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OS-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 much can I borrow?
  3. Eligibility requirements
  1. How to apply for an OS-HELP loan
  2. Due dates
  3. Application outcomes

3. Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for an OS-HELP loan, you have to meet all of the below criteria:

General

Read the:

Citizenship

  • Australian Citizen
  • Pacific Engagement visa (PEV) holder
  • New Zealand Special Category visa holder, or
  • Permanent Australian humanitarian visa holder.

UQ enrolment

  • Enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place
  • Completed at least two semesters of standard full-time study (16 units) that count towards your current UQ program. Credit from concurrent diplomas is excluded
  • At least 2 units remaining on your UQ program upon the completion of overseas study
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 4.0.

Overseas enrolment

  • Full-time (or full-time equivalent) while outside Australia
  • Studying in person, not online
  • Counted as credit toward your current UQ program
  • If applying for a UQ course: at least 75 per cent of the course must be taught overseas.

Loan history

  • Haven't received more than one previous OS-HELP loan
  • Won't receive a second OS-HELP loan for the same six-month period.

Application

What is full-time equivalent?

If the duration of your overseas study is for less than one semester, it has to qualify as full-time equivalent.

Overseas study that meets the equivalent of 6 units per semester is considered full-time for the purposes of an OS-HELP loan.

To work out if you qualify, use the full-time study formula:

Credit for overseas studyMust be greater than or equal toDuration of overseas study (in weeks) divided by 16Multiplied by 6

For example:

Tim is eligible to receive 2 units of course credit for a four-week short-term program in China. To be eligible for an OS-HELP loan:

  • 2 units
  • must be greater than or equal to
  • 4 divided by 16
  • multiplied by 6.
  • 2 ≥ (4 ÷ 16) x 6 = 1.5.
  • Because 2 is greater than 1.5, Tim is eligible for OS-HELP.
Alternative proof of full-time overseas enrolment

If you believe your overseas study is full-time, but it doesn't satisfy the requirements of the full-time study formula, please submit official documentation from your overseas host university or organisation with your application.

Documentation must include:

  • your full name
  • the number of contact hours, and
  • dates of the study.

Your full-time study status will be assessed based on the information you provide with your application.

If you do not submit documentation at the time of making your application, any OS-HELP loan can only be conditionally approved. You must submit the required documentation for your loan to be fully approved.

Contact

Send any questions to the Student Enrichment and Success team:

Further information is also available in the OS-HELP loan FAQs (PDF).