11. Exempt students

On this page:

11.1 - What is an exempt student?

Exempt students are not required to pay student contribution amounts or tuition fees for units of study undertaken as part of a specified course of study [HESA section 169-20; Administration Guidelines paragraph 5.10.1].

11.2 - Which students are considered exempt?

Students are considered exempt for a unit of study:

  • consisting wholly of work experience in industry (WEI) and where the provider is not providing support to a student’s learning and performance [part 13.1] [HESA subsection 169‑20(2); Administration Guidelines paragraph 5.5.1];
  • undertaken with a higher education provider as part of a course of study with that provider, for which the provider has awarded an exemption scholarship for that course in accordance with any requirements specified in the Administration Guidelines [part 12.1] [HESA subsection 169‑20(3)];
  • undertaken with one higher education provider as part of a course of study with another, for which the student has been awarded an exemption scholarship for that course in accordance with any requirements specified in the Administration Guidelines, by one of the providers [HESA subsections 169-20(3A) & (3B)]; and
  • for which the student is receiving an RTP Fees Offset scholarship [see Commonwealth Scholarships Guidelines (Research) 2017]

There is no student contribution amount payable for enabling courses, as HESA does not consider that students enrolled in enabling courses are exempt.

11.3 - Notifying students

A provider must notify a student they are an exempt student in the CAN [part 10.1], as required by chapter 4 of the Administration Guidelines.