Loans for Australian Commonwealth supported (HELP) students

If you are a Commonwealth supported or CSP student, you may be eligible for an OS-HELP loan from the Commonwealth Government.

The amount you borrow, plus a government administrative fee of 20%, will be added to your Government Assistance or HELP debt and will be repayable under the same conditions as the HELP debt.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an OS-HELP loan you must:

• be an Australian citizen or hold a humanitarian visa
• not have received an OS-HELP loan on more than one previous occasion
• be enrolled in an undergraduate course of study at Monash
• be enrolled as a Commonwealth supported (CSP) student
• have completed at least 48 credit points of your Monash course before you go overseas
• have at least 24 credit points of your course to finish at Monash after your return from overseas
• be enrolled at an overseas university (not necessarily a Monash exchange partner), including Monash Malaysia, South Africa and Prato
• be enrolled full time while overseas, according to the OS-HELP definition of full time, which is different from the normal Monash definition (see the OS-HELP brochure for details)

For full details, you can download an OS-HELP brochure (pdf, 2 pages, 96kb).

How to apply

• complete an OS-HELP application (pdf, 2 pages, 52kb)

• Attach it to the relevant Monash Abroad application for your overseas study (exchange, intercampus exchange or international study program)

• Send both application forms to your faculty course coordinator or to Monash Abroad as explained on the Monash Abroad application form.

Both applications should be lodged by the relevant deadline for the program you are applying for. We will only be able to approve your loan once you have been accepted on the relevant Monash Abroad program and your overseas enrolment has been confirmed.

Payment

Once your loan is approved we will pay it into your Australian bank account usually within 6 weeks.