Student Services and Amenities Fee
1. What is the SSAF?
SSAF is short for the Student Services and Amenities Fee.
In addition to course fees, UQ also charges students the SSAF. This is a compulsory fee that the Australian Government requires universities to collect from students, to help provide student services, support and amenities for students.
Undergraduate, postgraduate, domestic, international and UQ College students all have to pay the fee – although some students are exempt.
UQ must comply with the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth) (the Act) and the Student Services Amenities, Representation and Advocacy Guidelines (the Guidelines) on how the money is allocated, spent and reported.
The SSAF can only be spent on 19 legislated allowable services. These services will be provided by:
- UQ Sport
- Student Affairs
- The Association of Postgraduate Students
- University of Queensland Union.
How is the SSAF managed?
At UQ, SSAF spending is managed by a student focussed Advisory Group which makes recommendations to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) (DVCA). The DVCA approves how SSAF will be allocated to service providers to spend each year. When making decisions, the DVCA is informed by student consultation through:
- the annual SSAF survey conducted in April.
- an advisory group of democratically elected representatives and representatives of major student organisations recognised by UQ, comprising:
- Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) (Chairperson)
- Director, Student Affairs
- UQU President
- UQU Vice-President, Campus Culture
- President, Association of Postgraduate Students
- Academic Board Undergraduate Student representative nominated by the President of the Academic Board
- UQ Sport Student representative
- International Student representative
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student representative.
How will the SSAF be used in 2024?
UQ expects the SSAF income for 2024 to be $15,838,567. This will be allocated to service providers as follows:
- UQ Sport: $3,167,714
- Student Affairs: $3,167,714
- University of Queensland Union: $7,127,356
- The Association of Postgraduate Students: $791,928
- Other projects: $1,583,857
Based upon results of the SSAF Survey and other consultation, the SSAF Advisory Group has endorsed the following priority areas for spending by service providers in 2024.
High Priority:
- Health and welfare
- Food and drink
- Careers
- Accommodation
Medium Priority:
- Library and reading rooms
- Orientation
Anticipated 2024 expenditure per SSAF service will be:
| Allowable Services | Amount |
|---|---|
| Providing food or drink to students on a campus of the higher education provider | $1,312,504 |
| Supporting a sporting or other recreational activity by students | $3,285,887 |
| Supporting the administration of a club most of whose members are students | $1,170,785 |
| Caring for children of students | $0 |
| Providing legal services to students | $191,974 |
| Promoting the health or welfare of students | $3,186,965 |
| Helping students secure accommodation | $0 |
| Helping students obtain employment or advice on careers | $1,943,346 |
| Helping students with their financial affairs | $316,729 |
| Helping students obtain insurance against personal accidents | $240,306 |
| Supporting debating by students | $16,619 |
| Providing libraries and reading rooms (other than those provided for academic purposes) for students | $159,069 |
| Supporting an artistic activity by students | $50,100 |
| Supporting the production and dissemination to students of media whose content is provided by students | $161,824 |
| Helping students develop skills for study, by means other than undertaking *courses of study in which they are enrolled | $567,202 |
| Advising on matters arising under the higher education provider’s rules (however described) | $74,777 |
| Advocating students’ interests in matters arising under the higher education provider’s rules however described | $367,005 |
| Giving students information to help them in their orientation | $1,488,994 |
| Helping meet the specific needs of *overseas students relating to their welfare, accommodation and employment | $620,618 |
How was the SSAF used in previous years?
2023
The Higher Education Support (Student Services, Amenities, Representation and Advocacy) Guidelines 2022 requires higher education providers who charge a student services and amenities fee (SSAF) to provide a publicly available report on SSAF allocations and actual expenditure for the year as part of their annual reporting and in the form approved by the Minister. The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) Allocation Report is the form approved by the Minister.
2022
2022 SSAF Allocation Report (PDF, 228.6 KB)
2021
Service | 2021 |
|---|---|
Providing food or drink to students on a campus of the higher education provider | $437,948 |
Supporting a sporting or other recreational activity by students | $3,244,431 |
Supporting the administration of a club most of whose members are students | $976,606 |
Caring for children of students | $0 |
Providing legal services to students | $203,652 |
Promoting the health or welfare of students | $2,400,140 |
Helping students secure accommodation | $65,090 |
Helping students obtain employment or advice on careers | $1,619,981 |
Helping students with their financial affairs | $772,688 |
Helping students obtain insurance against personal accidents | $68,957 |
Supporting debating by students | $103,710 |
Providing libraries and reading rooms (other than those provided for academic purposes) for students | $2,458 |
Supporting an artistic activity by students | $0 |
Supporting the production and dissemination to students of media whose content is provided by students | $74,892 |
Helping students develop skills for study, by means other than undertaking courses of study in which they are enrolled | $677,887 |
Advising on matters arising under the higher education provider’s rules (however described) | $233,590 |
Advocating students’ interests in matters arising under the higher education provider’s rules however described | $140,279 |
Giving students information to help them in their orientation | $1,456,911 |
Helping meet the specific needs of overseas students relating to their welfare, accommodation and employment | $581,672 |
Students who are exempt from paying the SSAF
The following students are exempt from paying the SSAF:
- incoming cross-institutional students
- incoming exchange students
- incoming international Study Abroad students
- outgoing exchange students
- Master of Global Management students undertaking compulsory overseas study components
- Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Master of Engineering students enrolled in double degree exchange studies courses
- Commonwealth Supported students enrolled in the Tertiary Preparation Program at UQ College
- high school students undertaking enrichment studies at UQ
- higher doctorate candidates
- students undertaking a joint PhD at UQ and IIT Delhi, for study periods at IIT Delhi.
Contact
Ask a question or visit a Student Centre if you have any questions about fees or payments.