Student Services & Amenities Fee (SSAF)

The Department of Education has advised the maximum annual charge for 2019 is $303.00

SSAF per Term/Semester, based on study load as at the incurral date:

2019

Coursework programs, UNSW Sydney (Terms 1, 2 and 3)

• Full-time $101.00
• Part-time $75.75

Research programs (Terms 1, 2, 3 and Summer)

• Full-time $75.75
• Part-time $56.80

Coursework programs, UNSW Canberra (Semesters 1 and 2)

• Full-time $151.50
• Part-time $113.60

2018

• Full-time $149
• Part-time $111.75

Students who are Australian citizens, permanent humanitarian visa holders resident in Australia or New Zealand citizens special category visa holders resident in Australia are eligible for SA-HELP. Eligible UNSW students can apply through myUNSW before the incurral date for the relevant semester.

Here is detailed information on eligibility and applying for SA-HELP

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

2. From 2016 UNSW has determined that it will charge the Fee to all students with the following exceptions:

• • Students enrolled in cross-institutional, PLuS Alliance 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
  • Students enrolled in 8345 AGSM MBA Hong Kong or 5945 Grad. Dip. Management Hong Kong

Table 1 (below) provides more detail on liability.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. The fee is charged and payable on a semester basis, for Semesters 1 and 2 only. Enrolments in Summer Term do not incur a SSAF charge. Students are charged based on enrolled study load each semester, and can incur either a full time charge with a full-time equivalent (FTE) load of .375 or more, or subsequently a part time charge with an FTE load of less than .375; where .5 is considered the standard full time EFT load.

7. The fee will be calculated at the same time as other fees and charges and will be included on fee invoices.

8. All students who submit a request to defer the SSAF via SA-HELP (see Rule 10.) will receive a Commonwealth Assistance Notice in line with legislative requirements within 28 days of the Incurral Date.

9. The incurral dates are 31 March (Semester 1) and 31 August (Semester 2).

10. Domestic students, in Commonwealth-supported programs and Research Training Scheme programs, can elect to pay part of the full semester fee upfront to the University or to apply for a Commonwealth loan (SA-HELP) for the remainder or full value of the fee – i.e. to defer their liability. Students seeking to defer part or all of their semester fee are required to apply for a SA-HELP loan prior to the Incurral Date in each semester.

11. Eligible students who have elected to defer their SSAF are still eligible to pay part or all of the liability up to the Incurral Date (31 March or 31 August). After the Incurral Date has passed students can no longer make a SSAF payment to the University for that Semester and must arrange payment to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) directly.

12. Students who successfully apply for withdrawal from their enrolment without financial penalty after the SSAF Incurral Date (31 March or 31 August) will not have their SSAF refunded or remitted.

Table 1 - Students' SSAF liability

In 2017 UNSW contributed $16.5 million of expenditure towards the provision of student services captured by the SSAF legislation. A significant portion of that spend went directly to UNSW student organisation (ARC), totalling $4.864 million. At the time of notification (9 February 2018), the University received $12.4 million in SSAF income.

Below is a summary of expenditure, identified against the SSAF allowable categories of expenditure.

*In 2017, UNSW contributed approximately $20 million to the refurbishment of the Roundhouse building which is the main heart of student life on campus.