Student Learning Entitlement

The Student Learning Entitlement (SLE), introduced by the Commonwealth Government in 2005, gives eligible students access to seven years equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) as a Commonwealth supported student.

The Australian government provides a contribution towards the study costs of Commonwealth supported students each year via the Commonwealth Grants Scheme, with students paying the remaining fee amount, known as their Student Contribution. More information on Student Contribution and Amounts can be found on the Student Contribution web page.

Students eligible for a SLE include:

• Australian citizens
• New Zealand citizens
• Holders of permanent residency visas

All Commonwealth supported students are assigned a Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number (CHESSN) which will stay with them throughout their academic study, allowing their eligibility for Commonwealth assistance to be monitored. Students will be advised of their CHESSN on their Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN).

The Student Learning Entitlement for a unit is deducted at the census date for that unit. If you enrol in units of study beyond the EFTSL for a session, you will consume SLE at a faster pace. There is no time limit on the use of a Student Learning Entitlement.

You must have sufficient SLE to cover the EFTSL value of a particular unit. If you enrol in units whose total EFTSL value is greater than the SLE you have remaining, then you will not be eligible for Commonwealth support for those units which are not covered by your SLE.

New Zealand citizens, and holders of permanent residency visas other than the permanent humanitarian visa are not entitled to HELP loans and will be required to pay their Student Contribution up-front.

» Eligibility for Commonwealth support and SLE (DEST website)

Eligibility for Additional Student Learning Entitlement

Additional SLE is available under specific circumstances, including:

• Undergraduate courses that require more than six years EFTSL for completion
• Honours courses
• Graduate entry Bachelor degrees
• Postgraduate courses
• Courses restructured in such a way that students need to undertake additional units of study in order to complete the course.

The additional SLE must be used to study units that count towards the course of study for which it was granted, and is only used once ordinary SLE is fully used. The amount of additional SLE granted depends on the course requirements.

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Lifelong Student Learning Entitlement

As an incentive to encourage lifelong learning, Commonwealth supported students will receive a Lifelong Student Learning Entitlement to use towards updating their qualifications or re-training.

The first accrual of Lifelong SLE is dependent on your age at 1 January 2005. If you are:

• 20 years or greater - your first accrual is on 1 January 2015.
• Less than 20 years - your first accrual is on 1 January of the year in which you turn 30.

You then accrue Lifelong SLE every 1 January thereafter.

Once a person is eligible to accrue Lifelong SLE, they receive the equivalent of 1 EFTSL of Lifelong SLE in the first year, and 0.125 EFTSL of Lifelong SLE each following year.

For example: Mary was 25 years old on 1 January 2005. Her first accrual of 1 EFTSL of Lifelong SLE occurs on 1 January 2015. On 1 January 2016, she received her second accrual of 0.125 EFTSL. Mary enrolled in a course on 20 February 2016. She used her 1.125 EFTSL of Life Long SLE towards that course.

Lifelong SLE can be used to undertake study as a Commonwealth supported student, once ordinary SLE and any eligible additional SLE have been used.

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Refund of Student Learning Entitlement

The SLE for a unit is deducted at the census date for that unit and students withdrawing prior to this date will not lose any of their entitlement.

As a general rule, students withdrawing from a unit after the census date for that unit will not be entitled to a refund of their SLE.

However, if students feel they have endured extenuating circumstances as outlined in the University's policy, they can submit a request for re-credit of their SLE for that unit due to special circumstances.

If a student successfully applies to have their SLE re-credited for a unit, then they will also have any HELP debt remitted, and any up-front payments refunded for that unit.

» Re-crediting, remission and refunds