OS help
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  5. OS help

Government support for overseas study programs

The OS-HELP loan is an Australian government initiative that aims to assist students while studying overseas.

The amount borrowed through the OS-HELP loan will be added to a Commonwealth supported students' HECS debt and must be repaid to the government.

You will be assessed for OS-HELP as part of the application process.

Eligibility

You are eligible for the OS‑HELP Loan if you meet all of the below criteria:

  • You have been accepted into a Macquarie University Student Mobility Program and have been accepted by your host university.
  • You are an Australian citizen, permanent humanitarian visa holder or a New Zealand Special Category Visa holder who meets the long-term residency requirements.
  • You have not received an OS‑HELP loan on more than one other occasion from Macquarie University or any other Australian education institution.
  • You are enrolled in a coursework program with Macquarie University on a Commonwealth Supported Place and have completed one equivalent full-time student load (1.0 EFTSL) in your program, which is one year of standard full-time study –eight standard units or 80 credit points (cp).
  • You will be undertaking full-time study overseas and your overseas study is credit-bearing and will count towards the course requirements for the Australian course of study in which you are enrolled.
  • You must be enrolled in a full-time study load while on semester exchange (ie, a minimum of 30cp or maximum of 40cp).
  • You will have at least 0.125 EFTSL of your course of study left to complete once you have finished your overseas study (10 credit points remaining in your degree upon your return).
  • You meet the tax file number (TFN) requirements:
    • You have provided your valid TFN to Macquarie University.
    • If you don’t have a TFN, you have provided Macquarie University with a 'Certificate of application for a TFN'. This certificate is available from the Australian Taxation Office after you have applied for a TFN.

Other conditions:

  • You have not completed your overseas study before applying for and receiving the loan.
  • You are not going on your exchange program in the last semester of your degree.
  • You cannot apply for two consecutive loans if the second overseas program begins within six months and one day of the first program commencement date.
  • OS-HELP is not available for students from third-party providers and/or cross-institutional study.
  • Students who are not accepted into the MacAbroad Student Exchange Program or PACE International program are not eligible for OS-HELP.

OS-HELP Loan

The loan will be added to your accumulated HECS debt. This means the same repayment and conditions of that debt will apply to your OS-HELP loan.

Application process

  1. Submit an application for a Macquarie Student Mobility program.

    All students who apply for a Macquarie Student Mobility program will be automatically assessed for an OS-HELP loan – if you are eligible, your offer letter will reflect this.

    You need to indicate that you wish to 'proceed' with the OS-HELP Loan assessment.

  2. The Student Mobility Team receives your offer acceptance on the portal, including your indication that you wish to proceed with your OS-HELP loan assessment, we will then proceed to check your eligibility.

Further information

For further details from the Australian Government regarding OS-HELP loans, please refer to the Australian Government Study Assist website.