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Job-ready Graduates - legislative changes from 1 January 2022

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Changes to the Job-Ready Graduate Package.

Update on the 50% pass rate requirement

From 1 January 2024, the Australian Government has removed the 50% pass rate requirement for students in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) or accessing HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP assistance. 

From 1 January 2022, the Australian Government issued legislative changes to the Job-Ready Graduate Package. If you are enrolled with a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), there are now limits to how much Commonwealth supported study you can undertake.

You are entitled to undertake 7 years (7 EFTSL) of full-time study or part-time equivalent of Commonwealth supported study at any Higher Education Institution. This is referred to as your Student Learning Entitlement (SLE). Any study that you undertake in a CSP from 1 January 2022 will count towards your SLE amount. 

For students in a CSP, or accessing HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP, there are also new Australian Government completion rate requirements you must meet to ensure you remain eligible.  If you do not meet these requirements, you will not be able to continue to get HELP loans or study in a CSP. 

The Australian Government’s Study Assist defines a low completion rate as “when you have a fail rate of more than 50 per cent of the units of study you have attempted, after you have attempted 8 or more units of study in a bachelor level or higher course (or 4 or more units in a higher education course lower than a bachelor course).”

Further information is provided below. 

  1. Pass rate requirements
  1. Student Learning Entitlement

2. Student Learning Entitlement

The SLE requirement applies to all students in a CSP who are undertaking courses with a census date from 1 January 2022 onwards (courses undertaken before this date don't count towards the SLE).

The SLE limits the amount of Commonwealth Supported study at a Higher Education Institution that a student can undertake to seven years of full-time study (7 Equivalent Full Time Student Load or EFTSL). In some instances, you may be eligible for additional SLE. 

How the SLE requirement works?

  • From 1 January 2022, students studying in a CSP will start with a SLE balance of 7 ordinary EFTSL for their undergraduate and graduate coursework studies. There are separate Commonwealth support provisions for graduate research studies (eg Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Philosophy).
  • Any course (regardless of institution of study) with a census date from 1 January 2022 onwards that you are enrolled in past its census date will reduce your SLE balance. For example, if you're enrolled in four courses each with a unit value of 0.125 EFSTL in Semester 1, 2022 courses after their census dates, your remaining SLE balance will be 6.5 EFTSL. 
  • If you expend your initial allocation of 7 ordinary SLE, you may be eligible for additional or lifelong SLE. 
  • If you expend all available SLE, you will no longer be eligible for a CSP and may need to transfer into a Full-Fee Paying Place for the remainder of your study, subject to meeting admission requirements, and the University's academic progression and maximum program completion duration requirements. 
  • There may be some exceptions and instances when your SLE can be re-credited where special circumstances apply. 

What if I need additional SLE?

There are 2 forms of SLE that you may be eligible to access if you have expended your initial balance, 'Additional SLE’ and ‘Lifelong SLE’. These can help enable you to undertake Honours and graduate coursework courses for which CSP are available. 

Additional SLE 

Additional SLE is available to students who are:   

  • enrolled in a long undergraduate Program (ie where the normal course load is more than 6 EFTSL, 6 years of full-time study)
  • undertaking an Honours program that is 1 EFTSL or less
  • undertaking postgraduate coursework programs, or graduate entry bachelor courses, for which CSPs are offered. 

 The amount of ‘Additional SLE’ generally depends on the normal course load, and if you have already started to use previously allocated Additional SLE. Additional SLE can be used once your initial 7 ordinary EFTSL entitlement has been used. 

Lifelong SLE

  • Lifelong SLE can be used once your initial 7 ordinary EFTSL entitlement and any Additional SLE have been used. 
  • Lifelong SLE provides 3 EFTSL (3 years of full-time study or part-time equivalent) to students who may look to upskill/retrain later in life (time limits apply). Lifelong SLE can be accrued under the following circumstances:
    • 1 January, 10 years from the date you commenced at a higher education provider
    • 1 January 2032
    • if the Program has been restructured, and you are required to undertake more study than you would have otherwise, you will accrue an amount of Lifelong SLE that is equivalent to the additional study you are required to undertake.  

Where can I find out more information about the SLE requirement?

 For more information refer to the Australian Government’s: 

Where can I find more information about the pass rate requirement?

For more information: