VET Student Loans

You must meet the following eligibility criteria to apply for a VET Student Loan:

• Be enrolled in an eligible course of study with South Metropolitan TAFE. 
• Citizenship / Residency Requirements
  • Australian Citizen,
  • Permanent Humanitarian Visa holder
  • Pacific Engagement Visa holder
  • or a New Zealand Citizen Special Category Visa holder;
• Educational loan entrance requirements:
  • completed an Australian Year 12 Senior Education Certificate issued from a Governing body or Agency, in Western Australia this would be your Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), or
  • achieved a Certificate IV or higher in an Australian Qualification Framework or equivalent and this course was delivered in English, or
  • achieved an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, or
  • sit an approved Numeracy and Literacy assessment;

VET student loans will not be approved for students who do not meet eligibility requirements.

You will need to meet the following requirements to activate your loan: 

• Have received an offer to study an eligible Diploma or Advanced Diploma course at South Metropolitan TAFE. 
• Have a Tax File Number.
• Have a Unique Student Identifier (USI);
• Have not exceeded your HELP loan limit;
• Have activated your electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) after your two day cooling off period and before your administrative dates;  
• Students who are under 18 years of age will require a parent or guardian to sign the Commonwealth’s request for a VET Student Loan – Parental Consent form.
• Read and understand the VET Student Loans booklet which can be found on the Department of (opens in a new tab) Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR).

Administrative Date

The administrative date is set 16 days before the first census date of your course. This is the final day to submit your VET Student Loan application to allow enough time for processing and for South Metropolitan TAFE to issue your fee notices promptly.

You can still apply for a VET Student Loan after the administrative date, but any units within 16 days of the census date will need to be paid directly to the college as these fees cannot be included in your loan.

To avoid any issues with your loan disbursement and unexpected upfront fees, we strongly recommend applying early.

Census Dates

Census dates are when your enrolment status is officially confirmed, and you will become liable for your fees.

Students with a VET Student Loan have at least three different census dates throughout their course. Each unit has a census date, which is set at 20% of the unit’s duration or later.

Applications for a VET Student Loan must be completed before the first census date. This includes submitting all required documents, completing your eCAF, and giving South Metropolitan TAFE the time to issue all necessary paperwork.

You can refer to your Enrolment Confirmation or the Student Portal to check the census dates for your enrolled units.

Withdrawals

If you have a VET Student Loan and withdraw from units on or before the census date, you will not incur any debt for those units.

If you withdraw after the census date, you will be responsible for the full debt for those units, and any other fees not covered by a loan will remain payable.

If you would like to formally withdraw from your course, you must complete and return an Enrolment Adjustment Form (307 KB(opens in a new tab) ) (PDF document).  Copies of the form are available from any customer service centre. Once completed, forms can be returned via email to student.loans@smtafe.wa.edu.au or you can hand them into any of our Customer Service Centres.

Special Circumstances

A student's FEE-HELP balance can be re-credited under Part 6 of the VET Student Loan Act.  

Under section 68 of the VET Student Loans Act, students may apply to have their FEE-HELP balance recredited if they withdraw from their course after the census date or fail to complete their studies due to special circumstances. If successful, the loan amount for the uncompleted unit(s) will be removed from the student's FEE-HELP debt.

Grounds for a special circumstance application may include:

• Serious illness leading to extended absences from class;
• Injury or disability that prevented course completion; or 
• Other exceptional circumstances

Please note:

• Pre-existing conditions may disqualify a student from receiving a full refund; and
• Units that have been successfully completed are not eligible for a re-credit.

South Metropolitan TAFE will re-credit the FEE-HELP balance if it determines that the special circumstances were:

• beyond the student's control; and
• did not make their full impact on the student until on or after the census day for the course, or the part of the course; and
• made it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the course, or the part of the course, during the student's enrolment in the course, or the part of the course

Note, applications must be made in writing to South Metropolitan TAFE and supported by independent documentation within 12 months after the census day for the course, or the part of the course.

For more details, contact student.loans@smtafe.wa.edu.au, and we will guide you through the process.

Re-crediting of FEE-HELP Balance

A student may also apply for their FEE-HELP balance to be re-credited under section 71 of the Act if:

• The College, or a representative, engaged in unacceptable conduct related to the student's VSL application, or
• The College did not comply with the Act or its regulations, and this failure negatively impacted the student.

Applications for re-crediting under section 71 must be made within five years of the course’s census date or within an extended period approved by the Secretary. If the application is denied, students have the right to request a review.

Reconsideration or Review of Decisions

Requests for a review of a decision must be made in writing within 28 days of receiving the original decision, or a longer period as determined by the Review Officer.

There is no fee for reconsidering or reviewing decisions, except for an appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). Note that the ART only handles appeals related to recredits, not refunds. ART applications must be made within 28 days of receiving the decision.

For further details or to apply for a review, visit: https://online.aat.gov.au/

Contact Information for ART:

Administrative Review Tribunal 
Level 5, 111 St Georges Terrace
Perth WA 6000
Phone: 1800 228 333
Email: reviews@art.gov.au  

The Secretary may re-credit a student’s FEE-HELP balance in cases of special circumstances if the College:

• Is unable to act or has been dissolved; or
• Has failed to act and the Secretary finds this failure unreasonable

If an appeal is lodged with the ART, the Secretary is required to comply with the process and submit necessary documents. Once the appeal is resolved, the Secretary will inform the South Metropolitan TAFE of the outcome.

Fee Notices                                

Fee Notices are issued by South Metropolitan TAFE at least 14 days before each census date, to inform students about their tuition fees for the course and the amount of VET Student Loan they will incur. It shows the census date, which is the last day students can make changes to their enrolment without affecting their loan.

Students need to check the Fee Notice to ensure the correct fees are being charged, understand how much of your fees are covered by the loan and what you are personally responsible for. The Fee notice also advises you about key dates, particularly the census date, which is the date that you incur the debt for your VET Student Loan.

Commonwealth Assistance Notices (CANs)

The Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) is issued no later than 28 days after the census date and provides an official summary of your student loan and financial aid for the study period. Note, it is normal to receive more than one Fee Notice and CAN each semester if you have more than one census date for that period.

The CAN will indicate the total amount of the loan used for the period and the units that are covered by the loan. 

The CAN serves as a confirmation of the FEE-HELP debt you have accrued under the VSL program.

It is important that students use the CAN to verify that their loan details are correct and to track their overall debt as this amount is reported to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Both notices help students stay informed about their financial obligations, prevent errors in loan amounts, and ensure the correct use of government assistance under the VET Student Loans program. 

Remember: 

• If you believe a Fee Notice is incorrect, you need to contact us prior to the census date.
• If you believe a CAN is incorrect, you must contact us within 14 days of the CAN issue date.

If you have any queries regarding your VET Student Loan at South Metropolitan TAFE, email us at student.loans@smtafe.wa.edu.au.

South Metropolitan TAFE is a signatory to the VET Students Loans Code of Practice(opens in a new tab) , ensuring our commitment to the principles and practices of good services to students and effective complaint handling.

Forms and fact sheets

• VET Student Loan Application Form(opens in a new tab)
• VET Student Loan - Parental Consent Form(opens in a new tab)
• VET Student Loans - Withdrawal Application Form (307 KB) (PDF document) (307 KB) (PDF document - opens in a new tab)
• South Metropolitan TAFE Feedback(opens in a new tab)
• VET Student Loans Student Progression Fact Sheet (217 KB) (PDF document) (217 KB) (PDF document - opens in a new tab)
• Student Fact Sheet: Tax File Number (TFN) Mismatch (516 KB) (PDF document) (516 KB) (PDF document - opens in a new tab)
• VET Student Loans Information for Students(opens in a new tab)

Policies and procedures

• Admissions Policy for VET Student Loans Enabled Courses (214 KB) (PDF document) (214 KB) (PDF document - opens in a new tab)
• Enrolment Policy (189 KB) (PDF document) (189 KB) (PDF document - opens in a new tab)
• Tuition Fee Refund or Recredit Policy for VET Student Loans enabled courses (231 KB) (PDF document) (231 KB) (PDF document - opens in a new tab)
• VSL TAFE Tuition Assurance Exemption Statement (309 KB) (PDF document) (309 KB) (PDF document - opens in a new tab)
• South Metropolitan TAFE Complaints and Feedback Policy (139 KB) (PDF document) (139 KB) (PDF document - opens in a new tab)
• South Metropolitan TAFE Academic Appeals Policy (210 KB) (PDF document) (210 KB) (PDF document - opens in a new tab)
• Privacy Principles Policy (197 KB) (PDF document) (197 KB) (PDF document - opens in a new tab)

Students will need to provide certified copies of the following documents with their application.

Australian citizenship requirements: 

• Current Australian Passport; or
• Australian Citizenship Certificate; or
• Full Australian Birth Certificate*

*Students who do not have an Australian passport or an Australian Citizenship certificate can provide their birth certificate however, students born on or after 20 of August 1986 with both parents born outside of Australia will need to provide proof of one or both parents' Australian Citizenship Certificate which has been gained on or before their date of birth. 

New Zealand citizenship requirements:

• Meet the Commonwealth's eligibility requirements** 
• Provide current New Zealand passport or provide full birth certificate 
• Complete a statutory declaration, stating you meet the Commonwealth's requirements 
• Provide an Immigration Movement Records form prior to the course first census date 

**For New Zealand Citizen eligibility requirements please visit Study Assist(opens in a new tab) .  

Permanent Humanitarian visa holder:

• Provide current passport with humanitarian visa details***

Pacific Engagement Visa holder:

• Provide current passport with humanitarian visa details***

***For Humanitarian and Pacific Engagement visa eligibility requirements, please visit Study Assist(opens in a new tab) . 

Educational loan entrance documents:

• Australian Year 12 Senior Education Certificate issued from a governing body or agency, or
• A Certificate IV or higher in an Australian Qualification Framework or equivalent (when the course was delivered in English), or
• Sit an approved literacy and numeracy test achieving an exit level 3 or higher in both, or 
• Achieved an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme that was delivered in English. 

Complete the online application form below. 

Application form(opens in a new tab)

Complete your enrolment in your course and advise the enrolling officer you have applied for a VET Student Loan when you are asked to make payment. Please note that submission of a VET Student Loan Application will not act as an enrolment confirmation. You must still enrol in your course regardless of your chosen payment option. If you are not deemed eligible for a VET Student Loan by your administrative dates, and have not made alternative payment arrangements, your enrolment at South Metropolitan TAFE will be cancelled. VET Student Loan Officers will follow up for further documents if required. 

You will be sent an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) via email after enrolling, this may take up to two weeks to arrive during peak periods. This an online form which will register your VET Student Loan with the Commonwealth and must be submitted by your administrative dates. 

Students under 18 years of age:
Students under 18 years of age will need to complete a parental consent form(opens in a new tab) to submit with their online application.

Can New Zealand Residents apply for a VET Student Loan?

A qualifying New Zealand citizen is a New Zealand citizen who:

• holds a special category visa; and
  • has been usually resident in Australia for at least 10 years; and
  • was a dependent child when he or she was first usually resident in Australia; and
  • has been in Australia for periods totaling 8 years during the previous 10 years; and 
  • has been in Australia for periods totaling 18 months during the previous 2 years

Do I need a tax file number?

Yes, you do need a Tax File Number (TFN) to apply for an Australian student loan under the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP). The TFN is required to process your application for the loan and to link your loan to your personal records with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

If you do not have a tax file number (TFN) you can apply for one online via the Australian Tax Office website.

Please note you will be able to upload your Certificate of Application when completing your eCAF, however, South Metropolitan TAFE will require your TFN by your first census date to be eligible for a loan. You will be required to make alternate arrangements for your enrolment fees if you're ineligible for a VET Student Loan.

Can I apply if I am under 18 years old?

If you are under 18 years of age, a parent or guardian must complete and sign a VET Student Loans Parental Consent Form(opens in a new tab) . The completed parental consent form must be submitted to South Metropolitan TAFE before you can be issued with an eCAF application form. Evidence of legal parent / guardianship must be provided at time of loan lodgement. For example, birth certificate of the parent / guardian or a Medicare card that consists of the parent and child's name. If the name of the parent and child is different on your documents, you must provide a legal document showing your parent/child relationship.

The parental consent form is not necessary if you have been assessed by Centrelink as meeting the requirements for receiving the independent rate of Youth Allowance under part 2.11 of the Social Security Act 1991. You will need to provide evidence of this assessment in the form of your Centrelink Income Statement, which you can request by logging into myGov and selecting your Centrelink online account. For more information, visit Centrelink online account help - Request a document.(opens in a new tab)

How much can I borrow?

The VET Student Loan (VSL) allows eligible students in Australia to borrow up to a specific amount to cover tuition fees for approved vocational education and training (VET) courses. The amount you can borrow depends on the course and the loan caps set by the government.

As of 2025, the loan caps for VET Student Loans are:

• Diploma and Advanced Diploma level courses: Other than for specified exceptions, there will be three loan cap bands. For 2025 they are $6,278, $12,557 and $18,838. A separate loan cap for the aviation training package will apply. The loan cap will be $94,207 for all courses under this package. There is no loan fee for subsidised VET qualifications at South Metropolitan TAFE but a 20% loan fee applies to non-subsidised (commercial) VET courses. You will be required to repay the loan to the Australian Government through the tax system once you reach the minimum income threshold level for repayment.
• Certificate IV and below: Loans are not available for lower qualification levels.

Click on this link for more information on VSL course list and loan caps.

How do I repay my loan?

The loan is paid directly to South Metropolitan TAFE and students repay their VET Student Loan (VSL) through the Australian tax system once they reach the income repayment threshold. The loan does not accrue interest, but it is indexed to inflation, meaning the debt will increase with inflation each year (based on the Consumer Price Index or CPI). You can also make voluntary repayments at any time to pay off your loan faster. These can be done directly to the ATO.

You have to start repaying your VET Student Loan debt through the taxation system once your repayment income is above the compulsory repayment threshold, even if you are still studying.

The compulsory repayment thresholds is adjusted each year. The compulsory repayment threshold is $54,435 for the 2024-2025 income year. 

Your repayment income is calculated using the following amounts from your income tax return:

• your taxable income
• reportable fringe benefits (reported on your payment summary)
• total net investment loss (which includes net rental loss)
• reportable super contributions
• exempt foreign employment income amounts

If you have an accumulated HELP debt and earn more than the minimum repayment threshold, you will have a compulsory repayment included as part of your income tax assessment.

For more information on repaying your HELP debts, including the latest Repaying Your Help Debt guide, visit the Australian Tax Office website(opens in a new tab) .

How do I check my current loan balance?

To check whether you have a debt, confirm the amount you have borrowed or find out your loan balance, students can access their myGov account(opens in a new tab) from the Australian Tax Office’s website.(opens in a new tab) You may also contact the Australian Tax Office on 13 28 61 for further information. 

Once you have borrowed an amount equal to the HELP limit (as indexed at that time), you will not be able to receive further VET Student Loan assistance or HELP assistance to pay your tuition fees.

What courses are eligible for a VET Student Loan?

Course eligibility is set by the Federal Government and limited to courses that have a high national priority, meet industry needs, contribute to addressing skills shortages and align with strong employment outcomes.

In 2025, the following courses are eligible for a VET Student Loan. (opens in a new tab)

Can I change courses and keep my student loan?

Students must apply for a new loan every time they commence a new qualification. This includes studying a dual qualification, transferring studies from another provider to South Metropolitan TAFE, and moving from the Diploma to Advanced Diploma in the same field of study. 

What happens if my course is replaced after I have enrolled and completed my VET Student Loan registration with South Metropolitan TAFE?

Changes to the Training Package:

When a training package or a qualification is replaced, it can lead to changes in the course content, structure, and sometimes the eligible loan amount.

If your course is transitioned to a new training package, your existing VET Student Loan may no longer apply because the new course might have different eligibility criteria or loan caps.

Reapplying for the Loan:

Reapplication for the VET Student Loan will be required if the new version of the course falls under a different training package or if there are updates to the loan eligibility criteria for that course.

Impact on Existing Loans:

If you're continuing in the same course, and the qualification simply transitions to a new version, no action is required as the changes will not affect your loan eligibility or your progression in the course. 

However, if you’re starting a new course under the new training package or moving to a significantly different course, you would need to reapply for a VET Student Loan.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they have applied for a loan in the course(s) they are enrolled into.

What is a Progression and why do I have to complete this?

A Progression Form for VET Student Loans(opens in a new tab)  is an electronic document used by students to confirm their ongoing eligibility and progression through an eligible course. This form is typically required if you have enrolled with South Metropolitan TAFE and have chosen to pay for your enrolment on a VET Student Loan. The form helps to ensure that students continue to meet the criteria set by the Australian government to maintain their loan eligibility.