OS-HELP - 2017

Please note: Funding is currently on hold for OS-HELP Loans and will be confirmed by end October. Applications are still being accepted, however there is no guarantee that funding will be available. Applicants will be notified end-October whether funding has been approved.

OS-HELP is a financial assistance initiative introduced by the Commonwealth to assist eligible students with a range of expenses for the purpose of overseas study.

OS-HELP allows eligible students to access a loan to help with the cost of studies undertaken overseas (travel, living expenses or tuition fees), as part of their Australian degree.

Student type

• Current Students

Faculty

• Health Sciences
• Humanities
• Science & Engineering
• Centre for Aboriginal Studies
• Curtin Business School

Course type

• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate Coursework

Specifically for

• Curtin students wanting to study overseas

Gender

Non-gender specific

Nationality

• New Zealand Citizen
• Australian Citizen
• Permanent Humanitarian Visa

Scholarship base

• Need Based

Value

Students may receive loans for up to two non-overlapping six month study periods in 2017. This amount may be used to help with a range of expenses such as airfares and accommodation.

For 2017, the maximum of an OS-HELP loan for a six-month study period is:

• Non-Asian Countries - $6,567
  • e.g. going to the US, UK, Canada, Sweden etc
• Asian Countries - $7,880
  • e.g. going to China, Malaysia, India etc.
• Asian Language Supplementary Amount - $1,050
• Applicants under-taking an Asian language study in preparation for study in Asia can apply for an additional supplementary amount of $1,050. (Thus students going to Asia may receive up to $8,930).

^Please note the above amounts may be capped for study tours, short-courses, internships and summer-schools, where the overseas study period is less than six-months.

*These amounts are indexed on 1 January each year.

Eligible courses

Overseas study including:

• Short Courses
• Study Tours
• Placements
• Internships
• Summer School
• Exchange

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible to apply for an OS-HELP Loan in 2017:

• Australian citizen, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holder or New Zealand citizen who meets the criteria will be able to access Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) loans. (Further information for NZ citizens available on document attached - top right of this page)
• Enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place at Curtin University
• Not received an OS‑HELP Loan in relation to more than one other period of 6 months
• Completed a minimum of 200 credits towards current course of study at Curtin University (this may include CRL)
• Academic status of good standing
• Will have a minimum of 25 credits remaining for current course of study at Curtin University upon returning from overseas study
• Study will be outside of Australia
• Study will be full-time whilst overseas 
• Have a Tax File Number
• Either receive credits, log book hours or accreditation for overseas study or overseas study is in alignment with current course of study (internships) or overseas study has been organised and endorsed by Curtin University (study tours) 

OS-HELP Loan for study in Asia - additional eligibility requirements:

• Study is being undertaken at a University in Asia
• If overseas study is across multiple countries, majority of overseas study must be undertaken in Asia 

For the purposes of the loan scheme, the Government considers the following countries to be part of Asia:

• Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Timor-Leste, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Asian Language Study Loan - additional eligibility requirements:

• Asian Language Study must not be taken as part of a course of study leading to a higher education award (you may use the loan for preparatory language study and enrol in language units at Curtin University, which are not part of your degree and thus not credited to your degree)
• Curtin University must approve that the language study is appropriate preparation for your overseas study in Asia with respect to course requirements
• If the Asian language study is not undertaken at Curtin University, you must provide evidence that you are undertaking the Asian language study at a recognised institution. (Approved by Curtin University)
• The language you will be learning is spoken in the country of your overseas study
• The language study is relevant to your overseas study
• The language study must have been undertaken prior to the main overseas study period

Please Note:

• Asian Language Study component cannot be held exclusively. This loan may only be held in addition to the OS-HELP Loan for study in Asia.
• If you are commencing your Asian language study more than six months before the commencement of your overseas study, you may apply for a supplementary amount after you have commenced the language study, provided that you have not completed that study at the time you apply
• Students below are not eligible for the OS-HELP Loan:
• Enrolled through OUA
• Enrolled in a not-for-degree course