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Financial assistance for students

If you are experiencing financial hardship that affects the payment of your course fees or course-related charges, we encourage you to contact your Head Teacher or TAFE counsellor, with whom you can speak confidentially about your circumstances and seek appropriate advice and support.

TAFE Counsellors can assist students with financial matters as well as career planning, study skills, course articulation and credit transfer and personal issues such as managing stress.

Students with disabilities may prefer to contact their Disability Consultant for a confidential discussion about any financial hardship circumstances.

Counselling sessions are confidential except where information is governed by Government legislation and professional requirements. To arrange an appointment with a TAFE Counsellor or Disability Consultant contact your nearest Campus.

North Coast TAFE offers a range of other services and options that provide financial assistance to students:


Pay TAFE fees in two instalments

If you enrol in a full year North Coast TAFE course (or if the course runs for more than one semester) you have the option of paying your full year TAFE NSW fee in two equal instalments (unless you are paying the concession fee). The first payment must be made when you enrol. The second payment is required by the end of May.

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Fee exemptions

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are exempt from paying the TAFE NSW fee.

Students in receipt of a Disability Support Pension, Veteran's Affairs Compensation Pension and students with a disability receive a full fee exemption for one TAFE NSW course per year and are eligible for the $50 concession fee for subsequent enrolments in that year.

Icon - PDF Document 2010 Fee Exemption Application form (PDF 39KB)

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Fee concessions

If you receive a Commonwealth benefit or allowance (see list below), you are eligible to pay a concession fee of $50 per course enrolment, rather than the full TAFE NSW fee.

  • Abstudy
  • Age Pension
  • Austudy including Veterans Children Education Scheme
  • Carer Payment
  • Disability Support Pension
  • Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment
  • Family Tax Benefit Part A (maximum rate)
  • Farm Help Income Support
  • Mature Age Allowance
  • Newstart Allowance
  • Parenting Payment (single)
  • Sickness Allowance
  • Special Benefit
  • Veterans' Affairs Payments
  • Widow Pension including Widow 'B' Pension
  • Wife Pension
  • Youth Allowance

Note: Students who are recognised as a dependant child/spouse/partner of a recipient of an eligible benefit or allowance may also be eligible for the concession fee.

If you are applying for a fee exemption or concession fee, you need to complete an Exemption or Concession Application form and return it with appropriate documentation to your campus of enrolment. To find out if you are eligible for a full-fee exemption or concession fee, contact your campus or ring 131601 before enrolling. Your campus can also advise you about what documentation you will need to bring with you to enrol.

Icon - PDF Document 2010 TAFE Fee Concession Application form (PDF 39KB)

Icon - PDF Document Centrelink Card Matrix (Icon - Word Document 133KB)

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Apprentice tool and travel allowances

Tool Allowance:

New apprentices in eligible trades are entitled to be provided a tool kit up to the value of $800.00. If you are a new apprentice in one of the eligible trades, a Tools For Your Trade voucher will be provided to your employer when you have completed the first three months of employment. Your employer will purchase the tool kit and make it available for your use. When you have completed a further six months, the tool kit belongs to you. To find out if the trade you are interested or enrolling in is eligible, contact your nearest campus.

Travel Allowances

If you have to travel more than 120 kilometres (round trip) to attend off-the-job training courses you can claim reimbursement from the Vocational Training Assistance Scheme (VTAS) through the Country Travel Assistance Scheme Day Release.

If you are required to live away from home while attending your course by block release, there is a daily allowance available which can be claimed on the VTAS form along with your travel allowance (if applicable).

For concession travel on public transport from home to campus and home to work you need to complete a State Rail Authority Apprentice travel concession application form from the administration office at your campus.

First and second year apprentices who live away from home in order to keep their apprenticeship may be paid a Living Away from Home Allowance. To locate or contact your employer’s New Apprenticeship Centre (NAC), phone NAC General Enquiries on 13 38 73

 

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Abstudy

This provides an income tested living allowance and assistance scheme to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in both full and part-time study. It also means an exemption from the TAFE NSW fee. To qualify you must be enrolled in a Centrelink approved course. Contact the Counselling Unit or an Aboriginal Student Support Officer at your campus. The Administration Office will help you with this. For further details and information about Centrelink requirements for Abstudy assistance we recommend that you telephone Centrelink on 132 317.

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Austudy

This provides financial assistance for full-time students who are aged 25 and over who are not in receipt of Youth Allowance. For more information phone 132 490.

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Youth Allowance

This provides financial assistance to Australian residents who are:

  • aged 16-24 and studying full-time;
  • aged 18-20 and looking for full-time work combined with part-time study or other approved activities;
  • studying full-time and received Youth Allowance before turning 25 and who are continuing the same course after turning 25;
  • have a temporary illness and will commence looking for work or studying once they are able.

If you receive Youth Allowance while looking for work or studying you may also be eligible for a range of other benefits such as Rent Assistance, Remote Area Allowance, an interest-free Advance Loan, Health Care Card and Pharmaceutical Allowance.

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Scholarships

There are a range of scholarship programs being operated by Government agencies and partner organisations. Each program has specific eligibility criteria and students should contact the manager of the scholarship program for more details.

Links to relevant web sites:

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/awards/index.htm

Scholarship programs include:

The Ben Chifley Scholarship for Country Apprentices

This NSW Government scholarship program for country apprentices is named in honour of Prime Minister Ben Chifley. Eligible applicants must live outside Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong; and at least two scholarships will be awarded each year to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander apprentices.

In 2009, 30 apprentices across first, second and third year will be awarded scholarships and in following years 10 new scholarships of $15,000 will be annually offered, with apprentices receiving $5,000 each year for the first three years of their four-year apprenticeship, by which time they are working full-time.
These will be awarded on the basis of hardship and aptitude, with apprentices nominated jointly by their employer and trade teacher.

Applications for apprentices entering their second and third year in 2009 will open in November. First year apprentice scholarships will open in March 2009. Information will be available on the Department of Education and Training website, www.det.nsw.edu.au

The Mick Young Scholarship for financially disadvantaged students

The Mick Young Scholarship provides financial support for two nominated TAFE students undertaking certain TAFE courses who can prove both financial disadvantage and the motivation and commitment to furthering their education and improving life circumstances. Contact your Campus Manager for further information about the nomination process, which closes in February each year.

TAFE NSW/University of Newcastle Pathways Scholarship

This Scholarship provides financial support for an eligible TAFE student carrying out study in a tertiary education program that follows a pathway through TAFE and the University of Newcastle. For more information contact the Port Macquarie-based University of Newcastle contact officer on 6581 6262.

 

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