Fee-Help

[jackal55]

Ok well I’m going to cut straight to the point.

I have read an awful lot of bad posts about the Australian Wings Academy on the Gold Coast, all I’m trying to do is clear up some things with your help.

I’ve been told that that FEE-HELP will be made available hopefully by October of this year at the Gunnedah operation of AWA. Is there any truth to this?

I’ve been told by Phil Sweeny that I’m on a list of around a dozen or so others who are interested in the FEE-HELP program and that it will be made available, it’s now just a matter of when. Once again, is there any conceivable truth to this?


I guess you can understand my frustration, I realise the world of aviation can at times be frustrating, but as we speak I’m seriously contemplating making a move across the ditch to take advantage of the NZ student loan scheme. Money is an issue and short of working in a dead end job for half of my life, flying won’t happen.

Any advice or guidance on my quandary would be much appreciated.

EDIT: Just got this from the Nelson Aviation College,


"Thank you for your enquiry. Due to changes in eligibility for student loan funded aviation training, we are unable to offer Australian citizens student loan funded places. The rules are as follows:

From 1 January 2011 permanent residents and Australian citizens will be subject to a two year stand-down before they can receive a Student Loan. This means they will need to have lived in New Zealand for at least two years and be ordinarily resident in New Zealand in order to get a Student Loan. Permanent residents will also need to have held permanent residence status for at least two years.
The Government expects permanent residents and Australian citizens to demonstrate their commitment to working and living in New Zealand before being able to access Student Loans. Research shows that permanent residents and Australian citizens are more likely to leave New Zealand with Student Loan debt than New Zealand citizens.

Although this becomes law in 2011, we would still be unable to consider your application under the student loan system at this time."


Well thats my bright idea gone :yuk:

[Bo777]

Money is an issue and short of working in a dead end job for half of my life, flying won’t happen.
My advice ... stick with the dead end job. In the long-run you'll probably be financially better off not having to pay off debt for 'half your life'. If you love flying just get a ultralight licence. Trust me :}

[Seabreeze]

FEE Help comes in two ways as I understand the system

Fee-Help (for University courses): note you will usually have to pay a course fee for a Postgrad certificate of some sort at about ~$15,000 in order to access the remainder of the $86K for flying. It is only a loan, and one that that will escalate at CPI until paid via your tax return. In short you will pay about $15k for the privilege of borrowing ~$86K, ie an upfront fee of ~17.5%.

VET-Fee Help (for VET providers). There is a loan fee of 20% for all VET Fee help loans. Alos CPI indexed and paid through your tax return

So either way you pay through the nose for the "Help"! Better if you can source your funds up front by working, via a loan from your rich uncle scrooge, or maybe even your bank.

Good luck