How are fees calculated?

UniSC counts the number of days a research student is actively working on their HDR per research term. A unit enrolment value will be recorded and reported according to the number of days a student is active in a given term, and fees will be charged accordingly.
To calculate the tuition fee cost for a single unit of enrolment, divide the maximum fee by the maximum possible number of units per term for the term (i.e. 48).

Student Type	Program Fee by Term*	Calculation	Unit Value	Daily Rate*
Domestic	$13,250	$13,250 / 48	$276.04	$72.80
International	$14,800	$14,800 / 48	$308.33	$81.31

* Estimated Daily Rate calculated on a 181 day term

How are 'active days' counted?

Active days are counted one calendar day at a time for students enrolled full-time, or half a calendar day at a time for part-time students.
A student is considered 'active' for counting enrolment units unless they:

• Have not yet commenced their Higher Degree by Research
• Are on an approved leave of absence
• Are under thesis examination (or are waiting to graduate)

What is a term?

A 'term' is a period in which UniSC counts and reports a student’s activity in their HDR program.

Every research student is enrolled in two research terms per year: Term 1 and Term 2.

There are two terms in Semester 1 (A and B) and two terms in Semester 2 (A and B).

Term Name	Start Date	Census Date	End Date	Number of Days
1A	01/01/2024	19/04/2024	30/06/2024	182
1B	01/04/2024	19/07/2024	30/09/2024	182
2A	01/07/2024	19/10/2024	31/12/2024	183
2B	01/10/2024	31/12/2024	31/03/2025	182*

A student’s research term grouping (A or B) is determined by the date on which they commenced their research degree.

Terms of enrolment	Commencement date ranges (in any year)
1A and 2A	1 January to 30 June; and 1 July to 31 December
1B and 2B	1 April to 30 September ; and 1 October to 31 March (following year)

How is the Higher Degree by Research enrolled unit value calculated?

The total active days in a term is divided by the total number of days available in the term, multiplied by the maximum possible units (i.e. 48.00).

For example, John was active for 121 days in a term that is 183 days long.

(121/183)*48 = 31.73

John’s unit value is 31.73

What changes a student’s fees?

Fees will decrease when students:

• take an approved leave of absence; or
• change study load from full to part-time
• submit their thesis (or otherwise discontinue their program)

Fees will increase when students:

• change study load from part to full-time
• return from a leave of absence earlier than planned
• commence the period of revisions to their thesis

Where a change occurs after a term Census date, a new invoice will be available after the term has concluded. If a credit is owed, this will be applied to the next term’s fees.

Tuition fee scholarship recipients

Tuition fee offset scholarships will continue to absorb the recipient’s tuition fees (including any adjustments) until the scholarship expiry date. If a student is still working towards completing their Higher Degree by Research after the tuition fee scholarship expires (including during the period of revisions to their thesis), the student will be liable for their tuition fees. Refer to the “What changes a student's fees?” section for reasons that fees may decrease or increase within a term of enrolment. Any credit remaining at the completion or discontinuation of the program is refunded to the scholarship (it is not available to the tuition fee scholarship recipient as cash withdrawal).

Tuition fee paying students

Students without a tuition fee scholarship (including those whose previous tuition fee scholarship has expired) will be liable for their tuition fees. See the “What changes a student's fees?” section for reasons that fees may decrease or increase within a term of enrolment. Any credit remaining at the completion or discontinuation of the program is available to the student as cash withdrawal.

Student Services and Amenities Fee

Research students will continue to be liable for the Student Services and Amenities (SSAF), including any adjustments. Refer to the “What changes a student's fees?” section for reasons that fees may decrease or increase within a term of enrolment. Any credit remaining at the completion or discontinuation of the program is available to the student as cash withdrawal.