You may have noticed the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) included in your study costs and wondered what it’s used for. While the SSAF might seem like an additional expense, it’s key to enhancing your student services at La Trobe.
What is SSAF?
The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) is a compulsory fee for domestic students at most Australian universities. It is paid each study period. SSAF helps to fund non-academic services and amenities for students and supports student focussed initiatives. International students pay SSAF as part of their overall university fees. Domestic students are invoiced separately for SSAF.
Some SSAF-funded services and amenities are delivered by La Trobe, and others are delivered by the La Trobe University Student Association and the La Trobe University Student Union.
What does SSAF do for you?
SSAF funding helps to improve everyone’s experience at La Trobe. It contributes to a range of essential services and amenities across all La Trobe campuses, including student clubs, careers and employability and leadership programs, student events, student advocacy and health and counselling services.
Where will SSAF funds be used in 2024?
The graphic below shows how SSAF funds will be spent in 2024. It’s important to note that these services are not funded exclusively by SSAF. La Trobe contributes further funding to these important projects.
In addition to the SSAF funding, the University contributes a further $20 million in support from other sources to expand on these services. For example, our Wellbeing services receive a further $5 million in funding alongside the important contribution from SSAF.
You may use a few or many of these services and amenities funded by the SSAF, including:
- Employability: including Career Ready Advantage, Employability Advisors and Career Ready Ambassadors
- Student Wellbeing: including Student counselling services, Chaplaincy services and programs such as Respect at La Trobe and Safer Community
- Student Life: including Clubs and Societies, the free Glider Bus at Bundoora campus, and programs that encourage your collaboration and feedback such as student leadership and volunteering, International Student Travel Concessions and Student Events and Engagement
- Study Support: including Library Services such as the Learning Hub and learning support, Peer Learning Advisors and course specific student advising and support
- Food Relief – provided free of charge to all students on all campuses and delivered by La Trobe Student Association ( Albury-Wodonga, Bendigo, City, Mildura, Shepparton) and La Trobe Student Union (Bundoora)
- Advocacy
- Student Representation on all campuses including La Trobe Student Association and La Trobe Student Union
- Sports: including the provision of sports services including gym access, Uni Games and subsidies for local sport through La Trobe Sport
- Legal Advice and Financial counselling: including the Legal Service and Financial Counselling
Who decides what SSAF is spent on?
Every year, your feedback helps us decide how SSAF money should be allocated and spent. We do this through:
- The La Trobe Experience Survey
- Student Leadership Group
- SSAF email and feedback form
- Student Services and Amenities Group (SSAG)
Under the Student Services, Amenities, Representation and Advocacy Guidelines, the University has a formal process of consultation with democratically elected student representatives and representatives from major student organisations at the University, to ensure that you have a say in how SSAF funds are allocated and spent.
You will start to notice stickers around your campus highlighting activities and services that are funded by SSAF.
Explore the SSAF-funded activities and services available to you, and don’t hesitate to share your feedback on how SSAF should be allocated and spent.