my.UQ

HECS-HELP

  1. Home
  2. Information and services
  3. Manage my program
  4. Fees, payments, and refunds
  5. Fees and loans for domestic students
  1. Overview
  2. How to accept a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and apply for a HECS-HELP loan
  3. How we calculate your student contributions
  1. How much are your student contributions
  2. Making upfront payments
  3. Accessing invoices and notices

2. How to accept a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and apply for a HECS-HELP loan

You must complete an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) to accept a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and, if you want, apply for a HECS-HELP loan.

If you hold a New Zealand Special Category visa, you may be eligible for a HECS-HELP loan. Learn more about your eligibility.

Step 1: Generate your loan form

  1. Log into mySI-net
  2. Follow the link to the HECS-HELP eCAF landing page. You can also access it by going to the ‘Financials’ panel and clicking on the HECS-HELP eCAF tab
  3. You now need to generate a new eCAF loan form. On the HECS-HELP eCAF landing page, click the ‘Generate eCAF’ button to create an eCAF invitation
  4. Check your email for your passkey from the Department of Education and a link to access the eCAF portal.

Step 2: Complete and submit your form before the Census Date

Log in to the eCAF portal with your passkey and date of birth, and then follow the prompts.

You’ll need to:

  1. Review and confirm the pre-populated information.
  2. Enter your Tax File Number (TFN):
  • If you don’t have a TFN, you can submit your eCAF, but you must provide a TFN or a Certificate of Application by the Census Date
  • Ensure your TFN, name and date of birth match the records held by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
  • You won't be eligible for a FEE-HELP loan if we or the Australian Tax Office (ATO) can’t verify your TFN by the Census Date
  • You can verify or update your TFN via your myGov account or by contacting the ATO.
  1. Verify your Unique Student Identifier (USI).

Step 3: Confirm your submission is complete

Once you submit your loan application, you’ll receive an email confirming your submission and a copy of the completed form.

You can check your eCAF status on the mySI-net HECS-HELP loan page. It may take 1–2 hours for your status to update. Click the ‘Retrieve eCAF status’ button to refresh your status until it shows ‘Submitted.’

 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What's an eCAF?

An eCAF is an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form you generate from mySI-net and complete on the Government eCAF portal.

Completing the form is compulsory to accept a Commonwealth Supported Place or set up a HECS-HELP loan.

What is the difference between HECS-HELP and a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)?

A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is a government-subsidised university place that reduces your tuition fees.

A HECS-HELP loan allows eligible students in a CSP to defer their student contribution fees and repay them later through the tax system when their income reaches a certain threshold.

Please refer to CSP and HECS-HELP on the Study Assist website for detailed information.

What are the eligibility requirements for a CSP or HECS-HELP loan?

For detailed information on the eligibility requirements for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) or a HECS-HELP loan, please refer to CSP and HECS-HELP on the Study Assist website.

How do I know if I'm enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place?

If you're studying in a Commonwealth Supported Place you will see HECS-HELP eCAF under Financials on mySI-net.

What are student contributions?

Commonwealth supported students only pay part fees.

The Australian Government subsidises some of your fees.

The fees you incur are called ' student contributions ‘ to reflect that you don't pay full fees.

You don’t repay the government's subsidy, which is excluded from your HECS-HELP loan. Remember, the acronym 'HECS' stands for 'Higher Education Contribution Scheme'.

How does HECS-HELP work?

For an explanation of HECS-HELP, visit the Australian Government's Study Assist website.

What happens if I don't have a tax file number (TFN)?

Apply for a tax file number immediately.

The ATO can take some time to issue tax file numbers. You may be eligible to apply for a TFN online via the ATO. You can also apply for a TFN at Australia Post or a Services Australia Centre.

Once you've applied, please ask the ATO to issue an interim 'Certificate of Application for a TFN' and submit a copy to Student Fees at fees@uq.edu.au.

This certificate will allow us to maintain your enrolment while the ATO processes your tax file number application.

If you don't have a tax file number by the Census Date, you must pay your fees upfront or risk having your enrolment cancelled.

What happens if I change programs?

Immediately submit a new eCAF if you switch UQ programs or add a program.

Your enrolment will be cancelled unless you submit a new eCAF or pay your fees upfront by the Census Date.

I have generated an eCAF for my HELP loan. Where can I find my passkey?

After generating an eCAF in mySI-net, check your student email inbox and junk folder for an email from the Department of Education (ecafsystem@education.gov.au).

This email contains a unique passkey and a link to the Government eCAF portal.

It may take up to 24 hours to receive the email.

If you do not receive it, please contact Student Fees at fees@uq.edu.au for assistance.

How can I check the status of my eCAF after clicking the 'Generate eCAF' button?

In mySI-net, you will see an eCAF status column indicating your eCAF's current status. You can refresh the status by clicking the 'Retrieve eCAF Status' button.

Clicking on the displayed status will open a pop-up window explaining what the status means.

Do I need to complete a separate eCAF for each HELP loan I am eligible for, such as FEE-HELP and SA-HELP?

You must generate and complete a separate eCAF for each HELP loan type.

You will receive a unique passkey for each eCAF generated for each loan type.

What should I do if my personal information is wrong in my eCAF?

You should update your details in mySI-net. For more information on how to update your details, refer to my. UQ.

After updating your details, delete the incorrect eCAF on the Government eCAF portal and generate a new eCAF invitation through mySI-net.

Please contact Student Fees at fees@uq.edu.au if you need any further assistance.

Can I change my payment method after deferring my tuition fee to a HELP loan?

You can adjust your payment option after completing an eCAF for your program.

In mySI-net, go to the relevant HELP loan within Financials and click the 'Manage HELP Request' button to make changes.

Change your payment option before the census date so it will take effect that term.

Contact

If you have any questions about fees or payments, contact a Student Administration or submit a question to UQ Answers.