HECS-HELP
3. How are student contributions calculated?
Step 1. Understand your EFTSL
Within UQ, each course is rated in terms of 'units', which reflect the amount of effort required to complete the course.
A hashtag (#) is sometimes used to represent the word 'unit'. Most courses have a value of 2 units (#2).
The Australian Government rates courses differently – in terms of their 'EFTSL', or Equivalent Full-time Student Load.
EFTSL is the standard measure of study load used by Federal Government departments and agencies.
EFTSL is also one of the components used to calculate your student fees.
EFTSL is different to UQ units. If you complete 16 units in one academic year, your equivalent EFTSL is 1.0.
| UQ units | Courses | EFTSL equivalent value |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | 0.0625 | |
| #2 | 1 course | 0.1250 |
| #3 | 0.1875 | |
| #4 | 2 courses | 0.2500 |
| #5 | 0.3125 | |
| #6 | 3 courses | 0.3750 |
| #7 | 0.4375 | |
| #8 | 4 courses | 0.5000 |
| #9 | 0.5625 | |
| #10 | 5 courses | 0.6250 |
| #11 | 0.6875 | |
| #12 | 6 courses | 0.7500 |
| #13 | 0.8125 | |
| #14 | 7 courses | 0.8750 |
| #15 | 0.9375 | |
| #16 | 8 courses (one year of standard full-time study) | 1.000 |
Step 2. Understand your band
If you’re enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place, the Australian Government pays some of your course fee and you pay the rest – this is called your ‘student contribution amount’.
For student contributions, the Government groups different academic disciplines into 'bands' and sets the maximum amount that a public university can charge for one year of full-time study (1.0 EFTSL) within a band.
Public universities – including UQ – then set the specific amount that they will charge for courses that fall within a band.
The amount charged for one year of full-time study (1.0 EFTSL) within a band cannot exceed the maximum amount set by the Government.
Charges are based on individual courses – and not entire programs. You are charged at the applicable rate for each course you study.
For information about the Job-ready Graduates Package, recently passed by the Australian Government, that affects Commonwealth supported students, see the Department of Education website.
For new students commencing a program at UQ in 2024, annual student contributions by band are as follows:
| Student contribution band | 2024 Student contribution amount (per EFTSL) |
|---|---|
| Band 4: Law, accounting, administration, economics, commerce, communications, society and culture | $16,323 |
| Band 3: Dentistry, medicine, veterinary science | $12,720 |
| Band 2: Engineering, surveying, environmental studies, science, pathology, allied health, other health, built environment, computing, visual and performing arts, professional pathway psychology, professional pathway social work | $8,948 |
| Band 1: Agriculture, English, mathematics, education, clinical psychology, Indigenous and foreign languages, nursing, statistics | $4,445 |
For continuing students who commenced their current program before 1 January 2021, annual student contributions by band are as follows:
| Student contribution band | 2024 Student contribution amount (per EFTSL) for pre-2021 students |
|---|---|
| Band G3: Law, accounting, administration, economics or commerce | $12,781 |
| Band 3: Dentistry, medicine or veterinary science | $12,720 |
| Band 2: Allied health, other health, built environment, computing, engineering, surveying, environmental studies, science or pathology | $8,948 |
| Band G1: Communications, society and culture, visual and performing arts, professional pathway psychology or professional pathway social work | $7,659 |
| Band 1: Agriculture, nursing, Indigenous language or foreign languages, education, postgraduate clinical psychology, English, mathematics or statistics | $4,445 |
Step 3. Your student contributions = EFTSL x band
The amount you are charged for each course depends on:
- the EFTSL value of the course
- the band the course is in, and
- the year you commenced your program.
To estimate your course costs:
- Convert UQ unit value into an EFTSL fraction (e.g. a 2-unit course has an EFTSL value of 0.125).
- Multiply by the annual band cost (e.g. $12,720 for Band 3).
- This is the estimated course cost (e.g. 0.125 multiplied by $12,720 equals $1,590).
You'll need to use your relevant year fee schedule and Programs and courses to help you calculate the total cost of your fees for each course.
Multiply the rate per unit by the unit value to calculate your total estimated cost of each course, e.g. rate per unit x unit value = total cost of course.
mySI-net
You can view your actual fee liability in mySI-net after you enrol and once invoices are available:
- Log in to mySI-net
- Go to 'Financials'
- The cost for each course will be displayed.
If you change your enrolment, please wait 24 hours for updated charges to appear.
Contact
If you have any questions about fees or payments, contact a Student Administration or submit a question to UQ Answers.