Job Ready Graduates package

The Australian Government introduced the Job-ready Graduates Package in 2020, changing funding arrangements and student protections in higher education. If you are undertaking a Commonwealth supported place or using HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP, these changes may impact you.

To help you better understand how the changes may impact you, we've compiled some of the most popular questions regarding the new reforms.

What is the Job-ready Graduates Package?

The Job-ready Graduates Package – higher education reforms changes funding arrangements and student protections. The package delivers university funding arrangements, with a better integrated system, improved transparency, as well as more opportunities for regional, remote and Indigenous students.

How do these changes impact students who access Commonwealth assistance (e.g. have a Commonwealth supported place or use a HELP loan)?

There are student protections in higher education designed to prevent students incurring debt for a course that they are not well suited to. This means that Flinders University must ensure you are a genuine student, academically suited to the course.

There are new requirements if you are accessing Commonwealth assistance, including:

reintroduction of the Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) for Commonwealth supported places
provision of your Unique Student Identifier (USI) when you enrol with us

What is the Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) for Commonwealth supported students?

The Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) is a limit on the length of time you can be enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP). The limit is seven years of full-time study or part-time equivalent.

Your SLE balance will reduce based on the Equivalent Full-Time Study Load ( EFTSL) that you are enrolled in at a census date. ( 4.5 unit is the equivalent of 0.125 EFTSL).

Only topics with a census date of 1 January 2022 or later will reduce your SLE.

This change took effect in 2022 and will impact all commencing and continuing Commonwealth supported students.

What is the Unique Student Identifier (USI)?

The Unique Student Identifier (USI) is a number you obtain from the Government that becomes your individual education number for life. When you enrol in any university, TAFE or other nationally recognised training organisation, you’ll need to provide your USI.

This change took effect in 2021 and applies when you commence a course or apply for a HELP loan.

From 2023, all students will be required to have a USI in order to graduate.

If I fail a topic and want to apply for 'special circumstances', what circumstances are considered 'special circumstances'?

Special circumstances are:

beyond your control; and
do not make the full impact on you until on or after the census date of the topic; and
make it impracticable for you to complete the topic.

Special circumstances that we will consider in relation to not counting a failed unit towards your completion rate include:

illness or a worsening, or changing, medical condition
a family member dying
a family member having a serious medical condition
financial difficulties experienced by you or your family
changes to your employment
changes your provider makes that disadvantage you
a natural disaster or other emergency in Australia
any other circumstances that your provider considers relevant.

The University is responsible for assessing applications for special circumstances. If your application for special circumstances for a topic is successful, any fail grade you received for that topic will not be counted towards your completion rate. As well, we may cancel your HELP debt or refund any upfront payments you made for the topic.

Apply for a remission or refund in special circumstances.