I have Fees Free entitlement remaining from my first year. Will I be able to use it in 2026?
No, first-year Fees Free has now ended. Fees Free cannot cover any fees for your first year of study or work-based learning from 2026 – even if you used less than $12,000 for your first year of study or work-based learning.
If you used first-year Fees Free, you won’t be eligible for final-year Fees Free.
Unsure of some of these terms? Check out our glossary.
- What’s new for Fees Free from 2025?
- I’m starting study/training this year. Can I get my final year covered?
- I have Fees Free entitlement remaining from my first year. Will I be able to use it in 2026?
- I started studying in 2024 but I want Fees Free to cover the final year of my qualification, not my first year. Can I do that?
- I changed providers in 2025 to continue working towards the same qualification I started in 2024. Were my fees covered?
- What does 'same qualification' mean?
- What is a statutory declaration and how do I get one?
- What are the terms and conditions when I declare that I’m eligible for Fees Free?
- How long will it take for my statutory declaration to be processed?
- What happens if I give false information on my statutory declaration?
- Do I need to tell my tertiary education organisation (TEO) when I’ve submitted my statutory declaration?
- Is there a deadline for submitting my statutory declaration?
- I submitted a statutory declaration for first-year Fees Free, but didn’t start studying. Do I need to submit a new one when I start?
- What do I do if I was eligible for Fees Free but had already paid fees to my tertiary education organisation?
- I started accessing Fees Free, but still have some entitlement left over to use. Do I need to apply to StudyLink to cover the rest of my fees?
- I’m eligible for Fees Free but have still been invoiced by my tertiary education organisation (TEO). Why haven’t my fees been paid?
- I am not eligible for Fees Free, what other funding options are available to me?