Approved institutions and courses for student payments

Approved education institutions and courses for the purposes of eligibility for student payments are listed in the Student Assistance (Education Institutions and Courses) Determination 2019 (the Determination).

Applications for semester 2 of the 2023 academic year are now closed.

Please monitor this page for details of the applications round for semester 1 2024, due to take place later this year. Formal invitations will be sent to Vice-Chancellors and relevant contacts in due course.

Any enquiries regarding Masters by coursework approval for student payments should be directed to mastersapps@dss.gov.au.

Masters by coursework approval for student payments

The Department of Social Services conducts assessment processes twice a year where higher education providers may submit their professionally oriented masters by coursework programs for assessment against the criteria set out in the Guidelines for the approval of Masters courses for student payments (the Guidelines).

Criteria for Masters Course Approval

Masters courses that satisfy the above condition may only be approved for student payment purposes if they are also the:

  • minimum legal or professional educational requirement for a specific profession, or
  • only pathway to gain an entry-level qualification for a profession offered by the higher education provider, or
  • fastest pathway to gain an entry-level qualification for a profession offered by the higher education provider. Courses that do not meet one of these 3 criteria cannot be approved for student payments.

The Department of Social Services assesses applications in accordance with the Guidelines and eligible masters courses are submitted to the Minister for Social Services for consideration and potential approval.

Higher education providers are responsible for submitting masters by coursework programs for assessment. Students are unable to submit courses for assessment.

Students who have queries about masters courses should contact their higher education provider, and should contact the Services Australia Students and Trainees line on 13 2490 for further information or queries about student payments.

A specialist tertiary qualification is required for employment at entry-level in the relevant profession.

A specialist tertiary qualification must be essential for entry-level employment in a specific profession, as a legal or professional requirement. If the Masters course is considered a specialist tertiary qualification for entry-level employment to the profession then the course MUST be:

  • Fully accredited by a recognised professional, state or territory governing body; and
  • required for admission to a profession.

If the Masters qualification does not meet these requirements it cannot be approved for student payments.

Before applying, please note the following:

  • Courses with qualifying, provisional, conditional, or no accreditation status are not considered to be fully accredited and are unable to be accepted. Accreditation must be relevant for all graduates of the Masters course. Proof of full accreditation must be provided at the time of application.
  • An industry preference for accreditation is not a legal or professional requirement.
  • A course does not meet the criteria of a specialist tertiary qualification if it is not required for a specific profession, but instead provides a qualification for a broad field of employment within an industry or a range of industries.

It is important that courses are recorded correctly on the Determination so that prospective students can make informed decisions and have certainty about what courses attract government support when considering undertaking study at a Masters level.

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