Financial Information For Students at CSU
Please read the information below, bearing in mind that not all sections apply to all students.
Commonly asked questions, which we would like to address are:
- How and when are bills issued?
- What fees do I pay? When are they due? How often are they payable?
- Higher Education Contribution Scheme HECS-HELP
- Fee Paying Courses
- Residential School
- Residential Rates
- Internet Charges
- Late Fees
- Overseas Examination Sitting Fee
- Review of Grade/Summative Task
- Library Fines
- What happens if I don't pay?
- How can I pay?
- What should I do if I can't pay?
How and when are bills issued?
Students are normally issued with statements at least three times per session planned to coincide with major due dates, (ie: HECS, tuition fees and accommodation charges) giving at least two weeks to pay.
Statements of your account are sent electronically. You will receive an email informing you that you have a message waiting for you in your Message Centre. To access these messages, you need to go to 'student.csu'. Your Message Centre is located in to top right hand side of the screen, shown as a postbox incon below the black menu bar.
Students enrolled in HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP funded places will also receive a "Commonwealth Assistance Notice" (CAN) direct from Student Administration, which will show enrolment by subject and amounts payable for each. Your payment option will also be shown, indicating whether you have elected to pay upfront or defer your liability to the Australian Taxation Office. This is NOT a reflection of your full financial account with the University as there may be other charges outstanding eg: library fines or residential school charges etc.
Students who receive a CAN liability notice from Student Administration will also receive an INVOICE/STATEMENT from the Division of Finance. This shows all transactions considered to be outstanding at the time the statement was issued and any payments received since the last statement was issued.
What fees do I pay? When are they due? How often are they payable?
This is the most complicated question. There are several categories of students:
- HECS Liable students
- Fee paying Australian students
- Fee paying International Students studying on-campus within Australia
- Fee paying International Students studying outside of Australia
- Students studying under the Associate Student Programme
The above list is not intended to be exhaustive. Further information can be obtained from the Student Handbook or the Residential Handbook, or the sections concerned.
Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) or HECS-HELP (Higher Education Loan Program)
The amount payable is dependent on the HECS-HELP band of the subject(s), their credit point value and number of subjects taken. Details of CSU's current HECS charges are listed under the "Commonwealth Supported" tab accessible from the University's Tuition Fees page.
DUE DATES (for upfront payments)
Payment due dates of current year's fees are listed here.
Students in HECS-HELP places complete a HECS-HELP option form stating which way they wish to pay:
Upfront - means you pay the whole amount to the University by the due date. If paying this way, from 1 January 2012 you receive a 10% discount, which will be the amount on the HECS-HELP notice issued by Student Administration
Safety Net - you are charged the discounted amount upfront, but have the option for the amount to be deferred, (at the undiscounted rate) if it is not paid by the due date.
Deferred - means that any HECS-HELP debt is reported to the Australian Taxation Office at the undiscounted amount.
More information is available from the HECS Officers at each campus or from the Federal Government web site StudyAssist.gov.au.
Course Fees - including Associate Students
The amount is dependent on the course or subject(s) undertaken, the academic level of the subject(s) and credit point value of the subject(s).
CSU runs many courses which are not government funded. For these courses we charge a fee for service. This includes International students studying in degree programs. For more information contact Student Administration or click on the "Associate Student / Single Subject " tab accessible from the University's Tuition Fees page.
DUE DATES for fee paying students
Details of CSU's current tuition fee charges are listed on the University's Tuition Fees page.
Payment due dates of current year's fees are listed here.
Residential School fees
Check Current Rates for residential bookings here.
Residential Rates
For details of accommodation and the various accommodation rates contact the Accommodation Service Centre on 02-6933 4900 or visit the Student Services residences Site.
DUE DATES are available in the Residential Handbook for on-campus students and the Residential School information in the Distance Education packages.
Internet Charges
Internet charges depend upon individual usage. You are required to pay for usage in advance and keep your account in credit. Some subjects are given an initial credit by CSU to get you started. If you exceed your prepaid amount, or incur excess usage charges, your account will be billed in arrears. For further information contact the University's Division of Information Technology (DIT).
The DIT website can provide more information on internet charges.
DUE DATE 14 days from date of invoice.
Late Fees
Various fees may apply to late payment of fees. For a full list, visit the CSU Fees page and click on "Other Fees and Charges" link.
DUE DATE 14 days from date of invoice.
Overseas Examination
This is an administration fee for students studying and sitting exams in countries other than Australia.
For the current charge, visit the CSU Fees page and click on "Other Fees and Charges" link.
DUE DATE 14 days from date of invoice.
Review of Grade/Review of Summative Task
For the current charge, visit the CSU Fees page and click on "Other Fees and Charges" link.
Payment is to be made up front on application for review.
Review of a Summative Task.
For the current charge, visit the CSU Fees page and click on "Other Fees and Charges" link.
Payment is to be made up front on application for review.
Library Fines
The amount is dependent on the number of books and the amount of time elapsed since the due date.
Any student/staff/community borrower who fails to return material to the Library by the due date or extend their loan will be fined. For more on Library Fine information click here.
DUE DATE 14 days from date of invoice.
What happens if I don't pay?
A hold will be entered on your account, which will prevent:
Your results being released.
And possibly also your enrolment in future semesters being processed.
Results are available via the Internet.
At the discretion of the Accounts Receivable Manager and the Director of Student Administration, enrolment may be cancelled and the account may be lodged with the University's debt collection agency. Additional costs will be borne by the debtor.
To remove any outstanding financial charges, you can go to our Secure Student Payment Web site and pay the account now. Overdue charges which are affecting your results have the date highlighted in red on the Secure Student Payment Web Site. Upon payment of the highlighted charges, any financial holds affecting your account will be removed.
How can I pay?
For options on how to pay go to Student Payment Methods.
What should I do if I can't pay?
Whilst some dates for payment are fixed and final, in some instances we may be able to assist with alternate payment arrangements or extensions. It is important, from the University's perspective, to make the distinction between students who can't pay in full and those who won't pay.
If you cannot pay by the due date, please contact Accounts Receivable by email ask@csu.edu.au.
Do Not Leave it to the Last Minute to Contact Us.