A Commonwealth supported place (CSP) is a place in a higher education course where the government pays part or all of your tuition fees. This is a subsidy, not a loan, and you don't have to pay it back.

This subsidy does not always cover the entire cost of your study. Students may need to pay the difference in cost known as the 'student contribution amount'. Fees such as Student Amenities fees are not covered by the subsidy.

Being eligible for a CSP does not mean that a student will be automatically be offered a CSP as each course has its own extra entry requirements and CSP allocations.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a CSP, you must be one of the following:

  • an Australian citizen, who will be resident in Australia for at least one unit of study contributing to their course of study
  • a New Zealand citizen, who will be resident in Australia for the duration of their unit(s) of study
  • a permanent visa holder, who will be resident in Australia for the duration of their unit(s) of study.

AND

  • Apply to study full time at Chisholm Institute.

How can I get a CSP?

As well as the above eligibility requirements, to receive a CSP you must:

  • Check if the course you want to study has CSPs available
  • Apply specifically for a CSP place in your course of choice. Applications are made via the course page on the Chisholm website.

How can I pay my fees?

If there is a difference in tuition fees between the subsidy amount and the course cost, you must pay your student contribution amount by the census date.

Some students can access the FEE-HELP Assistance scheme to pay their student contribution amount.

Other students will need to organise to pay this amount upfront.

What happens if I'm not in a CSP?

In some courses, there are no CSPs available and other courses may only have a limited number of CSPs.

If you are not offered a CSP, you will be enrolled in a full fee-paying place where the government does not pay the subsidy and you pay the full amount for your fees.

Check if you can get a FEE-HELP loan to pay your full fee-paying fees,

Find out more by referring to the Study Assist website.