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Annual update to courses approved for VSL

The list of courses approved for VET Student Loans (VSL) has been updated. These changes to the VET Student Loans (Courses and Loan Caps) Determination 2016 (Determination) have been agreed to by The Hon Andrew Giles MP, Minister for Skills and Training. They are in effect from 1 January 2025 and are being progressively implemented into HITS and eCAF.

The Determination is updated annually to ensure that courses approved for VSL retain currency, and reflect industry and workforce needs. It also ensures that loan caps remain sufficient to provide for the course cost for the majority of full fee-paying students.

Courses added to Schedule 1 of the Determination have met the criteria as either:
•    on at least 2 state and territory subsidy/skills lists
•    a STEM related course
•    required for occupational licensing.

For Schedule 3, courses are added on successful application by listed or not-for-profit providers

This annual update to the Determination:

• adds 15 courses that newly meet VSL eligibility criteria (including 6 courses in Schedule 3) 
• adds 18 courses that are replacement courses for currently approved courses
• removes 78 courses that are non-current - that is, accreditation of the courses has expired on the national register of VET and the teach-out period, allowing existing students to complete their studies, has ended

No current courses have been removed from the Determination.

Details about these changes are be available at VSL 2025 Course List and Loan Caps factsheet published on the department’s website and the VET Student Loans (Courses and Loan Caps) Amendment Determination 2024 on the Federal Register of Legislation website. The consolidated Determination, incorporating these changes, is expected to be available shortly.

We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the updated Determination.

Superseded Courses

This is a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the VSL processes

Providers with VSL students who are studying superseded courses should engage with their students early and often. Students should be supported to complete their course before the end of teach-out or be transferred into the new version of the course.

This guide steps you through how to finalise a VSL student in a superseded course and transfer the student into the new version of the course.

Step 1: Activate the replacement course in HITS

Contact VETStudentLoans@dewr.gov.au and ask for the replacement course to be activated under your HITS profile.

Step 2: Manage the student’s transfer in the eCAF system

1. Trigger a progression form for the student in the eCAF system under the student’s current (superseded) course. This is how the student advises the department that they have transferred to the ‘new’ course. The student should select ‘withdrawn’ as the course status.
   Note: we are currently updating eCAF to introduce a ‘transferred’ status, for these students.
2. Establish a new VSL loan in the eCAF system using the ‘new’ course code. Ensure the new eCAF is established on or before the next census day, and that you accommodate the required 2-day cooling off period for eCAF submissions.

Step 3: Manage the student’s TCSI reporting

If the student has completed their current unit(s) of study under the superseded course:

1. Report the student in TCSI as having withdrawn from the course.
2. Report future units under the ‘new’ course code.

If the student is part way through their unit(s) of study under the superseded course:

1. Withdraw the student from the superseded unit and course.
2. Re-report the ongoing parts of the course under the ‘new’ course code.

Step 4: Issue student’s Statements and Notices

You are required to update and reissue the Statement of Covered Fees, Fee Notices and Commonwealth Assistance Notices for affected parts of the student’s current (superseded course).

You are also required to issue a new Statement of Covered Fees, Fee Notices and Commonwealth Assistance Notices as they apply to the student, under the ‘new’ course.

Please refer to clause 4.5.3 of the VSL Provider Manual for further information or email VETStudentLoans@dewr.gov.au.