Glossary of University Jargon
| Term (Jargon) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Academic withdrawal date | The final day a student can withdraw from a unit of study without incurring an academic penalty, such as a recorded fail grade. This date does not have the same financial implications as the Census Date which will often be a different (earlier) date. |
| Accumulated HELP debt | The total of any HECS-HELP, OS-HELP, FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP/VET Student Loans or SA-HELP debts you have incurred (including any Australian Government study loans incurred before 2005). This total is held at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). |
| Australian Citizen | Australian Citizens are defined under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. A student can be a citizen by birth, by descent or have had citizenship conferred through completing the process administered by the Department of Home Affairs. |
| Australian Taxation Office (ATO) | The Australian Taxation Office (also known as the ATO) is the principal revenue collection agency of the Australian Government. The ATO is responsible for managing HELP debt repayments through the income tax system. |
| Census Date | This date is the legal deadline for a number of requirements for students enrolled in Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). Under legislation the date cannot be altered once it is set and published. It is the final date a student in a CSP may do the following:
The University has no discretion to allow a student in a Commonwealth Supported Place to do any of the above after the census date. |
| Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) | A notice from the university issued after the census date that gives you information about the Commonwealth assistance you have used for the study period. It is uploaded to your myUNE student portal within 28 days of the census date. |
| Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number (CHESSN) | A unique identifier issued by the Federal Department of Education to every person studying in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), using a HELP loan or receiving a Commonwealth Scholarship. |
| Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) | A place at the university that is subsidised by the Australian Government. Students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) only have to pay the ‘student contribution’ amount for their study. |
| Course of study (course) | The government definition of this term refers to studies that lead to a higher education award, for example a bachelor degree. A course of study can also be an enabling course. |
| Defer (Fees) | In this context, to Defer Fees means to use a HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP or SA-HELP loan to send the invoice to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and to defer payment of this amount to the income tax system, when the student is earning over the HELP Repayment Threshold in taxable income. |
| Defer (Studies) | In this context, to Defer Studies means that the student has deferred the initial commencement of their course attempt. This is different from a continuing student taking an intermission in their studies. |
| Electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) | An electronic version of the form that students must submit to the university prior to the census date to request a HELP loan and/or accept an offer of a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). |
| Fee paying place | A place in a course which is not a Commonwealth Supported Place (i.e. not subsidised by the Australian Government) and for which you are required to pay tuition fees. |
| FEE-HELP | Australian Government loan scheme that helps eligible Domestic Full Fee paying students pay their tuition fees. |
| HECS-HELP | Australian Government loan scheme that helps eligible students in Commonwealth Supported Places pay their student contributions. Before 2005, this was known as HECS. |
| HELP Repayment Threshold | The point at which the amount of taxable income a student is earning means that they start making compulsory HELP repayments to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) through their tax returns. |
| Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) | Australian Government loans that help eligible students pay their tuition fees (FEE-HELP or VET FEE-HELP/VET Student Loans), student contribution amounts (HECS-HELP), overseas study expenses (OS-HELP) or the student services and amenities fee (SA-HELP). HELP loans are repaid through the Australian tax system once people earn above the compulsory repayment threshold. |
| Higher Education Support Act 2003 | The Commonwealth legislation that governs the requirements for Commonwealth Supported Places and/or a HELP loan. |
| Indexation | HELP debts are adjusted annually by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) in line with the Consumer Price Index to maintain their real value. This is called indexation |
| Permanent Humanitarian Visa | Australian permanent humanitarian residents are residents of Australia who hold a permanent humanitarian visa subtype but are not citizens of Australia. This visa allows a student to be invoiced as a domestic student, and grants access to any of the government Higher Education Loan Programs (HELP). |
| Permanent Residency Visa | Australian permanent residents are residents of Australia who hold a permanent visa but are not citizens of Australia. This visa allows a student to be invoiced as a domestic student, but does not grant access to any of the government Higher Education Loan Programs (HELP). |
| SA-HELP | Australian Government loan scheme that helps eligible students pay their student services and amenities fee. |
| Special Category Visa | If you arrived in Australia using a New Zealand passport, in the absence of another valid Australian visa, you will have automatically received a SCV provided you met certain security, character and health requirements. It is a temporary visa that expires as soon as you leave Australia, but it remains in place for as long as you remain in Australia |
| Student Contribution Amount(s) | The amount of fees a student in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) must pay for their study. |
| Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) | A fee that the university charges for specific student services and amenities of a non-academic nature. |
| Tax File Number (TFN) | Your unique identification number from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for everything tax-related, it’s needed for obtaining your HELP loan and making HELP debt repayments. |
| Temporary Residency Visa | Australian temporary residents are residents of Australia who hold a temporary visa with a limited time for residency in Australia. This visa means that a student is classified as an international student in terms of Higher Education Tuition costs. |
| Tuition Fees | The fees that domestic full fee paying students (i.e. those not enrolled in a subsidised Commonwealth Supported Place) are charged. These fees are set by the university and are not regulated by the Australian Government. |
| Unique Student Identifier (USI) | A USI (Unique Student Identifier) is a reference number made up of numbers and letters. It creates a secure online record of your nationally recognised training that you can access anytime and anywhere, and it's yours for life. From 2021 all students must apply for and supply a USI to their Higher Education provider. |
