC is a VET Student Loans approved provider for select VET courses (see Course pages for more information).
If you wish to use a VET Student Loan, AC will need to determine your identity and that you are academically eligible for a VET Student Loan. This is in addition to meeting any other specific entry requirements for your course.
VET Student Loans Information Booklet
Note: Information including all FAQs about VET Student Loans are regularly updated on the Department of Education and Training Information for VET Student Loans website. This website details what VET Student Loans are, explains the criteria for eligibility and also details the surrounding requirements that need to be considered before applying for a VET Student Loan.
Academic Suitability
To assess your academic suitability we will ask that you satisfy one of the following requirements:
- Provide a copy of your Australian Year 12 Certificate OR
- Provide a copy of an English qualification at Certificate 4 level or higher OR
- Be assessed by AC at Exit Level 3 in the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) in both reading and numeracy
Please note that the results of your academic suitability assessment will be reported to the government’s VSL Secretary.
Concerning the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) assessment:
- AC will arrange for an assessment of your competence in reading and numeracy
- This will occur through an online test called the Core Skills Profile for Adults (CSPA). This is at no cost to you and will take around 30 minutes per test (not timed). You will be provided with a link and log on details to take the tests.
- The assessment must be completed by yourself, with no assistance from anyone else, with honesty and integrity.
- Your results will be reported to you by AC staff as soon as practical after the assessment.
- AC staff will then guide you on the next steps.
Identity & Citizenship
We will also need to collect and verify information about your identity, date of birth and citizenship.
- Identity Evidence: Birth Certificate or Passport
- Citizenship Evidence:
- Australian Citizen – Birth Certificate OR Australian Citizenship Certificate
- A permanent humanitarian visa holder, who is usually resident in Australia – Passport
- New Zealander’s are eligible if they:
- First began residing in Australia at least 10 years ago and at that time you were a child under the age of 18 with no spouse or de facto partner; and
- You have been in Australia for at least: a total of eight out of the past 10 years; and a total of 18 months out of the last two years.
- Evidence Required: A movement record and Passport
- If you are under 18 years of age, we will ask for a guardian/parental consent form OR information that you have received youth allowance and are viewed as independent.
Important information about VET Student Loans:
- Your VET Student Loan debt (VETSL debt) must be paid back at the relevant repayment rate when your repayment income is above the compulsory repayment threshold. The compulsory repayment threshold is adjusted annually and is $46,620 for the 2020-21 financial year. Note: Any VET Student Loan debt incurred prior to 1 July 2019 was referred to as your Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debt and continues to be part of that existing accumulated HELP debt account.
- At least twice each calendar year for the duration of your course, you are required to submit a Progression Form to confirm your continued engagement in your course of study. Your approved course provider (provider) will arrange for Progression Forms to be sent to you using the Department of Education, Skills and Employment’s electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) system. Your ongoing access to a VET Student Loan is dependent upon you demonstrating that you are still engaged in and progressing through your course.
- You will incur your liability to pay tuition fees for each part of your course on the census day for that part of your course.
- If you do not wish to incur a liability for that part of the course you must withdraw your enrolment in that part of the course, before the census day. You must withdraw in writing and in line with your approved course provider’s withdrawal procedure.
- Full fee paying/fee for service students will incur a 20 per cent loan fee[1] on their VET Student Loan. Students enrolled in a diploma and advanced diploma level course whose enrolment is subsidised by a state or territory government do not incur a loan fee.
- You must meet the eligibility criteria to access a VET Student Loan. You will need to supply information to your provider to prove you meet the eligibility criteria.
- The amount of a VET Student Loan for a course is capped. The loan may not be sufficient to cover all the tuition fees for a course. Your provider must send you a written notice of the amount of your course tuition fees covered by the loan and any gap fees required to be paid by you. The information must be sent to you by the first census day for your course. You are responsible for paying the gap fee as you progress through your course.
- Information about tuition fees covered by the VET Student Loans program, any other fees payable for the course, and information on how to withdraw before the census day without incurring fees, will be supplied to you by your provider prior to your enrolment.
