Contribution to Living Expenses (CLE or Stipend) and Budgeting Advice

Contribution to Living Expenses (CLE or Stipend)

As part of their scholarship, AusAID sponsored students are entitled to receive a ‘one-off’ Establishment Allowance, paid by Swinburne on arrival in Australia. The allowance is intended to cover initial settling-in costs. In addition, AusAID students receive a regular Stipend, for living and maintenance costs, calculated from the day of arrival in Australia.

The following table gives a typical example of how the Establishment Allowance and Stipend should be budgeted for:

There are two rates of stipends. Students who are not accompanied by family in Australia receive the unaccompanied rate and students with at least one member of their family in Australia on an AusAID student dependant visa receive a higher accompanied rate.

Note: The accompanied stipend benefit only applies to students who commenced their scholarship prior to 1 January 2007.

Latest stipend rates and other AusAID scholarship entitlements: Allowances for AusAID Scholarship Students (PDF 19KB)

Budgeting advice

There is a Student Financial Advisor on each campus, available to assist students with budgeting advice and develop a personalized budgeting plan. Assistance can also be sought on general advice about buying a car or computer or the emergency student loan.

It is highly recommended that students:

• make arrangements with their Estate Agent/Landlord and their bank, to pay their rent directly from their bank account on a regular basis
• save a little bit every month to help cover expenses for the final trip home (ie at the end of the scholarship) such as excess baggage, gifts, souvenirs, etc as well as airline tickets for any accompanied family member (The airline ticket for the AusAID students will be paid by AusAID).
• Students open a second bank account specifically for saving purposes and nominate a portion of the stipend to be paid into that account every fortnight.

Student financial advice and money saving tips

Opening Bank Accounts

Prior to the AusAID student’s arrival in Australia, a bank account will be opened and the Establishment Allowance deposited into the student's bank account so that he/she has immediate access to the funds as early as possible. With the assistance of the Swinburne University representative, the student will be directed to the bank and advised on banking procedures and bank related services on the first business day following AusAID student's arrival in Melbourne.

Public Transport Concession Cards

TAFE and Undergraduate AusAID students are entitled to apply for a Public Transport Concession Card. To obtain your Concession Card you need to follow the procedure as noted below:

- Pick up a Certify Letter from the SCO confirming your status as an AusAID student eligible to apply for public transport concession card.

- Pick up the Public Transport Concession application form for the relevant year from the Train Station, also available on the Metlink website.

- Complete the application fully and attach 2 passport photos (per size shown on the application form)

- Take the completed application form and the Certify Letter to the Student Information Centre (SIC) located on the ground floor of our building, so that it can be stamped/approved.

- Take the approved/stamped application form, the Certify Letter and the application fee to the Train Station, so that a card can be issued to you.

Please Note:
- If you are starting a new course, SIC will not approve your application until you have finalised Orientation and Enrolment Process as you must have a confirmed enrolment for the particular year.
- If you only have a part time load (i.e. in case of students that are in their final semester and are only enrolled in a few remaining subjects), it is possible that your application would be refused. The Concession Card is ONLY available to those studying Full Time.
- If you only have one Semester left of your studies and expected to complete at the end of Semester 1, then you need to choose 'Tertiary Half Yearly', otherwise select 'Tertiary Yearly'. The application fee is the same for both options.

Working in Australia

Tax File Number

A tax file number is a legal requirement for anyone who intends to work in Australia. To reduce taxes paid on any interest earned in your bank account, you must present the bank with your tax file number. You do not need to show your Tax File Number to Swinburne International staff

This service is FREE. You are all encouraged to apply for a tax file number as soon as possible on the ATO website:

- Click on ‘for individuals’
- Click on ‘Apply for a tax file number’
- Go to the 3rd option ‘online individual tax file number (TFN) registration’ and follow the instructions.

Work Permit

All International students (and their spouses on a dependant visa) who intend to work (paid or volunteer) in Australia MUST have a work permit in their student visa as well as Tax File Number. To apply for a work permit (student or dependant), you must be enrolled in your formal course and follow the steps below:

- Download/print an application for Work Permit (157P – available from www.immi.gov.au)
- Bring the application form to Swinburne International and ask the staff at Counter to pass to Emilia or Paulynn. You need to return back to the Counter after 2 working days to collect the application – when we receive your application, we will complete the University section of the application and also provide a letter certifying that you are an AusAID student.
- Take the application form, your passport and the letter to DIAC office in Spring Street (City) and inform the DIAC staff that you wish to apply for a ‘work permit’. Follow the procedure per their advice.

Note:
- AusAID highly discourages AusAID students to work during the Semester. Further, if a student experiences difficulty with their studies which could lead to failure and/or need for award extensions, it is very likely that AusAID may not look at the case favourably, if the student has had a work permit.
- You must present your work permit and tax file number to your Employer, otherwise you are not legally employed.
- Your work permit entitles you to a maximum of 20 hours work per week during the semester and full time during the semester/summer break.
- AusAID students (or spouses) cannot apply for work permit online as they do not hold a ‘CoE’.
- AusAID students (or spouses) are exempt from paying the application fee for the work permit.