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Fees & assistance

Domestic pre-university fees

Tuition fees

UOW Diploma and enabling pre-university courses attract Commonwealth assistance for eligible domestic students.

This means that you could benefit from zero up-front tuition fees.

How do tuition fees work?

Under the Australian Government's university funding model, eligibility for Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) offers depend on either the course or the applicant. As a result, some UOW Diploma and enabling pre-university places at UOW are CSPs and some are full-fee paying places (FFPPs).

Tuition fees for UOW Diploma and enabling pre-university courses depend on a few factors:

  • the type and duration of the program
  • if places are Commonwealth supported or full-fee paying
  • student eligibility for Commonwealth support, scholarships or additional support through an equity program.

Student contributions (for CSPs) and tuition fees (for FFPPs) may be repaid via a deferred loan, depending on eligibility.

The Australian Government's Study Assist website has more information about Commonwealth assistance and eligibility.

Other fees

Depending on the subject, students may also need to pay additional non-tuition costs. 

Course options

Diplomas at UOW provide an in-depth preparation for either further study (undergraduate bachelor degrees) or entry-level career opportunities.

Academic skills development is embedded in UOW Diplomas, with an emphasis on oral, written and presentation skills, and also group work.

Similar to an undergraduate course:

  • subjects have a lecture and tutorial format, or lecture and laboratory format, timetabled over five days
  • assessment is by practical tasks, essays, mid-session tests and final exams.

Upon completion, a recognised Higher Education Diploma qualification is awarded to students. Students who meet the UOW entry requirements are guaranteed entry into the first or second year of the relevant UOW degree.

Diploma options

These UOW Diplomas are Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) for eligible domestic students. This means that students can benefit from zero up-front tuition fees.

These courses are accredited by the University of Wollongong (UOW). UOW is registered by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). These courses are delivered by UOW College (CRICOS: 02723D; RTO: 91159). UOW College and UOW College Australia are registered business names of UOWC Ltd (ABN: 14 105 312 329)

University preparation programs are suitable for students who are keen to follow a pathway to university, but may not have achieved an entry score required for direct entry into a degree, or may not have achieved an entry score at all. 

These programs prepare students for university study and undergraduate success. 

Program options

The University Entrance Program (UEP) is fee free* for Australian domestic students. It has been specifically designed for students who have not met the direct entry requirements for a UOW bachelor degree and is also suitable for students who have experienced a significant disadvantage during their secondary school education. This program is accredited by UOW and delivered by UOW College. 
 *Fee free is subject to terms and conditions. 

Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP)

Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are University places where, for eligible domestic students, tuition fees are made up of two parts:

  1. an Australian Government contribution (for some subjects, up to three quarters of the tuition fee is funded by the Australian Government)
  2. a student contribution (which may be deferred and repaid later via a HECS-HELP loan).

The HECS-HELP system allows eligible students to defer payment of their student contributions through a loan from the Australian Government. Deferred repayment of these loans means you only have to start repaying your HECS-HELP loan when your income reaches a minimum threshold.

In 2020, the Australian Government introduced a combined HELP loan limit, which is a cap on what you can borrow from the Australian Government to cover the costs of your tuition fees. The Australian Government's Study Assist website has more information about HECS-HELP loans.

Tuition fees (and student contribution amounts) vary depending on the subjects that make up your course, and also on your year of enrolment and completion. See how tuition fees and student contributions are calculated.

Enrolled students can review subject costs in SOLS. Access your enrolment record and click on the subject code.

Future students can review student contribution amounts per subject.

  1. Go to the UOW Handbook 
  2. Click VIEW THE NEW HANDBOOK button
  3. Navigate to your course of interest on the UOW Handbook by Faculty or Study Area. Alternatively, search by subject code or course. Hint: if you search by subject go to straight to Step 6.
  4. Go to the Course Structure section on this page and click Expand all
  5. Click onto the subject code
  6. Go to the menu on the right hand side under “Student Contribution amount” click Student Fee to view for that subject.

Note: For a flexible or prescribed program, clickable subject codes are generally listed inside course structure. For courses with majors or minors, you may need to click through to a major or minor before finding a clickable subject code.

Aside from tuition fees, and to contribute to providing student services and amenities, undergraduate students also need to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), and depending on the subject, additional non-tuition costs (e.g. lab coats, stethoscopes, text books).

Understanding your student contribution

When your place is a CSP, your course costs and student contributions are at the subject (unit of study) level. Student contribution amounts vary depending on your subjects, and also on your year of enrolment and completion. See how tuition fees and student contributions are calculated.

Enrolled students can review subject costs in SOLS. Access your enrolment record and click on the subject code.

Future students can review student contribution amounts per subject:

  1. Navigate to your course of interest in Course Finder
  2. Click the course handbook button (inside the course structure section)
  3. Click a subject code to view the student contribution amounts for that subject.

Note: For a flexible or prescribed program, clickable subject codes are generally listed inside course structure. For courses with majors or minors, you may need to click through to a major or minor before finding a clickable subject code.

CSPs are available for Australian and New Zealand citizens, and holders of an Australian permanent visa (including humanitarian).

HECS-HELP loans are available to students enrolled in a CSP, who are either:

  • an Australian citizen
  • a New Zealand citizen New Zealand Special Category Visa holder, who meets the long-term residency requirements and will be a resident in Australia for the duration of their unit
  • a permanent humanitarian visa holder, who will be a resident in Australia for the duration of their unit.

The Australian Government's Study Assist website has more information about eligibility.

To apply for a HECS-HELP loan when you enrol, eligible students will need:

  • a tax file number (TFN)
  • a unique student identifier (USI), from January 2021.

Full-fee paying place (FFPP)

In a full-fee paying place (FFPP), the Australian Government does not contribute towards your cost of studies. Students are liable for the full fee amount to cover tuition for each subject in the FFPP course. However, eligible students may defer their tuition fee payment and repay it later via a FEE-HELP loan.

When your place is a FFPP, your course costs are determined according to your UOW offer of admission. FFPP tuition fees vary depending on your year of enrolment and commencement.

Enrolled students can review their tuition fees via their fee statement via SOLS, broken down according to units of study.

Future students can review the sessional fee and their estimated overall FFPP tuition fee in Course Finder:

  1. Navigate to your course of interest in Course Finder
  2. Scroll down to course information and click on the domestic students tab.

The FEE-HELP system allows eligible FFPP students to defer payment of their student contributions through a loan from the Australian Government. Deferred repayment of these loans means you only have to start repaying your FEE-HELP loan when your income reaches a minimum threshold.

Eligibility

FEE-HELP loans are available to students enrolled in a FFPP who are:

  • an Australian citizen
  • a New Zealand citizen New Zealand Special Category Visa holder, who meets the long-term residency requirements and will be a resident in Australia for the duration of their unit
  • a permanent humanitarian visa holder, who will be a resident in Australia for the duration of their unit.

To apply for a FEE-HELP loan you will need a tax file number (TFN) and, for new students from 2021, a unique student identifier (USI).

The Australian Government's Study Assist website has more information about FEE-HELP loans.

Payments, statements and refunds

Diplomas

If you are eligible for commonwealth support, your payment type depends on when you're paying.

  • Pay later. If you are eligible for a HECS-HELP loan, you will be able to select this option during your enrolment. For more information, visit the the Australian Government's Study Assist website.

  • Pay now. Students able to pay now may pay by the census date (the last date to pay your fee for the session) via any of UOW's payment options. Check your fees statement in SOLS as each session has a census date. 'Pay now' payments over $500 are eligible for an upfront discount.

Your payment type also depends on whether your fees are up front, partial up front or deferred. Find out more about HECS-HELP loans and payment types.

Enrolled students can access their fee statement via SOLS.

Fee statements show a breakdown of all charges and payments involving your tuition fees (except for any fees which have been deferred to a HECS-HELP loan).

To check your fees online (updated every 24 hours), log into SOLS and select 'fee statement'. SOLS will display any outstanding balances.

The Commonwealth Assistance Notice Statement (CAN) is a summary of payments and deferrals made by a student who is receiving any form of Commonwealth assistance (such as a Commonwealth Supported Place).

  • Find your CAN. Enrolled students are able to access their CAN on SOLS 28 days after the census date for each study period.
  • Have a problem with your CAN? If you have any issues or errors with your CAN statement, or need help, contact Student Central.

Visit the Australian Government's Study Assist website for more information about CAN.

Tuition fee refunds for domestic pre-university students are administered under the legislative guidelines of the Higher Education Support Act and the UOW College Fees and Refunds Policy.

When you enrol in units of study ('subjects' at UOW), you become liable for student contributions (or tuition fees) as soon as census date occurs. This means that if you withdraw from a subject before census date, you're not liable for it (charges are automatically reversed).

Census dates vary depending on which session you are enrolled in and are listed in the UOW key dates page.

Domestic student fees help