OS-HELP Information Sheet

Am I eligible for OS-HELP?

To be entitled to OS-HELP assistance through UWA for a six month study period, a student must :

• be a full-time enrolled student at UWA;
• have made satisfactory progress in their current course of study (ie pass 50% of points undertaken);
• be an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa;
• not have received OS-HELP on more than one other occasion;
• be enrolled in an undergraduate course of study at UWA;
• have already completed at least 1 EFTSL of study in Australia that counts towards his or her course of study, as either:
  • a Commonwealth supported student;
  • a contributing (that is a HECS-liable) student under the Higher Education Funding Act 1988; or
  • an exempt student who was exempt on the basis of receiving a merit based equity scholarship under the Higher Education Funding Act 1988;

• still have at least 0.5 EFTSL of study yet to complete in their course of study on return from their overseas study;
• have their course of study approved by the relevant Faculty Office, and be accepted by the overseas institution, ensuring they will:
  • be enrolled in full-time study with an overseas higher education institution or the overseas campus of an Australian higher education provider for study that commences on or after 1 January 2005 and for which the student will be outside Australia while undertaking the study;
  • have their overseas study count as credit for the course of study that they are enrolled in with UWA;

• not have been granted an OS-HELP loan by another provider for an overlapping six month study period;
• meet the Tax File Number (TFN) requirements (see part 46);
• complete, sign and submit an OS-HELP debt confirmation form.

Note that OS-HELP assistance is not available to students undertaking their whole course of study overseas.

How will students be selected for an OS-HELP loan?

Selection for an OS-HELP loan will be based on academic merit.