Skip to Content

Swinburne Course Fee Reduction Scheme (SCFRS)

Swinburne is committed to supporting staff to further their education. Our Swinburne Course Fee Reduction Scheme (SCFRS) provides a 50% reduction of Swinburne course fees to eligible and approved Swinburne staff. Details of the scheme are below.

Note: Once you have discussed this with your Manager and approval has been granted you will need to apply below.

Checklist

  1. Discuss with your manager and seek approval
  2. Submit YPD
  3. Apply for the course
  4. Receive and accept offer
  5. Enrol
  6. Download and complete the Employee Verification Form
  7. Apply for SCFRS
  8. Pay course fees
    1. If eligible complete HELP assistance form
    2. If not eligible for HELP assistance pay 50% tuition fees and full amenities fees.

Frequently asked Questions

For answers to the more frequently asked questions have a look at our SCFRS FAQs.

Available courses

  1. All courses offered by Swinburne, including Swinburne Edge (formerly Swinburne Professional), Swinburne Online, and Swinburne co-taught Open Universities Australia online courses are available under this scheme, subject to the staff member meeting specific course entry requirements.
  2. For a course to be funded under this scheme, it needs to relate to either the staff member's current role or their aspirational role/s within Swinburne.
  3. Ordinarily staff members are limited to one course of funded study per annum.
  4. Course work courses and units are funded under this scheme, not research courses or units.
  5. Non-accredited short courses are not funded under this scheme. If you're unsure if the course you're studying is funded, please email Student Fees at fees@swin.edu.au

Eligible staff

  1. Ongoing staff members who have been with Swinburne for at least six months.
  2. Fixed term staff who have been with Swinburne for at least six months and have at least six months remaining on their contract.
  3. Staff members must Development Plan and the course must be in line with approved development objectives.
  4. Staff members must be demonstrating at least satisfactory performance as determined by their manager.
  5. Sessional staff, casual, Swinburne Online and NICA employees are not eligible.

General Fee Information

Cut-off date

  • Applications for the Swinburne Course Fee Reduction Scheme (SCFRS) are due by the relevant teaching period’s census date.

Who approves?

  1. A staff member's immediate manager and their head of management unit (Director, Dean, etc.) must approve the course of study in advance of any unit enrolment for the SCFRS, making sure it aligns with the staff member's approved development plan and objectives. Additionally, Employee Verification Form is to be completed by employee and immediate manager which will determine eligibility for SCFRS.
  2. Some number restrictions to course or unit enrolments may apply.

Who pays?

  1. For staff eligible for HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP and VET Fee Help:
    • The staff member will be sponsored by Swinburne so that the tuition fee amount for the unit/s is reduced by 50%. It is then the staff member's responsibility to either defer the reduced fees by completing an eCAF (electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form) online or pay the amount upfront by the payment due date.
  2. For staff and/or courses NOT eligible for HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP or VET FEE-HELP:
    • The staff member will pay 50% of the tuition fees on or before the scheduled payment date for the unit's teaching period and will be reimbursed 50% of the total cost.
    • If a staff member undertaking an approved course of study ceases to be an employee prior to the relevant census date in a particular teaching period, they will not be eligible for a 50% reduction in tuition fees. If a staff member's employment ends after the relevant census date (or equivalent date), Swinburne will continue to support the reduced fee for the unit/s for that teaching period.

Sponsorship Conditions

  1. A staff member who fails to successfully complete the units/course will not be eligible for sponsorship or a reduction in fees for the subsequent attempt or additional unit
  2. Satisfactory completion of the failed unit will allow the staff member to be eligible for sponsorship or a reduction in fees for future units/courses.
  3. If a staff member undertaking an approved course of study ceases to be an employee prior to the relevant census date in a particular teaching period, they will not be eligible for a 50% reduction in tuition fees. If a staff member's employment ends after the relevant census date (or equivalent date), Swinburne will continue to support the reduced fee for the unit/s for that teaching period.
  4. The 50% fee reduction is for unit tuition fees only and does not include additional fees and charges (e.g. Student Services Amenities Fee, books/outlines/resource materials, library fines, OS-HELP, field trip or placement costs, etc).
  5. The SCFRS is for the minimum number of units for the staff member to complete their course of study.

Any queries should be directed to Student Fees via fees@swin.edu.au.