Chapter 3
-
Assistance to students
PART 3-2
-
HECS-HELP ASSISTANCE
Division 97
-
Re-crediting of HELP balances in relation to HECS-HELP assistance
History
Div 97 inserted by No 76 of 2018, s 3 and Sch 3 item 6, effective 1 January 2020. No 76 of 2018, s 3 and Sch 3 items 144
-
147 contains the following application and transitional provisions:
Part 2
-
Application and transitional provisions
144 Application
-
HELP balance provisions
(1)
For the purposes of this item,
HELP balance provisions
means the following provisions of the
Higher Education Support Act 2003
(as amended by this Schedule):
(a)
paragraph
90-1(ba)
;
(b)
section
93-20
so far as that section relates to an amount of HECS-HELP assistance to which a student is or would be entitled for a unit of study;
(c)
subparagraph
128-15(1)(a)(i)
;
(d)
Division
97
;
(e)
subparagraph
107-10(1)(a)(ia)
;
(f)
subparagraph
107-10(2)(b)(ia)
;
(g)
subparagraph
54(1)(a)(ia)
of Schedule
1A
;
(h)
subparagraph
54(2)(b)(ia)
of Schedule
1A
.
(2)
The HELP balance provisions apply in relation to a unit of study in which a student was or is enrolled with a higher education provider as part of a course of study if the census date for the unit is on or after 1 January 2020.
145 Transitional
-
re-credited amounts
145
If, before 1 January 2020, an amount was re-credited to a person
'
s FEE-HELP balance under:
(a)
Subdivision
104-B
of the
Higher Education Support Act 2003
; or
(b)
Subdivision
7-B
of Schedule
1A
to that Act; or
(c)
Part 6 of the
VET Student Loans Act 2016
;
section
128-15
of the
Higher Education Support Act 2003
(as amended by this Schedule) has effect as if the amount had been re-credited to the person
'
s HELP balance immediately after the start of 1 January 2020.
146 Transitional
-
pending decisions about re-credited amounts
146
If:
(a)
an application for the re-crediting of an amount to a person
'
s FEE-HELP balance was made before 1 January 2020; and
(b)
the application was made under:
(i)
section
104-25
of the
Higher Education Support Act 2003
; or
(ii)
clause
46
of Schedule
1A
to that Act; or
(iii)
section 72 of the
VET Student Loans Act 2016
; and
(c)
no decision was made on the application before the commencement of this item;
the application has effect, after the start of 1 January 2020, as if it were an application for the re-crediting of the amount to the person
'
s HELP balance.
147 Transitional
-
indexation
147
Despite anything in subsection
198-10(1)
of the
Higher Education Support Act 2003
, the HELP loan limit is not to be indexed on 1 January 2020.
]
SECTION 97-42
Re-crediting a person
'
s HELP balance in relation to HECS-HELP assistance
-
provider defaults
97-42(1)
A higher education provider must, on the *Secretary
'
s behalf, re-credit a person
'
s *HELP balance with an amount equal to the amounts of *HECS-HELP assistance that the person received for a unit of study if:
(a)
the person has been enrolled in the unit with the provider; and
(b)
the person has not completed the requirements for the unit during the period during which the person undertook, or was to undertake, the unit because the provider *defaulted in relation to the person and the unit; and
(c)
Part
5-1A
applied to the provider at the time the provider defaulted in relation to the person; and
(d)
any of the following apply:
(i)
the provider identifies, under paragraph
166-25(4)(b)
that there is no suitable *replacement unit or *replacement course for the person;
(ii)
the person elects, under subparagraph
166-25(7)(a)(iii)
, to have an amount equal to the amounts of HECS-HELP assistance that the person received for the unit re-credited to the student
'
s HELP balance;
(iii)
the *Higher Education Tuition Protection Director decides, under paragraph
166-26B(2)(b)
that the Director is not satisfied that there is a suitable replacement course for the person;
(iv)
the person elects, under subparagraph
166-26B(4)(a)(iii)
, to have an amount equal to the amounts of HECS-HELP assistance that the person received for the unit re-credited to the student
'
s HELP balance.
Note:
A HECS-HELP debt relating to a unit of study will be remitted if the HELP balance in relation to the unit is re-credited: see subsection
137-5(5)
.
History
S 97-42(1) amended by No 101 of 2020, s 3 and Sch 2 item 83, by substituting para (d), applicable in relation to provider defaults that occur on or after 1 January 2021. Para (d) formerly read:
(d)
either of the following apply:
(i)
the *HELP Tuition Protection Director decides, under paragraph 166-25(1)(b), that the Director is not satisfied that there is a suitable *replacement course for the person;
(ii)
the person elects, under subparagraph 166-25(3)(a)(iii), to have an amount equal to the amounts of HECS-HELP assistance that the person received for the *affected unit *re-credited to the person
'
s HELP balance.
S 97-42(1) amended by No 111 of 2019, s 3 and Sch 2 item 36, by substituting para (b) to (d), effective 1 January 2020. Para (b) to (d) formerly read:
(b)
the person has not completed the requirements for the unit during the period during which the person undertook, or was to undertake, the unit because the provider ceased to provide the unit as a result of ceasing to provide the course of which the unit formed part; and
(c)
the *tuition assurance requirements applied to the provider at the time the provider ceased to provide the unit; and
(d)
the person chose the option designated under the tuition assurance requirements as student contribution/tuition fee repayment in relation to the unit.
97-42(2)
The *Secretary may re-credit the person
'
s *HELP balance under subsection (1) if the provider is unable to do so.
History
S 97-42 inserted by No 76 of 2018, s 3 and Sch 3 item 6, effective 1 January 2020. For application and transitional provisions, see note under Div
97
heading.