Available HELP balance

A person's Available HELP balance is the amount that the person can borrow under HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP and VSL after taking account of debts that have already been incurred by the person. That is, it only includes loans with a census date in the past. The Available HELP balance, at a point in time is:

  • the person's HELP loan limit at that point in time
  • less any FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP and VSL loans that the person accessed that have a census date in the past
  • less any HECS-HELP loans that the person has accessed on or after 1 January 2020 that have a census date in the past
  • plus any loan repayments made by the person from or after the 2019-20 income year that the ATO has reported to the department.

The calculation of a person's Available HELP balance does not consider any:

  • HECS-HELP loans with a census date before 1 January 2020
  • HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP or VSL loans that have yet to be reported to the department
  • HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP or VSL loans with a census date in the future
  • HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP or VSL loans that have been remitted
  • OS-HELP or SA-HELP loans
  • Loan repayments that have been made to the ATO but are yet to be reported by the ATO to the department
  • Indexation of debts

 

Application of glossary term:
  • Student entitlements (HE and VET)