Student services and amenities fee

Background

On 1 January 2012 La Trobe University will introduce the Student Services and Amenities Fee as a result of the Student Services and Amenities Fee Legislation which was passed by the Australian Parliament on 11 October, 2011.

The Student Services and Amenities Fee will help the University to fund non-political student representation, facilities and services.

2012 Fees

La Trobe University will be charging the following fees in 2012:

Cohort

Student Services and Amenities Fee Period One (1 January - 30 June)

Student Services and Amenities Fee Period Two (1 July - 31 December)
Domestic Students (All courses - see exclusions below) $131.50 Full-time
$98.50 Part-time		 $131.50 Full-time
$98.50 Part-time
International Students (All courses - off-shore and on-shore including Study Abroad and Exchange) $0 $0
All courses involving Third Party Provider partnerships with La Trobe University including: Chisholm, ACN Sydney, APESMA, La Trobe Melbourne, William Blue. $0 $0
All courses including Out-bound Exchange studies for the period of the overseas study $0 $0
All courses including Cross Institutional studies where La Trobe University is not the home institution $0 $0
All Distance Education courses $0 $0
All On-Line Courses $0 $0
All Enabling and Bridging Courses $0 $0

A student is considered to be full-time if, in the Student Services and Amenities Fee Period in question, they have an aggregate EFTSL (Equivalent Full Time Study Load) of 0.375 or more.

A student is considered to be part-time if, in the Student Services and Amenities Fee Period in question, they have an aggregate EFTSL (Equivalent Full Time Study Load) of less than 0.375.

To calculate the aggregate EFTSL for a Student Services and Amenities Fee Period divide the total credit points for all subjects having a census date within the period by 120. For example 45 credit points is equivalent to 0.375 EFTSL.

Please note: Distance education, on-line and exchange-out subjects will not be included in the calculation of the aggregate EFTSL for a Student Services and Amenities Fee Period.

For example:

Peter is enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts at the Bendigo Campus. In the first Student Services and Amenities Fee period Peter is enrolled in four 15 credit point subjects (with an aggregate EFTSL of 0.500), two of which are on-line (with an aggregate EFTSL of 0.250) and two are on-campus (with an aggregate EFTSL of 0.250).

In the second Student Services and Amenities Fee period Peter is enrolled in four 15 credit point subjects (with an aggregate EFTSL of 0.500), all of which are on-campus. Peter is full-time across the year.

In the first Student Services and Amenities Fee period Peter will be charged $98.50, the part-time rate for the Student Services and Amenities Fee as his aggregate on-campus enrolment is only 0.250 EFTSL.

In the second Student Services and Amenities Fee period Peter will be charged the full-time rate of $131.50. Peter’s entire Student Services and Amenities liability for the year will be $230.00.

Payment Dates

The Student Services and Amenities Fee will be charged in two Student Services and Amenities Fee periods per year: 1 January – 30 June and 1 July – 31 December. The calculation of the fee relates to the aggregate amount of EFTSL a student is enrolled in within the period.

The date that the payment of the Student Services and Amenities Fee will be due is linked to subject census dates. These dates will also appear on the Statement of Account against the individual subject enrolments.

SA-HELP

Australian citizens and holders of Permanent Humanitarian Visas will be eligible to take out a loan for the fee under a HELP scheme, similar to HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP. All other students will need to pay the fee directly to the University.

Eligible students will be able to fill in an SA-HELP form, which must include a valid Tax File Number, and on 30 June and 31 December each year the debt for the Student Services and Amenities Fee will be liable to the Government. All students deferring their debt will be issued a Commonwealth Assistance Notice within 28 days of these dates.

SA-HELP forms will be available from local Student Administration Offices and will be mailed out to all eligible students in January 2012.

Uses of the Student Services and Amenities Fee

The following priorities have been identified, as those the University believes are important uses of the Student Services and Amenities Fees.  The priorities are in no particular order:

  • Sports Programs including the operation of sporting clubs
  • Support for student clubs and societies
  • Subsidised child care fees
  • Provision of legal services
  • Student media including the student newspaper Rabelais
  • Student accident insurance
  • Orientation to the University
  • Advocacy of students interest to the University
  • Support of student theatre and film production
  • Support for the welfare of international students
  • Recreational activities
  • Promotion of the health and welfare of students

Students and student organisations are invited to comment on these priorities as a means of identifying future funding commitments.

Comments should be directed to student-services@latrobe.edu.au 

Further Information

Further information about the Student Services and Amenities Fee is available through our FAQ site and via the Government’s Going to Uni site.