Financial Assistance Programs

Eligibility criteria

To access the Financial Assistance Programs you must meet the following requirements according to your student status:

Local student (incl PR and NZ; Unistart and Humanitarian students):

• Local students who are continuing studies and currently enrolled may apply.

Restricted access for the following local students: 

• First session local students may apply for help with laptops and textbooks required for your course at any time, however, you are not eligible for other grants and loans until after Census Date, when we can confirm you are continuing your studies at UTS.
  • Local online (OPM) students in an award course may apply when attending second session/semester and beyond. 

International student eligibility:

• You must be ‘on-shore’ in Australia and enrolled in an award course. You will need to download a copy of your current VEVO status and attach it to your application:

Restricted access for international students:  

•  First session international students may apply after completing their first session and when attending second session and beyond. 

Additional eligibility criteria and guidelines are listed under each of the Financial Assistance Programs, below.

If you are unsure of your eligibility or just wish to talk through your circumstances: 

Book a telephone or Zoom appointment by calling our reception desk on 02 9514 1177

 

Not eligible for Financial Assistance Programs are:

Students who belong to any one of the following cohorts are not eligible to apply for the Financial Assistance Programs listed:

Ineligible student groups:

• UTS College students
• All Short-course, non-award 
• UTS Exchange Students (Inbound)
• UTS Students on Leave of Absence

UTS Financial Assistance Program guidelines

Loan guidelines: 

• A maximum balance of $3,000 can be borrowed at any one time
• Applicants must provide a copy of the most recent 90-days of transactions on each and all of your Australian bank accounts. This is not a bank statement but a list of transactions as you view them when using online banking.
• There are no interest charges
• Repayments may be deferred for the first 3 months and then scheduled over the following three; six or twelve-month period BUT must be fully repaid before you complete your course. Students in their final session or completing a degree are required to seek pre-approval by meeting with Financial Assistance (call 02 9514 1177 for an appointment)
• Loan repayment details are forwarded to the applicant on the Loan Repayment Schedule after your application has been accepted by UTS, but before you sign-off 
• Contact Financial Assistance to request a 'loan extension' if you have reasonable reason why you are unable to meet the payment schedule

Please be wary of scams which offer to pay your tuition fees, bills and loans at a discounted rate

Financial Support Grant guidelines

• You must meet the eligibility criteria listed above 
• Applicants must provide a copy of the most recent 90-days of transactions on each and all of your Australian bank accounts. This is not a bank statement but a list of transactions as you view them when using online banking
• Provide evidence of any one of the following:
  • Work-integrated learning and any add-on costs and/or loss of income when completing placements; clinics; practicums; project materials; studios and excursions, and where your current income and/or reserves in savings is insufficient to meet your needs
  • other course-related requirements may include mandatory vaccinations and uniforms; books; apps; stationary required for your studies
  • essential living expenses (e.g. arrears on utility bills and rent) and extra-ordinary medical costs, when financial assistance may help you to meet short-term costs, and where your current income and/or reserves in savings is insufficient to meet your needs 
• Able to demonstrate low income:
  • A combined income from allowances and/or financial support (including Centrelink benefits), work up to AUD$1,200 per fortnight and have inadequate reserves in savings to meet essential needs.
    • Students with above $1,200 fortnightly income but within a close range of this amount may apply if experiencing extenuating circumstances such as carer roles, are supporting dependents on their income, or experience other personal circumstances resulting in hardship. We ask you to provide supporting documentation to the extent that it is possible and to book an appointment to speak to Financial Assistance (call reception on 02 9514 1177).
• New students enrolling for the first session may also wish to speak to us directly when applying for a Financial Assistance Program. This program will only begin for first session students who are continuing their studies after Census Date. You may contact Financial Assistance before or after submitting your application. Tel: 02 9514 1177.

Successful grant applications are usually approved for amounts up-to $500 depending on the assessment of your circumstances and the support documentation provided with your application. Funds for approved applications will be transferred to your nominated bank account within approximately 10-days. Peak times and inadequate documentation may see delays in the processing of applications.

Grocery/Food Vouchers guidelines:

Vouchers offer short-term help with essential items including the purchase of groceries and providing transferrable credit for your OPAL travel card.

• You must meet the eligibility criteria listed above 
• And you can demonstrate financial hardship or regular income of less than $1,200 per fortnight when living away from home:

and can provide evidence of inadequate savings to meet essential needs. Extra-ordinary individual circumstances may also be deemed eligible.

• Provide a copy of the most recent 90-days of transactions on your bank accounts before or at the time of the appointment to collect cards (vouchers) 
• Process to apply: call SSU reception on 02 9514 1177 to arrange for an ‘on-campus’ booking with Financial Assistance and meet the above guidelines 
• You must be able to collect the cards, in person, from our UTS Broadway Sydney campus 

Digital Access guidelines for laptop and other hardware and course specific software and internet

• you must meet the eligibility criteria for local or international students listed above  
• provide evidence a combined income from allowances (including Centrelink benefits), work and/or financial support under AUD$1,200 per fortnight and have inadequate reserves in savings to meet essential needs
• Applicants must provide a copy of the most recent 90-days of transactions on each and all of your Australian bank accounts. This is not a bank statement but a list of transactions as you view them when using online banking
• if applying for hardware:
  • You may be eligible for a ‘once-only’ hardware support during your degree studies
  • You are not in your final year of completing a degree. Final year students must book an appointment with Financial Assistance to discuss your circumstances
  • You are not enrolled in a degree of 36 credit points or less
• this program may assist with new ‘in-the-box’ laptops with warranties and suited to your course requirements
• provision of a $1,000 grant may apply to assist students in course-related high-end technical specification equipment. You may also apply for a loan if requiring additional funds.

You can contact us via our reception desk on 02 9514 1177 to arrange for a telephone appointment should you wish to discuss individual digital requirements and personal circumstances. 

UTS Housing Rental Subsidy (HRS) guidelines

• local students only, may apply for the HRS Program
• you must match the grant eligibility criteria for local students listed above, plus:
  • Applicants must have a current lease with the UTS Housing Service and be residing in Yura Mudang
  • Applicants must provide a copy of the most recent 90-days of transactions on each and all of your Australian bank accounts. This is not a bank statement but a list of transactions as you view them when using online banking
• A maximum of 2 subsidy awards per annum (broadly representing Autumn session in January to June and Spring session from July to December) may be awarded
• HRS awards usually range between $1,500 to $2,500 for a 26 week period, and may be reduced over shorter outstanding lease periods

New students enrolled in their first session who are approved for a HRS will receive the subsidy after Census Date in the first session. You may wish to book an appointment with Financial Assistance before or after submitting your application. Tel: 02 9514 1177. 

All Programs: Things to prepare before starting the application form

• We ask you to tell us about the circumstantial changes that are affecting your financial situation.
• Upload the most recent 90 days of income and outgoing transactions for each of your Australian bank accounts
• If you are in receipt of Centrelink you will be required to provide your Customer Reference Number (CRN) and a copy of your most recent Centrelink Income Statement.
• Provide quotes / prices / receipts for specific requests such as course-related hardware (e.g. sewing machine; camera) under the digital access requests; or material costs for projects under the Financial Support Grant
• You will need to provide your nominated bank account details in the application (account holder name, BSB and account number) for transfers. This must be an Australian bank account.
• Applicants for the UTS Housing subsidy will need to supply a copy of their current lease (copy of contract identifying you and the address, the rent cost and the dates of the lease contract)

How to apply

Online applications are available for International Students and Domestic Students

• We recommend using Chrome, Firefox or Safari (as internet browsers) when completing applications and for the purposes of receiving correspondence from us when processing your application (Internet Explorer is NOT fully compatible with our online application software).
• You will be able to save and resume your application later. Un-submitted or incomplete applications will accessible for you to re-visit within each 6-month period. That is: On 30 June and 31 December your un-submitted application will be deleted. You will need to start a new application after each of these dates.
• If further clarification is required to assess your application, you may be asked for further details via the application email or asked to make an appointment with the Financial Assistance Service.

Online application 

For URGENT circumstances and requests for funds, please contact the SSU Reception on 02 9514 1177 and book a telephone or on-campus appointment with Financial Assistance. We can assist with prepaid vouchers and advise you of any updates.

Financial Assistance Programs - Apply Here

Once you log into the Portal, select Financial Assistance Application. Under normal circumstances, allow for 10 working-days for the processing of your application(s).

During high-demand periods of February to April inclusive, and July to September inclusive may result in minor additional delays.

FAQs

How long will the application review process take?

• You will receive an acknowledgement email after your application is submitted.
• It will take approximately 2 weeks to process your application. Peak periods may lead to extended processing times.
• You will be notified by email on the outcome of your application.

When will I receive payment?

• Once your application has been approved, it will take approximately one (1) week for your payment to be made
  • Please ensure you enter your Australian bank account details correctly, to avoid payment delays to your nominated bank account. 

What if I have additional questions?

We understand that you may have additional questions in relation to aspects of your study. Please review the following avenues to have your questions answered:

For questions relating to:

• Financial Assistance: call reception on 02 9514 1177 for a telephone; Zoom or on-campus appointment
• Subject and course information - Admission requirements - Fees and scholarships, please contact the Future Learner Contact Centre via the undergraduate or postgraduate enquiry form.
• Course progression and study plans - Subject enrolment - Academic caution and sanctions - Exam related and academic progress applications - Leave of absence - Credit recognition and concurrent study - Graduation matters - ID card issuance - Student letters - Transcripts and testamurs - Help navigating UTS systems
  Please contact the UTS Student Centre and ASK UTS.
• If you have any questions regarding your status as an International Student at UTS, including visa-related questions, please contact internationalstudent@uts.edu.au.
• If you have questions relating to the Student Support Package or your application, please respond to the confirmation email after submitting your application.
• If you have general questions in relation to Financial Assistance and support, please contact Financial.Assistance@uts.edu.au. If you would like to discuss your financial situation in more detail, you can book an appointment by contacting Student Services reception on 02 9514 1177.
• If you would like assistance with managing stress related to your financial circumstances, you can book an appointment by contacting Student Services reception on 02 9514 1177 or emailing student.services@uts.edu.au.
• If you have questions relating to finding work and/or employability programs, please contact careers@uts.edu.au.