daz54 said:
are u saying the gov pays the balance 4 u. And u don't have 2 pay them back at all?, all you pay is the student contributions?
I am enrolled in an Arts/Law combined degree programme at the University of Sydney.
The Commonwealth Government gives the University $Z per year to cover the cost of my education.
I am in a HECS (i.e. Commonwealth-Supported) place at the Universtiy.
My "student contribution" is $Y. $Y is about $Z/3.
Each year I choose to EITHER:
(a) "defer" paying my student contribution
OR
(b) paying my student contribution up-front.
If I do (b) I pay the Tax Office (through the University) $Y less a 20% discount for up-front payment.
If I do (a), the amount $Y becomes a debt I owe to the Tax Office, which I then pay off once my annual income hits a certain level.
The difference between $Z and $Y is picked up by the Commonwealth Government.
A person in a full-fee place would have to pay $Z up-front. They could choose to apply for a FeeHELP loan of $50,000 from the government, in which case that debt would be owed to the Tax Office.
A Commonwealth-supported place is much, much cheaper than a full-fee place.