VET Student Loans

The VET Student Loans (VSL) program is an Australian Government initiative that supports eligible students by deferring tuition fees for approved diploma-level and higher qualifications - making further study more accessible and affordable. These qualifications are designed to meet current industry and workplace needs, helping you develop the skills required for a successful and sustainable career.

The Institute is a VSL provider for the Diploma of Counselling, Diploma of Leadership and Management, and Diploma of Leadership and Management (Health Services/Practice Management). These qualifications are designed to meet current industry and workplace needs, helping you develop the skills required for a successful and sustainable career.

A VET student loan gives rise to a HELP debt that continues to be a debt due to the Commonwealth until it is repaid. VET Student Loans will not be approved for students who do not meet eligibility requirements.

VET Student Loans Provider Logo

What’s Covered

VET Student Loans apply to tuition fees for eligible courses only. Any additional costs - such as materials, textbooks, or administration fees - must be paid upfront if required.

Eligibility Criteria

To access a VET Student Loan, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Be enrolled in an approved diploma-level course or above.
  • Satisfy academic suitability, by meeting one of the following:
    • Provide a copy of your Year 12 certificate from a recognised state or territory authority (not your school),
    • Hold a Certificate IV or higher qualification (delivered in English),
    • Or complete a Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) assessment—this will be provided during your application process.
  • Meet citizenship or residency requirements:
    • Be an Australian citizen (provide a valid Australian passport, citizenship certificate, or birth certificate),
    • Be a qualifying New Zealand citizen meeting long-term residency criteria (you’ll need an International Movement Record),
    • Be a permanent humanitarian visa holder (provide visa grant details or VEVO evidence),
    • Or be a Pacific Engagement visa holder (provide visa documentation).
  • Have a valid Tax File Number (TFN) or a certificate showing you've applied for one.
    • Your TFN must match your personal details held by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
  • Have a Unique Student Identifier (USI).​
    • A USI is your individual education number. You keep this number for life and will use it for all of your higher education or training, at any university, TAFE or other nationally registered training organisation in Australia. If you’ve studied a VET course in the last five years, you likely already have one. Find your USI or create one if needed - it’s free and fast.
  • Not have exceeded your VET Student Loan limit and/or course cap.
    • Each course has a capped VSL amount set by the Government. If your tuition fees exceed this cap, you’ll be required to make upfront payments to cover the difference. We’ll send you a VET Student Loan Notice that outlines the portion of your fees covered by the loan and any gap payment due.
    • If you've already accessed part of your loan at another institution, your remaining loan balance will transfer with you. We may ask you to confirm how much of your loan has already been used.
      If you have changed your course provider (TAFE) but not your course and wish to continue to access VSL for the same course, you will need to complete another eCAF with us to apply for the remainder of the loan. Example: If the course cap was originally $10,500 and have you already accessed $6000 at another provider for the same course, you will only be eligible for the remainder $4500.
  • Provide a parental consent form if under 18 years of age.
    • If you're under 18, a parent or guardian will need to complete and sign a consent form, unless you're receiving independent Youth Allowance—if so, just provide your Centrelink Income Statement.
  • Confirm engagement and progression in your course.​
    • To continue receiving VSL support, you’ll need to confirm your progression during your course. We'll let you know when to complete the required Government progression form—usually sent via email with a 14-day window to respond.

Applicants who do not meet these requirements will need to pay fees upfront for their course enrolment.

Find out more if you're eligible by visiting the Australian Government’s VET Student Loans website.

Application Process

If you’re planning to use VET Student Loans to defer your tuition fees:

  1. Check your eligibility based on the criteria above.
  2. Submit your course application, indicating that you wish to pay via VSL and provide required documentation.
  3. Receive your eCAF (Commonwealth Assistance Form) invitation - if you're eligible, we will notify the Government, who will email you a unique link and passkey to access the eCAF form.
  4. Log in and complete your eCAF before your course census date. You’ll need to enter your TFN or TFN application certificate and confirm your enrolment.
  5. Validate your TFN - make sure your details match what’s recorded with the ATO. If there’s a mismatch, you’ll need to resolve it quickly with either the ATO or Cairnmillar.

Keeping Track of Your Loan

You can view your loan balance and history using:

  • myHELPbalance – Shows your overall loan usage across HELP and VETSL.
  • myGov – Shows your current VETSL debt, indexation, and repayments.