Fee-Help Flight Schools around Sydney? UNSW advice?

[theskyisnotthelimit]

Hi everyone!

I have just joined the forum and this is my first post. I have spent hours searching older posts but decided to create my own as I desperately need some advice!

I am considering a Bachelor of Aviation Management at UNSW incorporated with a Graduate Diploma of Flying. However I have been told I need to contribute $40,000 of my own money even when utilising HECS and FEE-HELP. Coming from a poor background, the main reason I was looking at doing it through uni is because of my extreme lack of funds so I am bitterly disappointed it still costs that much to follow my dream. Has anyone here embarked on the UNSW journey and have any advice?

My next option I guess is finding a flight school (a decent one hopefully) that offers flight training with FEE-HELP. I have heard these exist but I am currently in the process of relocating from QLD and am not well-informed of what's around the Sydney area.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or information anyone can provide me.

Thank you

[LongLats]

$40,000 for what you come out with at UNSW is insanely cheap.

People who complain about the finances then claim it's their dream to fly confuse me. I had no financial backing but managed to work my ass off to find the money to finish my training. It's not impossible, it's just more work. But if it's your dream, then that extra work shouldn't be a "disappointment". It's just one of the many hurdles you'll face in this industry that weens out the people who actually want to do it, from the kids with shiny jet syndrome.

[mcgrath50]

The thing with that 40k is I'd assume it's in addition to the Fee-Help limit of >90k (goes up every year by CPI). So you are paying 130k + fees for a normal uni degree that go on HECS. UNSW may be the best institution in Australia but you have to weigh up if that extra cost is for you.

If the course doesn't reach the FEE-HELP limit, why do you need to cough up the 40k and not just use FEE-Help for it all?

[poonpossum]

Dude, relocate to Melbourne. You don't even need to do a pesky degree to do use fee help.

TVSA and RVAC both offer vet feel help as a sort of TAFE institution.

If you wanna go to a meat market and get a degree without paying over your limit you can go to Swinburne. They use Oxford in Moorabbin as their training provider which is a steaming pile of crap of an operation which you will be disappointed with.

[theskyisnotthelimit]

Look I get what you're saying but there's no need to judge. You don't know anything about my personal life/financial status and commitments. I am 27, and am more sure and committed now than ever that this is what I want to do with my life - not a "kid with shiny jet syndrome" thanks very much.

[Seabreeze]

I don't think there is any VET FEE HELP available in Sydney and UNSW is the only place to offer FEE HELP.

Schofields flying Club is one of the best at Bankstown and there are some good ones (Curtiss) at Camden and the instructors at these places are good at training recreational pilots to be safe, and at lower cost. As far as i know, UNSW is the only place in the Sydney basin to offer only full time professional training and it does so only for its own students. It costs more as the instructors get paid wages not just an hourly flying rate.

If you are short of cash, work hard and save up as a lot of us had to do.

SB

[theskyisnotthelimit]

Thanks everyone your advice has really helped. I have decided to stay in Qld and go through Griffith Uni as you only need an extra $20,000. I know UNSW would be the ideal option but I feel that at 27 I need to get started asap, and it's a much more affordable option. Cheers

[christo88]

Is that a 3 or 4 year course?

[Seabreeze]

Horses mouth

Suggest you look very carefully at what you get for your hard earned $$$. UNSW may appear to be $20K more expensive, but at UNSW you will end up with a degree from a University in the top 100 worldwide, with a dedicated flying school owned and operated by the university. At Griffith you will have to find instructors, make your own bookings, and manage your own flying training program with some outside commercial flying school, and I bet they don't claim to cover all your costs. You will also study in an environment with a much lower ATAR (OP). This may well cost you more in the end!

So to mix metaphors, look the horse in the mouth to ensure you don't end up being sold a pup!

Either way, please report back on your progress to let us all know of your experiences.

Good luck

Seabreeze

[seneca208]

Have a chat to some Griffith Students. On paper it might say you only need an extra $20k, but I have heard of many students paying tens of thousands in remedial training costs. For some of the students, I think, it's of no fault of their own either.