Professional development

Loan fee exemptions extended, supporting 30,000 Australian students

Freya Lucas

Jun 25, 2021

Save

Legislation recently passed through the Senate which will benefit around 30,000 students through the extension of FEE-HELP loan fee exemptions for a further six months.

Typically using FEE-HELP to pay for undergraduate study at a non-university higher education provider incurs a 20 per cent loan fee, however these loan fees were waived during 2020 to lessen the impact of COVID-19 on students and providers. The passing of the legislation today means the waivers will continue until 31 December 2021.

The Higher Education Support Amendment (Extending the Student Loan Fee Exemption) Bill 2021 is part of the Federal Government’s $53.6 million support package for international education providers most affected by COVID-19 border closures.

The package also includes:

$26.1 million for an extra 5000 short course places in 2021-22 at non-university higher education providers
$9.4 million for the Innovation Fund to help providers grow offshore and online delivery. Applications for grants are now open.
$17.7 million to further extend the pause on fees and charges from CRICOS (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students), TEQSA (Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency), and ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) until 31 December 2021.

Federal Minister for Education and Youth Alan Tudge said the waivers continue the Government’s support for students and Australian businesses who support local jobs.

“Due to COVID-19, students and higher education providers have been put under significant financial pressure, and this waiver will help lessen that burden,” Mr Tudge said.

“It will encourage local students to commence or continue studying with these providers for the remainder of 2021, and in doing so will support these businesses to maintain capacity and recover from the pandemic.”

Students who receive HECS‑HELP assistance and attend public universities do not pay these loan fees.

For more information please see here.

Don’t miss a thing

New Geccko course simplifies payments, fees and CCS obligations for ECEC services

A new online learning course launched on the Geccko platform is helping early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers better understand how to manage payments, gap fees and Child Care Subsidy (CCS) entitlements in line with Family Assistance Law.

What is ARACY and how can The Nest support early childhood services

The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) has shaped the national conversation on child and youth wellbeing for more than two decades. Its flagship Nest Wellbeing Framework is increasingly used by organisations to align strategy, measure outcomes and strengthen collaboration.

Skilled migration opportunities for early childhood teachers to teach in Victoria

New opportunities are available for qualified early childhood professionals to build meaningful careers through the state’s skilled migration program.

Edge Early Learning becomes first QLD provider to embed Life Ed wellbeing and safety program across all centres

Edge Early Learning has announced a new statewide partnership with Life Ed Queensland that will see a comprehensive wellbeing, safety and school-readiness program embedded across every Edge centre in Queensland from January 2026, the first early learning provider in the state to take this integrated, whole-centre approach.

Looking ahead: What the ECEC sector can expect in 2026

As 2026 begins, early childhood education and care (ECEC) services across Australia are preparing for a year of substantial reform, focused on strengthening child safety and raising the bar on national standards. Following a series of agreements by Education Ministers in 2025, new changes to the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the Education and Care Services National Law will take effect progressively throughout the year. These reforms reflect the shared commitment of educators, families, communities and governments to place child safety and wellbeing at the centre of early learning environments.

New Geccko course simplifies payments, fees and CCS obligations for ECEC services

What is ARACY and how can The Nest support early childhood services

Skilled migration opportunities for early childhood teachers to teach in Victoria

New opportunities are available for qualified early childhood professionals to build meaningful careers through the state’s skilled migration program.