Financial

FINANCIAL MATTERS

Get an understanding of how to manage your money and finances.

Organising your finances on a limited student budget can be a challenge, particularly if you are planning to move out of home for the first time or giving up work to undertake your studies.

BUDGETING

Spend less time worrying about your bank balance and more time thinking about your studies.

The Basics

Do your budget. What is your income and fixed expenses (rent, utilities, phone, car payment)? Calculate how much you need each week for living expenses (fuel, food, clothes, entertainment).
Set up as many direct debits and bill payments as you can! Automatic payments means you will never be late.
Cash is king. The best way to stop spending is to carry your weekly living expenses in cash. It is harder to part with the cash in your wallet. As money leaves your hands you will think more about what you really need.
We spend what is readily available to us. Setting up a second bank account that does not have a keycard attached to it is a good way to remove our money from easy reach.

Quick Assist Video: Budgeting as a Student

Quick Assist Video: Handy Finance Resources

Learn How To Manage Your Money

MoneySmart

MoneySmart is a Federal Government website that has free tools, tips and guidance on how to take control of your money including:

Managing your money
Reducing your debt
Planning for your future
Growing your wealth

It also has lots of useful tools, calculators and resources.

MoneyMinded

The ANZ Bank has created the MoneyMinded guide, which offers great resources for getting on top of your finances.

"Saver Plus" Financial Literacy Program

If you hold a healthcare card, receive a Centrelink benefit, and some employment income, you may be eligible for Saver Plus. This is a financial literacy program offered by The Smith Family in partnership with the ANZ bank. It may help you start towards long-term financial security.

Saver Plus includes a 10-month savings program. When you save each month for 10 months and attend 5 online financial education workshops, you could receive up to $500 from ANZ to cover education costs.

Tax and Superannuation

It's important to know your rights and responsibilities when it comes to tax requirements and superannuation (super).

Find out more

Wage Theft

Contact Wageline if you need help resolving an individual issue of underpayment of wages or employment entitlements.

Wageline
Phone: 1300 655 266
Email: wageline@dmirs.wa.gov.au

Visit the website

Knowing your rights as an employee is very important. Have a read of our employee rights page to find out more.

PAYING YOUR FEES

If you're having difficulty paying your fees, please read the information below before booking an appointment with our Student Assist team.

Grants, Loans, and Scholarships

One of the criteria you need to meet when applying for a student visa is that you can demonstrate an ability to pay for your course and living costs while in Australia.

Unfortunately there are no loans available from either the Curtin Student Guild or Curtin University to help with fee payments.

Curtin offers a limited amount of scholarships for international students.

Extensions and Payment Plans

What can I do if I need a little more time to pay but the money is coming?

International/Full fee paying Students: If your difficulty is short term such as a delay in transferring funds from your home country, then you can ask Curtin Fees for a Payment Plan.

Note that if you miss payment of any instalment, Curtin will proceed with canceling your enrollment. Once the decision is final, all monies paid will not be refunded.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to be considered for a tuition fee payment installment plan, you must:

Be a continuing (i.e. not in your first study period) International student enrolled in an award degree.
Apply before the due date shown on your invoice.
Not owe any tuition fees from previous study periods/research terms at the time of application.

Important things to remember:

Students will have to pay
- 50% upfront
- 1st Instalment - 25% - 2 weeks after due date.
- 2nd Instalment - 25% - 4 weeks after due date.
No adjustments to the payment plan or further extensions will be given for any reason.
If students miss paying any of the instalments, then Curtin will commence with the Cancellation of Student Enrolment.
There will be a sanction (red banner) on the OASIS account until the fees are paid in full. This may mean students will not be able to see results for assessments submitted.
Student will be sent a notification informing of the intent to proceed with the cancellation of Student Enrolment.
Students will be given an opportunity to appeal within 20 working days. See below for how to appeal.
Students will receive the outcome of their appeal. This decision is final.
The decision to cancel the student's enrolment is final.

You can find the application for a Payment Instalment Plan here

Ongoing Financial Hardship

If your circumstances are of a long term nature then please seek advice from Student Assist at the Guild or Curtin Connect to explore other avenues such as reducing your study load or taking a Leave of Absence.

Cancellation of Enrolment - Non-Payment of Fees

If your fees have not been paid in full by the due date and you have not applied or not eligible for a payment instalment plan, you will receive an Official Communication via OASIS notifying you of the University’s intention to cancel your enrolment. You are given 20 working days to appeal against the cancellation of your enrolment. All cases will be assessed individually. In most cases the only way to avoid cancellation is to pay your fees.

20 working day appeal period:

You will have 20 working days from the date you receive the Official Communication to either make full payment of your tuition fees or submit an appeal.

You will continue to receive outstanding fee reminders during this time, but your enrolment will not be cancelled within the 20 working day appeal period.

If you are able to make any partial payments towards your tuition fees, you are encouraged to do so. However, if your enrolment is cancelled due to non-payment of tuition fees you may not be eligible for a refund.

Please note: The University will not extend beyond the 20 days under any circumstances. If you cannot pay within the timeframe then you need to consider your options carefully.

Getting a Job

You can find extensive information about finding work on our "Getting a Job" page .

Permanent Residents

Permanent Residents have the same requirements as International students except there are two advantages:

Permanent Residents can work as many hours as they wish.
Permanent Residents can study part time.

If you are a Permanent Resident who is having difficulty paying your fees, we recommend working while you are studying part time. We would not recommend getting into debt to study. Save up and start your studies when you can afford it.

EMERGENCY RELIEF

The Curtin Student Guild endeavours to provide advice and support for students who require emergency relief.

If you find yourself in hardship and are struggling with managing day to day, come and speak to Student Assist about your options and the help available to you.

What can the Guild do to help me?

The Guild can help in several ways:

Student Assist can assist with money management advice and advocacy with other agency and service providers such as Centrelink, Synergy, Alinta Gas, and Property Managers.
The Guild Student Pantrycan provide basic food items to students in need.
Introduction to other community services in your area that provide a wide range of emergency relief support including counselling, accommodation and financial assistance. You can also contact your local council or visit waconnect.org.au to find which community services operate in your suburb.

Other Support Services

If you are experiencing financial difficulty there are a number of organisations that may be able to assist you.

WAConnect
WAConnect is a directory of emergency relief service providers managed by the DropIN team at the Western Australian Council of Social Service.

Ask Izzy
Ask Izzy is a mobile website that connects people who are in crisis with the services they need right now and nearby.

Community Organisations
Vinnies and the Salvation Army can both provide crisis and longer-term support.

CONTACT STUDENT ASSIST

We're the free support and advocacy service of the Curtin Student Guild.

Our officers are unbiased, confidential, and—most importantly— run by the Guild, therefore completely independent of Curtin University

Please include your name, student number, course of study and a description of your query.

Email: student.assist@guild.curtin.edu.au
Phone: (08) 9266 2900
Free call: 1800 063 865

Building 106F, Curtin University
Monday to Friday, 9am - 4pm (AWST/UTC+8)

Students at any Curtin campus are welcome to contact us. Our time zone is Australian Western Standard Time (UTC+8).

Request an Appointment