Student Services and Amenities Fee

The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) provides the University with additional funding to support student services and facilities that are not academic.

The Fee is compulsory and is approved by the Australian Government.

How much is the Student Services Amenities Fee?

For Session 2 (1 July 2012 to 31 December 2012):

The fee will be charged each Session and is relevant to your enrolled study load.

'Full Time' means a study load of at least 75% of the normal full time student load. This is usually 9 credit points or greater per session.

Offshore, ICMS, City campus, fully external and OUA students do not pay this fee as they don’t have access to the full range of services provided at the main campus.

International and MGSM students won’t pay the fee in 2012 as they agreed to 2012 fees before the new legislation was introduced.

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Why do we have the fee?

In October 2011, the Australian Government passed the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities) Bill 2010, allowing universities to charge a compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee.

The fee is intended to provide the University with additional funding to support student services and facilities that are not academic.

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What are the funds used for?

Macquarie University has been supporting non-academic student services to the value of eight million dollars annually. In 2012, the Student Services and Amenities Fee will provide approximately five million dollars towards these ongoing costs.

In 2011, non-academic funding helped to support:

Department Student Services and Amenities Funding
Campus Experience

Non-academic services, programs, facilities and initiatives which enhance the student experience:

  • Providing food and drink
  • Supporting sport and recreational activity
  • Supporting the admin of clubs and societies
  • Caring for children
  • Helping secure accommodation
  • Supporting debating
  • Supporting artistic activity
  • Orientation assistance
Helping overseas student welfare, accommodation and employment.		 $5,003,000
Campus Wellbeing

Services, programs and initiatives that enhance the health and wellbeing and advocacy support of students:

  • Providing legal services
  • Promoting health and welfare
  • Help in obtaining employment and careers advice
  • Help with financial affairs
  • Help obtaining personal insurance
  • Providing non-academic reading rooms
  • Helping develop skills for study
  • Orientation assistance
 $3,832,100

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How will the fee be charged?

The Student Services and Amenities Fee will be added into your account for session 2 at a time to be advised. You will be able to view the fees in your account in eStudent, My Finances from this time.

If you change your full/part-time study load after the SSAF is calculated, an adjustment will be made to the initial fee charged.

If you enrol after Macquarie University’s due date (27 July), but intend to pay upfront, you must pay the SSAF on the day you enrol.

Both up-front payments and deferral submissions must be made in accordance with the key dates.

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Key dates

1 January 2012
Introduction of SSAF

21 February 2012
SSAF added to your account (View in eStudent/My Finances) for Session 1.

24 February 2012
SSAF payment due (All fees including SSAF are payable on this date) for Session 1.

31 March 2012
Incurral date (Final date for payment or submission of Commonwealth Loan Scheme forms) for Session 1.

Please note Enrolment will be cancelled if you do not either pay or defer fee payment by 31 March for Session 1 and 31 August for Session 2.

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Can I defer payment?

Australian citizens or permanent residents (Humanitarian Visa Holder) who do not wish to pay the fee upfront to the University, can request assistance from the Commonwealth and defer the fee through the Student Amenities- Higher Education Loan Program (SA-HELP). The SA-Help covers a student for the length of their admitted course, and the form need only be submitted once, deferring all fees generated from SSAF.

The SA-HELP Commonwealth Assistance Form is available via eStudent under “My Finances” and “My Offer” tabs. This form must be completed and submitted including your tax file number by the incurral date at the latest. However, to avoid receiving a fee sanction, which will limit access to University systems and services, students are encouraged to submit this form by the due date listed above.

Please note that in 2012 the SA-Help form is separate to the Fee-Help and HECS-Help forms. Please read the 'How to complete an on-line eCaf' document for further details.

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What will the fee cover in 2013?

This website will be updated with information for future study periods as appropriate.

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Student consultation and feedback

The University is establishing a Student Advisory Board, consisting of representatives from:

The Advisory Board will consult with and make recommendations on matters which affect the student community including the use of proceeds of the Student Services and Amenities Fees.

A draft Macquarie University Student Advisory Board Charter has been developed and the first meeting is proposed for March 2012.

For further information on the Student Services & Amenities Fee please:

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