Student Learning Entitlement: Questions and Discussion

[Sumone Onek]

Please note that I haven’t had the chance to fully research this topic, but have rushed this post out with the recent/upcoming university offer rounds. Given that this topic hasn’t gained traction on MSO since the changes were announced, hopefully this is just the case of me missing something important that makes it a non-issue.

EDIT: It was indeed the case of me missing something important that makes it a non-issue . The page I missed is buried in Study Assist. However, the page didn't show up in Google and isn't well publicised, so I guess this thread still has value in case someone else gets worried (though mods, feel free to delete or lock thread). See Student learning entitlement | StudyAssist to alleviate your fears.

One of the more important higher education changes taking effect in 2022 is the reintroduction of the Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) that was previously introduced in 2005 and abolished in 2012. Quoted directly from the 2022 Commonwealth Supported Places and HECS-HELP Information booklet on pages 8-9:

“The Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) is the amount of study you can undertake in a CSP in your lifetime.

All students will start with 7 equivalent full-time study load (EFTSL) of Commonwealth supported study. This is your SLE amount, with 7 EFTSL equating to 7 years of full-time study. From 1 January 2022, as you undertake study as a Commonwealth supported student, your SLE balance will reduce by the EFTSL value of the units you undertake. Any study in a CSP with a census date before 1 January 2022 will not reduce your SLE amount.”

There are two important caveats to this rule which are mentioned on page 9:

“A person can receive additional SLE in EFTSL, when undertaking certain courses or when certain events occur.

A person can have their SLE amount recredited where special circumstances apply, or where their HELP balance is re-credited.”

Before we go any further, I want to draw your attention to the fact that “Any study in a CSP with a census date before 1 January 2022 will not reduce your SLE amount”, so it is possible that these changes may not affect you directly.

It is important to note that the document makes no mention about studying medicine in relation to SLE additions/re-credits, so we cannot assume that medical students are granted any. There are some older posts regarding the previous SLE on MSO and it appears that additional SLE was granted for graduate study medicine. Nevertheless, although they have the same name, we do not know if the current SLE will be identical.

The Group of Eight raised some very valid concerns regarding these changes back in November 2021:

“Given that a medical degree is typically 6 or 4 years in length – depending on whether it is an undergraduate or postgraduate course – and a science degree is 3 or 4 years, it is in the national interest that additional SLE criteria allow full Commonwealth support for the education of this student cohort.”

Based on my brief research, there has been no statements from the education department to directly address these concerns. The closest we have is an excerpt from the Australian Financial Review:

"...an education department spokesperson said longer degrees that take six or more years would be taken into account in the the SLE guidelines. He did not address the three year plus four year postgraduate model of medical education prevalent in Go8 universities."

We then have the following scenario. If a potential/past medical student has completed 7 or less EFTSL and wants to complete a degree which will put them over the 7 EFTSL, they may have to pay full fees for some or all their degree if no SLE additions/re-credits are given.

This will have profound financial implications in certain cases:

• Provisional and Graduate Entry Medicine – Individuals who choose 4+ year undergraduate degree may have to pay full fees.
• Further Study After Medicine – Individuals who pursuing further non-research study after medicine may have to pay full fees.

In any case, don’t trust a stranger on the internet with your career and do your own research. I personally believe that this is likely an oversight and the issues will be addressed once more people are affected by them.

Further reading:

Search results for query: sle

Search results for query: student learning entitlement

https://www.studyassist.gov.au/site...ublications_2022_csp_booklet.pdf?v=1637039276

Go8 Submission to the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment on the Draft Higher Education Support (Student Learning Entitlement) Guidelines 2021

4 November 2021Michael JonesAssistant DirectorHESA Modelling and Performance | Funding and Students Branch Higher Education DivisionAustralian Government Department of Education, Skills and EmploymentThe Group of Eight (Go8) welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the consultation o

go8.edu.au

Time limit on degrees a solution in search of a problem

From next year students will be limited to seven years to finish their degrees, causing significant problems for medical students.

www.afr.com

 

[Unluckydude]

Please note that I haven’t had the chance to fully research this topic, but have rushed this post out with the recent/upcoming university offer rounds. Given that this topic hasn’t gained traction on MSO since the changes were announced, hopefully this is just the case of me missing something important that makes it a non-issue.

One of the more important higher education changes taking effect in 2022 is the reintroduction of the Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) that was previously introduced in 2005 and abolished in 2012. Quoted directly from the 2022 Commonwealth Supported Places and HECS-HELP Information booklet on pages 8-9:

“The Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) is the amount of study you can undertake in a CSP in your lifetime.

All students will start with 7 equivalent full-time study load (EFTSL) of Commonwealth supported study. This is your SLE amount, with 7 EFTSL equating to 7 years of full-time study. From 1 January 2022, as you undertake study as a Commonwealth supported student, your SLE balance will reduce by the EFTSL value of the units you undertake. Any study in a CSP with a census date before 1 January 2022 will not reduce your SLE amount.”

There are two important caveats to this rule which are mentioned on page 9:

“A person can receive additional SLE in EFTSL, when undertaking certain courses or when certain events occur.

A person can have their SLE amount recredited where special circumstances apply, or where their HELP balance is re-credited.”

Before we go any further, I want to draw your attention to the fact that “Any study in a CSP with a census date before 1 January 2022 will not reduce your SLE amount”, so it is possible that these changes may not affect you directly.

It is important to note that the document makes no mention about studying medicine in relation to SLE additions/re-credits, so we cannot assume that medical students are granted any. There are some older posts regarding the previous SLE on MSO and it appears that additional SLE was granted for graduate study medicine. Nevertheless, although they have the same name, we do not know if the current SLE will be identical.

The Group of Eight raised some very valid concerns regarding these changes back in November 2021:

“Given that a medical degree is typically 6 or 4 years in length – depending on whether it is an undergraduate or postgraduate course – and a science degree is 3 or 4 years, it is in the national interest that additional SLE criteria allow full Commonwealth support for the education of this student cohort.”

Based on my brief research, there has been no changes to address these concerns. If someone has completed 7 or less EFTSL and wants to complete a degree which will put them over the 7 EFTSL, they may have to pay full fees for some or all their degree if no SLE additions/re-credits are given.

This will have profound financial implications in certain cases:

• Provisional and Graduate Entry Medicine – Individuals who choose 4+ year undergraduate degree may have to pay full fees (e.g. Bachelor of Physiotherapy)
• Further Study After Medicine – Individuals who pursuing further study after medicine may have to pay full fees (e.g. Master of Surgery)

In any case, don’t trust a stranger on the internet with your career and do your own research. I personally believe that this is likely an oversight and the issues will be addressed once more people are affected by them.

Further reading:

Search results for query: sle

Search results for query: student learning entitlement

https://www.studyassist.gov.au/site...ublications_2022_csp_booklet.pdf?v=1637039276

Go8 Submission to the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment on the Draft Higher Education Support (Student Learning Entitlement) Guidelines 2021

4 November 2021Michael JonesAssistant DirectorHESA Modelling and Performance | Funding and Students Branch Higher Education DivisionAustralian Government Department of Education, Skills and EmploymentThe Group of Eight (Go8) welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the consultation o

go8.edu.au

Note to Mods:
I thought this post would probably work better as a new thread since it isn't necessarily limited to just choosing an undergraduate degree, but I can't make one as someone who doesn't contribute often
If you want to make it a thread, my preferred clickbait title is "Reintroducing the SLE and its Potential Effects on Studying Medicine".

That's interesting since med already has FFP. If someone studied a four year undergraduate degree and then got an offer for postgraduate med, does the person get 3 years of CSP and 1 year of FFP or the person is only eligible for a FFP?

A lot of people will find a FFP unaffordable. Is Australia becoming more like the US?

 

[Caffeine]

That's interesting since med already has FFP. If someone studied a four year undergraduate degree and then got an offer for postgraduate med, does the person get 3 years of CSP and 1 year of FFP or the person is only eligible for a FFP?

A lot of people will find a FFP unaffordable. Is Australia becoming more like the US?

Even outside of just medical students such a program would have profound impacts on people trying to change careers, reconsidering paths and dual degree students. In the future it would also prevent many diverse groups with backgrounds in other fields applying/considering studying medicine. It should hopefully change so it doesn't change the way in which people consider education as a viable path to both change their economic circumstance and update their knowledge/skills. If it remains then we are starting to head in the wrong direction.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

I thought this topic was important enough to warrant its own thread.

 

[dotwingz]

Even outside of just medical students such a program would have profound impacts on people trying to change careers, reconsidering paths and dual degree students. In the future it would also prevent many diverse groups with backgrounds in other fields applying/considering studying medicine. It should hopefully change so it doesn't change the way in which people consider education as a viable path to both change their economic circumstance and update their knowledge/skills. If it remains then we are starting to head in the wrong direction.

Agreed. I continue to ponder why this government sees education as a burden rather than something that not only improve the life of the individual but also society.

Its crazy how they yapp on about Teacher shortages or Nursing shortages etc etc and then bringnlimits like this in

 

[Unluckydude]

Agreed. I continue to ponder why this government sees education as a burden rather than something that not only improve the life of the individual but also society.

Its crazy how they yapp on about Teacher shortages or Nursing shortages etc etc and then bringnlimits like this in

They probably just want to decrease government spending on education and lower taxes.