Commonwealth Supported Students

A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is one that is subsidised by the Commonwealth and applicable only to Domestic students. This means that the Australian Government pays part of your fees towards your program, therefore reducing your program fees, and the remaining amount is paid by you, this is considered your Student Contribution.

At Western all Undergraduate Award programs and a selection of Postgraduate Award programs offer Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) to Domestic Students. These places are competitive and only offered at point of admission.

The Australian Government determines the amount of subsidy it will contribute to an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Award Program according to its National Priorities and by the Field of Education to which a subject of study, under that Award program, is classified.

The Fields of Education are grouped into Student Contribution Band levels, 1 through to 4, and outlined here at Student Contribution Bands.

What’s New

On 19 October 2020, the Job-ready Graduates Package – Higher Education Reforms were passed in parliament.

Changes delivered under this package impact the subsidy toward Commonwealth Supported Places according to newly defined funding clusters that correlate to the Australian Government’s National Priorities.

The new Student Contribution Bands are effective 1 January 2021.

CSP Students who commenced their Award program (and passed through a Census date) in 2020 or earlier may be eligible to Grandfathered fees. Refer to our Student Contribution Bands page for more information on CSP Grandfathered Fees.

Please note, that from 1 January 2023, there will no longer be a 10% discount for upfront payment for HECS-Help eligible students. This discount was available in 2021 and 2022 however the Australian Government has not extended this to 2023.

The Job-ready Graduates Package also includes, from 2022 onwards, the implementation of a completion rate requirement. Please see below for further information.

JRGP Completion rate requirements

From 1 January 2024, the completion rate requirement will no longer be in effect.

The Australian Government introduced the Job ready Graduate package (JRGP) in 2021 which included a completion rate requirement that came into effect in 2022.

The completion rate requirement (referred to as Low completion rate- LCR) meant that Domestic students who commenced their studies after 1 January 2022 who failed more than 50% of their subjects would no longer be eligible for a CSP place or HELP. Students impacted by a Low completion rate had an LCR hold applied to their record and were discontinued from their program.

With the Government removing the completion rate requirement, students previously impacted by LCR have had their LCR hold lifted and students are able apply to study the same program at Western.

Job Ready Graduates Changes to Student Contributions- Professional Pathways in Psychology and Social Science

The Australian Government has introduced new “professional pathways” for psychology and social work (including youth work, counselling and community work) degrees, from 2021.

What is a professional pathway degree?

Professional pathway degrees are those degrees in psychology and social work that are accredited by an accrediting body and lead to professional employment.

A Professional Pathway Psychology degree is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC)

A Professional Pathway Social Work degree is accredited by the:

Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)

Youth Workers’ Association (YWA)

Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and/or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)

Australian Community Workers Association (ACWA)

The professional pathway will mean the student contribution for subjects in Behavioural Science (within degrees in psychology) or Human Welfare Studies and Services (within degrees in social work, youth work, counselling and community work) will be $8,948 per EFTSL ($1,118 per subject) in 2024. If not for the Pathways they would have been $16,323 ($2040 per subject). 

The above rates are only applicable to students commencing in professional pathways degrees from 2021. Students who commenced prior to 2021 will be Grandfathered, meaning they pay the Grandfathered rates, which is $7659 per EFTSL ($957 per subject) in 2024.

Bachelor of Arts with Key Program in Psychology DOES NOT qualify as a Pathway since students can choose other paths through the degree.

What are the Western Sydney professional pathway degrees?

Bachelor of Psychological Studies (Honours) 1860
Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) 1865
Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology and Criminology) 1886
Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) 1711
Bachelor of Psychological and Social Sciences 1910
Bachelor of Psychological Science and Criminology 1906
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) / Bachelor of Laws 2843
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) / Bachelor of Laws (Honours) 2844
Bachelor of Criminal and Community Justice/Bachelor of Social Work 1713
Bachelor of Social Work 1666
Master of Social Work (Qualifying) 1792

For more information on these reforms and more, please visit the Job-ready Graduates Package – Higher Education Reforms (opens in a new window) page.

Step 1: Find out your Student Contribution

The easiest way to find out how much your Student Contribution will be is to look up your electronic Statement of Account (eSOA) in the Fee Records section of  My Student Records (MySR). Your eSOA details the subjects you are enrolled in, how much you need to pay, the due date and methods of payment. Please make sure all details on your eSOA are correct before census date.

Please note that if you change your enrolment by adding or dropping subjects after you have paid, but before the term census date, you may have to pay additional fees. Depending on the contribution bands of the changed subjects, you may also become eligible for a refund (payable after census) or find your fees are unchanged.

Find out more about your Statement of Account

How can I work out my Student contribution in advance?

To work out how much your Student Contribution will be before you receive your eSOA, you will first need to find out the Student Contribution band your subjects fit into based on their general discipline area.

You can then use the Student Contribution calculator to work out the total amount of your contribution.

Find out more about Student Contribution bands

Find out more about Student Contribution calculations

Step 2: Find out about HELP options

The Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) is a range of loans introduced by the Australian Government from 2005 to provide fee payment assistance to eligible students. Loans are for Australian citizens studying in Australia or overseas. Permanent residents who hold a humanitarian visa are also eligible if studying in Australia.

If eligible you may be able to defer all or part of your Student Contribution through the HECS-HELP loan program. You may also be eligible for OS-HELP if undertaking studies overseas.

New Zealand citizens and holders of an Australian permanent resident visa (other than an Australian permanent humanitarian visa) are generally not entitled to HECS-HELP assistance. If you are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident your Student Contribution amount must be paid in full by the census date.

However, the Australian Government has passed new legislation that changes the way some New Zealand citizens, who hold a Special Category Visa (SCV), studying in Australia will pay their fees. More information is available on the Changes to fees for New Zealand Citizens webpage.

Find out more about HECS-HELP

Find out more about OS-HELP

Step 3: Manage your finances

Fee deadlines

Deadlines for dealing with your fees are based on University census dates. You need to have paid your fees by this date each term. If you want to defer all or part of your fees, you need to have provided your Tax File Number (TFN) as part of your HECS-HELP application by this date.

Find out more about census dates

Payment options

The University offers a number of ways to make payment including credit card and BPay.

Find out more about paying your fees

Step 4: Check your eCAN

Your electronic Commonwealth Assistance Notice (eCAN) is an official record of your fees and enrolment. You need to check this to make sure all details are correct. Your eCAN will be available in My Student Records (MySR) within 28 days of the approved census date.

Find out more about Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN)

Undergraduate Medicine Fees

International students becoming a Permanent Resident or Australian Citizen

If you are an International Student who gains Australian Permanent Residency status or Australian Citizenship while studying the MD, you will still be required to pay full fees as outlined below.

Commonwealth Supported Positions are limited in each intake year of the MD and no further positions can be granted to students who gain their Permanent Residency or Australian Citizenship.

2024 Tuition Fee Rates

4641 Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery

  • $6,423.00 per 10 credit points
  • $51,384.00 per 80 credit points

4758 Doctor of Medicine

  • $7,224.00 Per 10 credit points
  • $57,792.00 per 80 credit points

Post-2009 undergraduate medicine fees

All domestic students who started the Doctor of Medicine (previously Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery) program in 2009 or later will be Commonwealth Supported Students. HECS-HELP may be available to eligible students.

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