[qak]

I am quite sure the system has changed since I went to uni 20+ years ago!

We have a relative who is asking for money for Uni costs, and we are sceptical this is the real purpose of funds. There have been many requests for more money over the years.

She is in her last year of school so would not be starting Uni until next year. Are there costs to be paid now? Like enrolment application fees or similar? She lives in Southern Queensland, I don't know what Uni she would be going to but she is apparently interested in a diplomatic career - she likes travel - I can only guess the course would be Arts?

When she does actually start Uni I am assuming there are up front uni fees, student union, books etc. How much would need to be set aside for these? I understand the actual course fees can be deferred under HECS or whatever it is called today.

[HerringToMarmala...]

All uni fees can be deferred with HECs, the student union fees may also be covered by a HECs type thing. Books need to be paid upfront if she buys them, but many people don't, especially not before the course has actually started. The earliest she'd need to pay anything would be sometime in March in her first year of uni. There are no application fees etc.

[qak]

The earliest she'd need to pay anything would be sometime in March in her first year of uni. There are no application fees etc.

This is pretty much what I thought ... yet another scam ...

[Beancat]

although the structure of Hecs has changed there are no application fees unless she is going to a private uni? She is not planning on going to Bond or the like?

[PrincessPeach]

No fees need to be paid for now. If she is in her final year she wouldn't even know if she has been sucessful - nor would she have even lodged her QTAC application yet!

The offers for next year are not released until January next year & then she need to accept. QTAC applications are simply a phone call.

After that, the only fees to be paid upfront should be her textbooks. Even then, we were advised to not buy them until after our first lecture, in-case they needed to be changed. She will also need to have access to a computer, printer & Internet.

I can also tell you that Griffith, UQ, QUT & USQ also do online streaming of their lectures, so if transport is an issue on a particular day, then she can just view them online.

[WinterDancesHere]

I assume she would be applying through QTAC, and I don't think applications have opened yet (from memory applications start August or September).

QTAC

There is a small application fee that is paid when you apply (under $100).

If she does got to uni and gets youth allowance the government gives a lump sum each semester for book costs as well, in case she asks for money for that.

This post has been edited by WinterDancesHere: 22/02/2013, 12:08 PM

[katpaws]

This might help:

http://studyassist.gov.au/sites/studyassis...cs-help-welcome

http://www.usq.edu.au/current-students/org...rring/hecs-help

http://future.ask.sydney.edu.au/app/answer...o-to-university

You have HELP, which had different loan fees for tuition cost and uni amenity fees.

There should not be any costs now as if she has not deferred a place, i don't think she would have received a place yet as you need to have a tertiary entrance score as a younger person to apply to uni. There is no capping of places at public universities and the unis decide how many students they want to take on but they can't ask people to pay for places to be held before they get an enrolment etc. She should be able to provide you with n invoice outlining all the charges.

Other costs are placement (work experience) costs, books, printing, union fees, residential fees if living in campus, transport costs, parking etc.

I completed a degree recently and really only paid the costs of the tuition (i did not use HECS).

If she is going to a private university/college the fees could be a lot more but at the moment i understand that unis have to set the prices for tuition as set by the Federal Goverment but other fees/costs are up to them.

Find out where she is going and check out their website.

This post has been edited by katpaws: 22/02/2013, 12:13 PM

[qak]

I did briefly wonder about Bond, but looking at their website, they have no fee deferral (and the cost of an undergraduate fee is nearly $100,000!). I don't think that is within her reach, somehow; and I am pretty sure she would not be likely to get a scholarship.

[HollyOllyOxenfre...]

Is she asking just randomly, or asking for money towards uni as a birthday gift? Just randomly is rude and bizarre, but if she's requesting it as a birthday gift I don't see a problem with it. There are costs associated with uni even with the various fee help options, so perhaps she's being conscientious and starting to save towards it?

Or she's mooching

[Bek+3]

I go to uni in QLD.

I paid $115 2 years ago to QTAC to file my registration and preferences.

In my first term I paid $700 for books for 3 subjects. I never made that mistake again!! Since then, and 2 years later I have spent a total of about $150 on books!! You don't need half of the ones they tell you and they ones you do need I have been able to buy second hand or borrow from the library.

I defer most of my fees. Sometimes every now and then I pay a term in cash here and there to prevent my HECS debt growing. It's not essential though.

My degree is far more expensive than my sister's degree (teaching). I have next to no national priority subjects. She had a half hour drive through 2 tolls and pay parking at her uni though where as I am 5 minutes away and parking is free. Her out of pocket is much more than mine but my debt will be three times as much!!

There are a few variables. She shouldn't need help with whatever fees she has though. I can't believe you have been asked for money!!