Education Revolution

Navigating the path to brilliance

Education can be expensive!

In addition to course fees, there are text books and study materials to buy, as well as possible residential college and living away from home expenses. It can be enough to put you off pursuing your dream… Don’t despair; there are ways and means of funding tertiary study, without sending yourself (or your parents!) to the dry cleaners. If you’re studying at University or TAFE, you can register for a Commonwealth Government loan. This means you don’t have to pay your tuition fees until later in life when you’re earning enough money to make repayments. In addition, there are other scholarships and government allowances that can help to further ease the financial burden. Visit www.goingtouni.gov.au for all the details.

Keep in Mind

If you have a HECS loan, keep in mind that by paying it back upfront (either all at once or in installments), you won’t have to pay interest. If you do choose to pay in full upfront, or make partial upfront payments of more than $500, you’ll also get a 20% discount. As a student you’re entitled to concessions on things like public transport, events, computers, health care and lots more. The discounts you’re eligible for will depend on whether you’re studying part-time or full-time and in some cases, how much you’re earning on the side. Take full advantage! The next time you get such concessions may be as a pensioner!

There are plenty of other ways to save money as a student:

> Buy your books secondhand. Search second-hand book shops (many tertiary institutions have their own) or look online for your required texts.
> Make the most of student services at your Uni or Tafe (doctors and dentists, photocopying and printing, counseling services etc).
> If finding part time work is difficult, think of ways to turn your talents into cash. Whether you tutor mathematics, teach piano or make greeting cards, you can easily publicise what you have to offer.