FEE-HELP Optional Module
- Andrew Aylesbury
Introduction
FEE-HELP is an Optional Module.
FEE-HELP is an Australian Government loan program that assists eligible full fee paying students pay their tuition fees at university and other higher education providers.
Students must be studying at an approved FEE-HELP provider in order to access a FEE-HELP loan.
To support this business requirement, Meshed Higher-Ed has functionality to support FEE-HELP approved Providers in managing this process.
HigherEd HEIMS login information
To setup HigherEd HEIMS login information in the system, follow the instructions below:
- Click Admin > Configuration and Setup > Provider Info
- Scroll down the Provider info page and look for the HigherEd HEIMS login information section
- Enter your Organisation ID and HEIMS UserName
- Click View/Reset Password
- Enter your Password
- Click Update to save changes
To obtain an Organisation ID and HEIMS Username, a Provider is required to register to access the HEIMS applications and to report data to HEIMS.
FEE-HELP Courses
To update an existing Course with FEE-HELP information, follow the instructions below:
- Click Courses > Course
- Identify the Course to edit in the list.
- Click the Edit Action Icon
- In the Specific Information section, select Fee Help Yes to indicate that this Course is enabled for FEE-HELP.
- Enter the Fee Help Study Load on the field provided.
- Select the Fee Help Study Type from the drop-down. This should match with the Qualification Level of the Course.
- Click Record Now to save the changes.
- A confirmation message will appear on the page to indicate successful Course update.
- On the Manage Courses page the Courses with Vet Student Loan enabled are indicated with a FH checkbox.
FEE-HELP Course Subject
To update a existing Course Subject structure with FEE-HELP information, follow the instructions below:
- Click Courses > Course Subject
- Select the required Course Type, Course Status and Course
- Identify the Subject to edit in the list.
- Click the Edit Action Icon
- The Update Subject Details window is shown
- Enter the required Stage, Subject Type, Subject Fee, Domestic Subject Fee, and EFTSL
- Click Update Details
Student FEE-HELP Information
To update Student FEE-HELP information, follow the instructions below:
- Click Student > Student Management Homepage.
- Search for the Student using information e.g. Student ID
- Click Search
- The Student name will appear on the list. Click this icon
to go to Student Profile Summary - On the Student Profile Summary, click the FEE-HELP Action Icon
.
- Fill in Student Related Information.
- The information that needs to be filled up using the drop-down options:
- Citizenship Code
- Signature Date - when the student agreed to sign the eCAF
- Employment Status
- Attended Year 12 - If the Student attended Year 12, system will ask for the Year, State, Student Number and School Name.
- Tax File Number (TFN) is greyed out and can only be updated by the user with special permission. Go to Admin > Setup Permission section to assign the permission.
- Year Arrival in Australia
- CHESSN Number - existing can be entered or a new one can be created
- Click Update to save information.
- A message will appear to confirm information has been recorded successfully
- Enter Course Related Information as shown on the snapshot below.
Generate CHESSN
In the same page, you can allocate CHESSN Number for Students.
- Click the CHESSN icon located unless the right hand side of the page.
You need to ensure that you have already setup your organisation ID, Username and Password before generating CHESSN number. System will then connect with HEIMS and based on the student information recorded and TFN it will either get the CHESSN if already exist or create a new CHESSN
Once the CHESSN is generated, you will see an icon on this page to show the Entitlement amount for the Loan.
CHESSN is the acronym for Commonwealth Higher Education Support Number. It is a unique identifier assigned for an entire Student life. This number helps the government and providers to provide Students with information about any Commonwealth assistance (scholarships or loans) the Student may have used.
Student FEE-HELP Fee Information
To update Student FEE-HELP Fee information, follow the instructions below:
- Click Student > Student Management Homepage.
- Search for the Student using information e.g. Student ID
- Click Search
- The Student name will appear on the list. Click this icon to go to Student Profile Summary
- On the Student Profile Summary, click the Result Action Icon
- For the required Subject, click the Update Outcome Action Icon
- The following FEE-HELP related information can be edited:
- Mode of attendance
- Student Status Code
- Engagement Code
- Subject Tuition Fee
- Amount Paid/Fee Paid Upfront
- EFTSL Value
- Census Date
- Subject Completion Date
- Click the Save This Action Icon
Generate CAN
CAN is the acronym for Commonwealth Assistance Notice. This includes important information about Student enrolment, any debt incurred, or contribution amounts paid by the Student.
- To generate a CAN, go to the Student Result page and click the corresponding Action Icon
located on the right hand side - The generated CAN will be downloaded in a PDF File
The generate CAN Action Icon is only displayed if the Student is enrolled as a Current Student in a FEE-HELP enabled Course and the FEE-HELP information is entered for the Student.
Generate FEE-HELP Invoice
This includes important information for the Student about the FEE-HELP Statement of Covered Fees and Fee Notice.
- To generate an Invoice, go to the Student Result page and click the corresponding Action Icon located on the right hand side
- The generated Invoice will be downloaded in a PDF File
The generate Invoice Action Icon is only displayed if the Student is enrolled as a Current Student in a FEE-Help enabled Course and the FEE-HELP information is entered for the Student.
Export Report Files
To export FEE-HELP data files:
- Click the HEIMS Higher-Ed Reporting Icon
located on the Home page.
- The Export Report Files page is displayed
- Select Reporting Type Higher Ed FEE-HELP
- Select the Course/Status
- Select Student Course and Student Course Status
- Select the Reporting Year/Period
- Select the Census Date Range
- Click View Students to generate Student list.
- Student information will appear in the list.
- Select the Students to be included in the data export
- Click Export Files
- Data will download in a ZIP File. Save this in your local desktop for HEPCAT validation.
The Exported FEE-HELP Data files are also saved to the Document Repository in a folder named FEEHelp
HEPCAT Data Validation
HEPCAT is the acronym for the "Higher Education Provider Client Assistance Tool". It is an application provided by the Department of Education and Training for approved higher education providers to use in order to prepare, validate, and submit data to HEIMS (Higher Education Information Management System).
To validate Data using HEPCAT software, ensure the desktop already has HEPCAT Installed. If installing HEPCAT for the first time, click here for more information.
Validating your data and checking for errors is the most important step in the reporting process. The Department of Education and Training has a comprehensive step by step way of ensuring this is done in an easy way.
Check the government's website www.heimshelp.education.gov.au for more information.
FEE-HELP Files
The information below is based on the scope and structure documentation on the HEIMS Website
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| CO - Course of Study | The Course of Study (CO) file contains information on all courses to be provided for a reporting year. Information included on this file is incorporated into published reports. CO is the only file included in a Course of Study submission. |
| CM - Campus | The Campus (CM) file contains information about undergraduate and postgraduate course work courses for domestic students and the campuses at which they are delivered for the reporting year. The CM file also includes information on offshore courses. The CM file is the only file included in the Campus submission. |
| CD - Campus Deletion | The Campus Deletion (CD) file enables providers to delete campus records that have been previously reported on a Campus submission. These records may have been reported in error or the course may no longer be delivered from the reported campus location. The CD file is the only file included in a Campus Deletion submission. |
| EN - Enrolment | The data reported in the Enrolment (EN) file provides a profile of each student (e.g. date of birth, gender, home location, country of birth). The EN file is one of three files incorporated in the Student submission. |
| LL - Student Load Liability | The Student Load Liability (LL) file contains records of student load (equivalent full time student load or EFTSL) and liability (or debt) for all units of study undertaken in the reporting year. The LL file can also include student records omitted from a previous Student submission due to administrative error. The LL file is one of three files incorporated in the Student submission. |
| DU - Commonwealth Assisted Students | The Commonwealth Assisted Students (DU) file, commonly referred to as the "HELP Due" submission, reports the personal details, including names, tax file numbers (TFN) and Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Numbers (CHESSN) of all Commonwealth assisted students. Student details from this file are provided to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The DU file is the only file in HELP Due submission. HELP Due is different to other submissions. The data is not submitted. Instead, information from a validated HELP Due submission is provided as a "snapshot" of information to support the following submissions: Student, Student Revision, SA‑HELP, OS‑HELP, OS‑HELP Revision. |
| SC - Student Concordance | The Student Concordance (SC) file enables providers to revise Student Identification codes that have previously been reported to the department. The Student Concordance (SC) file is the only file included in a Student Concordance submission. |
| SA - SA‑HELP | The SA‑HELP (SA) file contains records about students who receive a SA‑HELP loan. This file is included in the SA‑HELP submission. The SA file is one of two files included in the SA‑HELP submission. The other file is the Commonwealth Assisted Students (DU) file. |
| OS - OS‑HELP | The OS‑HELP (OS) file contains records of students who receive OS‑HELP assistance. The OS file is one of two files incorporated in the OS‑HELP submission. The other file is the Commonwealth Assisted Students (DU) file. |
| CU - Unit of Study Completions | The Unit of Study Completions (CU) file records the completion status for each unit of study undertaken by students in the reporting year. There must be a record in the CU file for every record reported on all Student Load/Liability (LL) files for the reporting year. The CU file is the only file included in the Unit of Study Completions submission. |
| PS - Past Course Completions | The Past Course Completion (PS) file contains information about all courses completed by domestic and overseas students undertaking a course of study leading to an organisation's higher education award. The PS file is the only file included in the Past Course Completions submission. |
| CS - Commonwealth Scholarship | The Commonwealth Scholarship (CS) submission includes records for all students who are offered a Commonwealth Scholarship and/or commencing or continuing with a Commonwealth Scholarship of the following types:
Timing of submissions is detailed in the reporting schedule for the relevant reporting year. |
| RL - Revised Student Load Liability | The Revised Student Load Liability (RL) file enables providers to revise previously reported student load liability data. The RL file is one of three files incorporated in a Student Revision submission. |
| SR - Student Revision | The Student Revision submission enables providers to revise data that has been previously reported to the department on the Student Load/Liability (LL) file in the Student submission. The Student Revision (SR) file is one of three files incorporated in the Student Revisions submission. |
| RO - Revised OS‑HELP | This Revised OS‑HELP (RO) file enables providers to revise previously reported OS‑HELP data. The OS file is one of two files incorporated in the OS‑HELP submission. The other file is the Commonwealth Assisted Students (DU) file. |
| ER - Enrolment Revision | The Enrolment Revision submission enables providers to revise student enrolment data that has previously been reported to the department on the Student Enrolment (EN) file in a Student submission. The ER file in the only file included in an Enrolment Revisions submission. |
| RC - Commencement Date Revision | The Commencement Date Revision submission enables providers to revise the Course of study commencement date data that has previously been reported to the department on the Student Load/liability (LL) file in a Student submission. The Commencement Date Revision (RC) file is the only file included in a Commencement Date Revision submission. |
- FEE-HELP (external link)
- www.heimshelp.education.gov.au (external link)
- Installing HEPCAT for the first time (external link)
- HEIMSHELP - Validating your data (external link)
- CHESSN (external link)