Australian Government OS HELP Loan Scheme –RMIT University Melbourne Australia

Scholarship Introduction:
The Australian Government OS HELP Loan Scheme is available for a six month study period on exchange at one of over 100 RMIT partner institutions. The loan is also available for Study Abroad students. Your loan is added to your HECS-HELP debt.
The Value of Loans is $1,000 to $5,523 – 2010 and $1,000 to $5,611 – 2011

Eligibility for scholarship:
To be eligible for an OS-HELP loan a student must:

• be an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa and
• not have received OS-HELP on more than one other occasion; and
• be enrolled in an undergraduate course of study at RMIT, and
• be a Commonwealth-supported student; and
• have already completed the equivalent of at least two full-time semesters of study (96 credit points) towards their course of study and
• be enrolled in full-time study with an overseas higher education institution for which they will be outside Australia while undertaking the study; and
• have their overseas study count as credit for their RMIT course; and
• still have the equivalent of one full-time semester of study (48 credit points) to complete in their RMIT course upon return; and
• provide a Tax File Number; and
• not have been granted an OS-HELP loan by another university for an overlapping period.
• Study programs at an overseas RMIT campus are regarded as overseas study for OS-HELP purposes and loans may be granted to eligible students.
• Eligible for the HECS-HELP
• Exchange or Study Abroad placement must be approved by RMIT Education Abroad

Application form:
http://mams.rmit.edu.au/4e1tnhylfb851.pdf

How to apply:
You normally apply for OS HELP at the same time as you apply for exchange/study abroad. You must be accepted for your exchange/study abroad by the Education Abroad Office (EAO) before an offer of OS Help will be made. Your loan is then added to your HECS debt and can then be paid in the same way as HECS.

Last date to apply:
There is no closing date for OS-Help but students cannot apply for an OS-Help loan after they have returned from their overseas program and must apply no later than one month into their program.