The compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) contributes to the provision of many support, development and campus life services.

The Department of Education has advised the maximum annual charge is $326 in 2023 and $351 in 2024.

Eligible students have the option of a SA-HELP loan to pay the SSAF fee.

Please note, the SSAF is due by the incurral date each term/semester.

See how SSAF funds are used

See the SSAF fee for:

UNSW Sydney coursework students

2023

Students studying under the 3+ Calendar:

  • The Full-time fee is $108.50 per term
  • The Part-time fee is $81.50 per term

Students studying under a non-standard program:

5331 Graduate Diploma of Psychology & 7419 Graduate Certificate in Child Development

  • The fee is $54.00 per term

2024

Students studying under the 3+ Calendar:

  • The Full-time fee is $117.00 per term
  • The Part-time fee is $87.75 per term

Students studying under a non-standard program:

5331 Graduate Diploma of Psychology & 7419 Graduate Certificate in Child Development

  • The fee is $58.50 per term

UNSW Canberra students

2023

  • The Full-time fee is $163.00 per semester
  • The Part-time fee is $122.00 per semester

2024

  • The Full-time fee is $175.50 per semester
  • The Part-time fee is $131.50 per semester

Research students

2023

  • The Full-time fee is $81.50 per term
  • The Part-time fee is $61.00 per term

2024

  • The Full-time fee is $87.75 per term
  • The Part-time fee is $65.75 per term

The above charges include students studying online or via distance mode. 


Please note UNSW reserves the right to vary student fees at any time during enrolment in line with relevant legislation.
 

SSAF FAQs

I'm using HECS-HELP/FEE-HELP, do I still need to pay SSAF?

Your Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) is not covered under HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.

You can pay your SSAF up front, or if eligible, apply for SA-HELP to defer your SSAF each term, before the incurral date of the teaching period (the incurral date is the deadline by which you need to pay or defer your SSAF).

Why is there an Incurral Date and a Payment Due Date and why are they different?

The Incurral Date is the last day to make a payment or to apply for SA-HELP. Once this deadline has passed we cannot accept applications for SA-HELP and the SSAF will become overdue. Students who have applied for SA-HELP will not have payments applied to their SSAF after the Incurral Date passes.  

UNSW sets an administrative payment due date in advance of the Incurral Date each term in order to ensure students are aware of the upcoming Incurral Date and can plan accordingly. We encourage students to apply for SA-HELP (if eligible) or to make the payment for SSAF by the payment due date (found on your Fee Statement) in order to avoid any disappointment once the Incurral Date passes. 

How do I apply for SA-HELP?

Check your eligibility to apply for SA-HELP here.

If you are eligible, you can apply for SA-HELP by signing on to myUNSW (My Student Profile tab > My Student Services > Financials > Commonwealth Govt. Forms).

You must apply before the incurral date of the relevant teaching period.

I would like to apply for SA-HELP, but it’s past the incurral date – is it too late?

Yes, it's too late to apply for this teaching period as the deadline to apply is the incurral date of the relevant teaching period. 

To pay your outstanding SSAF amount, refer to Payment Options for instructions on how to make partial payment.

If you would like to defer your SSAF starting from next term, ensure that you apply for SA-HELP before the incurral date of the next teaching period . 

Can I pay just my SSAF and leave my student contribution (tuition) to be deferred to HECS-HELP/FEE-HELP?

Yes. If you have successfully applied for HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP to defer your student contribution (tuition), you can pay just your SSAF up front. 

In myUNSW (My Student Profile tab > My Student Services > Financials > Fee Statement & Payment Options), the total amount owing under My Current Balance will show the full amount of your student contribution (tuition) + SSAF combined.  

Once you have selected your preferred payment method via the Pay Now button, simply overwrite the total amount to be paid with the exact SSAF amount due.

Refer to Payment Options for further instructions on how to pay.

I've applied for SA-HELP, do I have to reapply every term?

If you remain in the same degree program, you will not need to apply for SA-HELP again.

Once you have successfully applied for SA-HELP for your current program, your SSAF will be deferred to your SA-HELP loan after the incurral date each term, for the duration of your program.

I've changed my degree program, do I need to reapply for SA-HELP?

Yes. If you changed your degree program (including switching between a double degree and single degree), you will need to reapply for any relevant HELP loans, including SA-HELP.

This is true regardless of the process through which you changed your program, e.g. Internal Program Transfer (IPT) or applications via UAC.

Why is my SSAF a different amount to last term?

The SSAF amount you are charged per term depends on your study load for the term.

You may have been part-time in a previous term and are now full-time, which is why your SSAF is a different amount.

See the 2021 Student Services and Amenities Fee for your study load at the top of this page.

My course(s) are online this term, do I still need to pay my SSAF?

Yes. Your SSAF contributes to many services at UNSW that are not only campus-based, including the delivery of online learning, online student support services and much more.

Read more about what your SSAF contributes to. 


Incurral dates and more information

Incurral Dates

UNSW has determined the following dates where the SSAF is payable and/or where the SSAF debt is incurred:

2023

Summer Term      15 January

Term 1                  12 March

Term 2                  25 June

Term 3                  8 October

Semester 1           26 March

Semester 2           13 August

Hexamester 1       19 January

Hexamester 2       16 March

Hexamester 3       18 May

Hexamester 4       13 July

Hexamester 5        7 September

Hexamester 6        2 November

 

2024

Summer Term      14 January

Term 1                  10 March

Term 2                  23 June

Term 3                  6 October

Semester 1           24 March

Semester 2           11 August

Hexamester 1       25 January

Hexamester 2       21 March

Hexamester 3       16 May

Hexamester 4       11 July

Hexamester 5        5 September

Hexamester 6        31 October

The incurral date is the date in which the debt is incurred. There is no capacity under HESA 2003 to remit a SA-HELP debt incurred. UNSW will not refund this amount after the incurral date, even in cases where a student has met the remission requirements for special circumstances.

 

Detailed explanation about SSAF

1. The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) fee was established through the Student Services and Amenities Bill 2011. The Bill amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

2. UNSW has determined that it will charge the Fee to all students with the following exceptions:

  • Students enrolled in cross-institutional, PLuS Alliance, UNSW Online programs or exchange programs studying with UNSW (where UNSW is not the ‘home’ institution). Students on exchange or cross-institutional at another institution where their primary degree is with UNSW (the ‘home’ institution), will still be subject to the SSAF charges.
  • All Defence-funded and non-Commonwealth supported students enrolled in a program at UNSW Canberra/ADFA.

Table 1 (below) provides more detail on liability.

3. The fee is levied on eligible students by the University as a contribution towards services and amenities for the whole student population. Unless explicitly exempted, all students are expected to contribute towards amenities and services. There is no provision to exempt students on the grounds of study or attendance mode (e.g. online or distance delivery; teaching hospital attendance), or that they might not personally use the services and amenities provided.

4. The SSAF maximum rate is published annually by The Department of Education & Training. Institutions can choose to charge up to that rate. The guidelines state that a student defined as part-time cannot be charged more than 75% of the maximum fee.

5. The fee is charged and payable on a term or semester basis, dependent on the student’s primary campus of study, study period model, career and study load (EFTSL).

To view the charges that may apply to you for a semester or term please refer to What you pay (above).

6. The incurral dates are set for each semester or term. All students are liable for the SSAF calculated based on their enrolment as at the incurral date for the semester or term. Incurral dates can be found on your Fee Statement each semester or term, or on this SA-HELP loan page.

7. Eligible students can elect to pay part of the full SSAF upfront to UNSW, or apply for a SA-HELP loan for the remainder or full value of the fee. If you choose to defer part or all of your fee, you are required to apply for a SA-HELP loan prior to the Incurral Date.

8. If you have elected to defer your SSAF you are still eligible to pay part or all of the liability up to the Incurral Date. After the Incurral Date has passed you can no longer make a SSAF payment to the University for that Semester or Term and must arrange payment to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) directly.

9. If you successfully apply for fee remission after the SSAF Incurral Date, you cannot have your SSAF refunded or remitted.

Table 1 - SSAF liability

Program / CareerFee / Funding TypeSSAF Liable?Comments
UndergraduateCommonwealth SupportedYesIncludes Undergraduate Commonwealth supported students at UNSW Canberra
PostgraduateCommonwealth SupportedYes 
ResearchResearch Training SchemeYes 
ResearchInternationalYes 
UndergraduateEnabling Programs (including UPP)Yes 
Non-AwardExcluding Cross-InstitutionalNoCross-Institutional students where UNSW is the home institution are not exempt.
UndergraduateInternational Fee-payingYes 
PostgraduateInternational Fee-payingYes 
PostgraduatePostgraduate Domestic Fee-payingYes 
UndergraduateUndergraduate Fee-payingYes 
Unless specified above, all students at UNSW Canberra are exempt from the SSAF charges.
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