Review fees and financial support
University is a valuable investment in your future. Knowing the costs and what support is available will help you manage your money.
Fees
Before you apply for university, there are some costs to consider. These include:
- course fees
- Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
- administrative fees
- other expenses.
Course fees
Domestic undergraduate places for commencing students are Commonwealth supported, as long as you meet all Commonwealth supported place eligibility requirements. If you are a New Zealand citizen or eligible visa holder, this includes living in Australia while you study.
A Commonwealth supported place (CSP) is a place in a program that’s partially funded by the Australian Government. The Government subsidises a CSP by paying part of the fee for the place directly to the university. The subsidy amount is not a loan – you don’t have to pay this amount back.
You’re required to pay the remainder of the fee, known as the 'student contribution amount', for each course you’re enrolled in. You can pay this fee upfront or, if you're eligible, defer it through a HECS-HELP loan.
There is a limit to how long you can study in Commonwealth supported places. Under the Student Learning Entitlement (SLE), you can study in CSPs for up to 7 years full time (or equivalent), including any study from 1 January 2022 onwards. You may be eligible for extra time if you enrol in certain honours or postgraduate programs.
To help you estimate your costs, each program page shows an indicative annual fee, which is based on average first-year enrolment data. If you multiply the indicative fee by the number of years in the program, you can calculate an approximate total cost.
Some programs also have extra costs for things like equipment or field trips. These costs are listed on the program page.
Student Services Amenities Fee (SSAF)
Most Australian universities charge a compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
The SSAF is used to fund non-academic services for students, including sports and recreation, employment and career advice, child care and food services.
The maximum annual fee is $373 for 2026. This fee increases annually. The amount you have to pay will depend on whether you study full-time or part-time.
You can pay this fee upfront or, if you're eligible, defer it through an SA-HELP loan.
Learn more about the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
Administrative fees
Under certain circumstances, you may have to pay additional administrative fees for things like:
- paying your fees late
- adding or substituting courses.
- cancelling your enrolment
- paying your fees late
- adding or substituting courses.
For a full list of administrative fees, see our fee schedules.
Other expenses
There's a range of other costs you may need to pay for, including accommodation, textbooks and transport. Our living costs guide can help you budget for common expenses.
There's a range of other costs you may need to pay for, including student visa fees, accommodation, textbooks and transport. Our living costs guide can help you budget for common expenses.
Financial support
To help you cover your costs, there's a range of financial support available, including:
- Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- scholarships
- Centrelink.
Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
The Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) offers several schemes to support eligible students with the cost of their education. There are 2 main schemes available to domestic undergraduate students:
HECS-HELP
If you're enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP), you may be able to use a HECS-HELP loan to cover your student contribution amount.
To be eligible for HECS-HELP you must be:
- an Australian citizen, or
- a permanent humanitarian visa holder, or
- a New Zealand Special Category Visa holder, or
- a Pacific Engagement Visa holder.
You must also meet all HECS-HELP eligibility requirements.
We'll guide you through how to apply for HECS-HELP once you've accepted an offer to study at UQ.
There is a limit to the combined amount you can borrow through HELP loans to cover course fees. This includes HECS-HELP loans incurred from 2020 onwards, and all existing and new FEE-HELP loans.
SA-HELP
SA-HELP is a loan scheme that helps students pay their Student Services and Amenities Fee.
If you're eligible for HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP, you'll usually also be eligible for SA-HELP. You can use SA-HELP even if you don't take out any other HELP loan.
We'll guide you through how to apply for SA-HELP once you've accepted an offer to study at UQ.
Scholarships
Scholarships can help make your university experience more affordable. We offer more scholarships than any other university in Queensland, so it's worth taking some time to research and apply.
Application opening and closing dates vary, so search for scholarships as early as possible to ensure you don't miss application deadlines.
Centrelink support
If you're studying full-time, you may be eligible for student income support payments from Centrelink.
Fees
Before you apply for university, there are some costs to consider. These include:
- tuition fees
- non-tuition fees
- other expenses.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees for international students are program-based. This means you'll pay the same tuition fee for each course you study in your program during one academic year.
Tuition fees increase annually. The increase is usually fixed 12 months in advance, so you can plan your finances ahead of time.
Check the program page for an indicative annual tuition fee.
Non-tuition fees
Non-tuition fees are other fees you may need to pay to UQ. This includes costs like:
- Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
- administrative fees.
This can also include costs for any equipment, accommodation or health insurance organised through UQ.
Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
Most Australian universities charge a compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
The SSAF is used to fund non-academic services for students, including sports and recreation, employment and career advice, child care and food services.
The maximum annual fee is $373 for 2026. This fee increases annually. The amount you have to pay will depend on whether you study full-time or part-time.
You can pay this fee upfront or, if you're eligible, defer it through an SA-HELP loan.
Learn more about the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
Administrative fees
Under certain circumstances, you may have to pay additional administrative fees for things like:
- paying your fees late
- adding or substituting courses.
- cancelling your enrolment
- paying your fees late
- adding or substituting courses.
For a full list of administrative fees, see our fee schedules.
Other expenses
There's a range of other costs you may need to pay for, including accommodation, textbooks and transport. Our living costs guide can help you budget for common expenses.
There's a range of other costs you may need to pay for, including student visa fees, accommodation, textbooks and transport. Our living costs guide can help you budget for common expenses.
Financial support
To help you cover your costs, there's a range of financial support available, including:
- scholarships
- financial aid.
Scholarships
Scholarships can help make your university experience more affordable. We offer more scholarships than any other university in Queensland, so it's worth taking some time to research and apply.
Application opening and closing dates vary, so search for scholarships as early as possible to ensure you don't miss application deadlines.
Financial aid
You may be eligible to apply for student loan programs offered by your home country to cover some of your educational expenses.