Apply to become a FEE-HELP provider

This page explains the legislative eligibility requirements organisations must meet when seeking approval to offer FEE-HELP, as well as the approval process.

Before applying, organisations should consider whether FEE-HELP is appropriate. HEPs are responsible for ensuring they comply with the legislative requirements. If approved, an organisation will have to change some of its business practices to ensure compliance. Breaches of legislative requirements may result in penalties including suspension or revocation of approval.

Eligibility

An organisation seeking approval to offer FEE-HELP must meet certain legislative eligibility requirements. To be eligible an organisation must be a body corporate with its central management and control in Australia, be listed on the national register of higher education providers and offer at least one eligible accredited course.

The national register is available on the Tertiary Education Quality and Standard Agency (TEQSA) website.

Registered higher education providers applying must also meet legislative requirements in relation to financial viability, student policies and procedures for fairness and equal opportunity, academic and non-academic grievance, refunds and re-crediting of a FEE-HELP balance. There are also ongoing responsibilities including certain administrative requirements and data reporting requirements associated with FEE HELP.

Making an application

The FEE-HELP Provider Application Guide (Application Guide) covers the requirements that applicants must address to become approved HEPs. For each requirement the Application Guide provides a checklist of information and/or documentation which must be provided, reference to the legislative provisions and a detailed discussion of the requirements.

The Financial Viability Instructions (FVI) for FEE HELP inform applicants of the financial information that is required, the form in which it must be prepared and how financial viability will be assessed.

You must read the Application Guide and FVI before applying

How to apply

Applications must be lodged through the online HELP IT system (HITS). You will need to register for HITS to gain access, please refer to the HITS user guide for instructions.

Once you are able to access HITS, you will need to enter your organisation’s details, financial performance data and upload all documentation required to meet legislative requirements including mandatory forms. If you do not provide enough information the application will not be accepted by the department.

It is a requirement for some documents to be certified. The Guidelines for certification of documents provides advice on how to certify a document.

IMPORTANT: From 1 January 2020, the Commonwealth Government charges an ‘Application Fee’ for HEPs seeking approval to offer FEE-HELP under the Higher Education Support Act 2003. This fee will recover the Commonwealth's full costs of administering and assessing applications. For more information about the Application Fee, visit HELP Charging Measures.

Once an application is lodged, the Applicant is required to pay the Application Fee to the Department of Education. Applications will be assessed within 90 days of receipt of the application fee. If further information is required this will extend the assessment period by a further 60 days after the deadline given for the provision of the additional information.

Please email the FEE-HELP team at fee-help@education.gov.au to initiate payment of your Application Fee.

Legislation

Higher Education Support Act 2003 and legislative guidelines.

Mandatory forms

Optional templates

Guidelines for the certification of documents

The following is a guide to help you prepare your certified documents correctly. Certified documents are copies of important documents which need to be certified as true copies of the originals by a person authorised to do so.

At certain stages of the application process, for approval as a higher education provider, you will be asked to produce ‘certified documents”. These are copies of important documents which need to be certified as true copies of the originals by a person authorised to do so.

The following is a guide to help you prepare your certified documents correctly.

A certified copy is a copy (often a photocopy) of a primary document that has on it an endorsement or certificate that it is a true copy of the primary document. It does not certify that the primary document is genuine, only that it is a true copy of the primary document.

Who can certify a copy?

It is usual for documents to be certified by a person who is authorised as a witness for statutory declarations under Statutory Declarations Regulations 2018 – Schedule 2. This schedule provides a wide range of authorised occupations and office holders who may certify a document, so finding a suitable person should not normally present a significant difficulty.

How do I obtain a certified copy?

Before certifying a document, the certifier must ensure the copy to be certified is an identical copy of the original. Suggested wording for the certification is as follows:

I certify that this is a true copy of
the document produced to me on
Signature
Name
Qualification (e.g. JP, Pharmacist)

Documents in languages other than English

A certifier should not certify a document in a language other than English unless they can be sure that the original and the copy are identical. A solution to this is to have the original photocopied in the presence of the certifier.

Multiple page documents

If the original is a multiple page document, each page must be checked against the copy to ensure that it is correct. The certifier can then proceed as follows:

Sign or initial each page
Certify the last page as follows:
- I certify that this page document is a true copy of the document produced to me on Signature Name Qualification (e.g. JP, Pharmacist)