EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Guidelines issued under section 238-10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003
Student Learning Entitlement Guidelines
Issued by the authority of the Minister for Education, Science and Training
Subject: Higher Education Support Act 2003
Student Learning Entitlement Guidelines
Section 238-10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (the Act) provides that the Minister may make guidelines for the purposes of the Act. In particular, section 238-10 specifies that the Minister may make Student Learning Entitlement Guidelines to give effect to matters set out in Part 3‑1 of the Act.
The Student Learning Entitlement Guidelines serve a number of purposes, as set out in each of the five chapters.
Chapter 1 outlines the purpose of the guidelines and lists defined terms that appear in the guidelines.
The Act provides that higher education providers are required to determine an equivalent full‑time student load (EFTSL) value for each unit of study they offer in a year. The chapter on Determining the EFTSL Value of a Unit of Study sets out the requirements that higher education providers must adhere to when determining the EFTSL value for a unit of study.
The Act provides that eligible persons are entitled to seven EFTSL of ordinary Student Learning Entitlement (SLE), which gives them access to a Commonwealth supported place. Eligible persons may also be entitled to additional SLE and/or lifelong SLE. The chapter on Additional SLE:
- specifies the courses of study or kinds of course of study in which a person has an additional Student Learning Entitlement (SLE);
- specifies the requirements a person must meet to have additional SLE; and
- sets out how the amount of additional SLE is to be worked out.
The chapter on Lifelong SLE specifies the circumstances in which a person has life long SLE and sets out how the amount of life long SLE is to be worked out.
The Act provides that persons may have their SLE or FEE-HELP balance re-credited, or their HECS‑HELP debt remitted in special circumstances. The chapter on Special Circumstances specifies the circumstances in which a higher education provider will be satisfied that special circumstances apply to the person that:
- are beyond the person’s control;
- do not make their full impact on the person until on or after the census date for the unit of study; and
- make it impracticable for the person to complete the requirements for the unit of study.
The Guidelines commenced on Gazettal.