Indigenous Education and Research Centre Thinking about uni? Fees and Financial Support

Fees and Financial Support

If you're feeling confused or overwhelmed about what fees you have to pay and how to pay or defer them, don't worry - we're here to help.

Don't want to pay upfront? No worries...

If you are an Australian citizen undertaking an undergraduate degree or diploma, you are most likely eligible to be Commonwealth supported. This means that the Australian government will pay part of your subject fees directly to JCU and the remaining amount is paid by you, which you can defer through HECS-HELP Loan.

You can make voluntary repayments of your HECS-HELP loan at any time to the Australian Taxation Office. Otherwise, repayments will automatically be deducted once you begin earning an income above the compulsory repayment threshold.

You can also defer your Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSA Fee) through HECS-HELP. See below for SSA Fee details.

For more information, visit HECS-HELP Loan

Fees

Tuition Fees

Your tuition fees will depend on what band/subject discipline each of your subjects sits in and the credit point value of the subject.

To get an estimate of fees, search for your desired course on the Course Page.

Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSA Fee)

The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSA Fee) was introduced by the Australian Government to improve university support services and facilities for students both on and off campus.

James Cook University (JCU) students must pay this fee (except for a small number of exempt students).

The income from the fee is used to provide a range of student support services and facilities that students can access.

For more information, visit Student Services and Amenities Fee

Incidental Fees

For some courses, you may need to:

  • purchase items, like uniforms or safety equipment
  • participate in course related activities.

These compulsory purchases are an additional cost which are not covered by your tuition fees.

For more information, visit Incidental Fees

Financial Support

There are a number of financial support options available to you to help with the costs of studying. These range from student loan programs to help with subject fees, to grants or scholarships that award you money to help pay for study materials and textbooks.

Centrelink for Students

Scholarships

For scholarships available to Indigenous students and all JCU students, visit Scholarships