Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)

The Student Services and Amenities Fee is intended to provide a significant increase in the level of funding available to student services and amenities at tertiary institutions. In practice, this will mean an increase in the quality and quantity of the services available to students at this University.

Under the legislation, the fee may only be used to fund the following services:

• providing legal services to students
• promoting the health or welfare of students
• helping students obtain employment or advice on careers
• helping students with their financial affairs
• helping students obtain insurance against personal accidents
• supporting the production and dissemination to students of media whose content is provided by students
• helping students develop skills for study, by means other than undertaking courses of study in which they are enrolled
• advising on matters arising under the University's rules (however described)
• advocating students' interests in matters arising under the University's rules (however described)
• giving students information to help them in their orientation
• helping meet the specific needs of overseas students relating to their welfare accommodation and employment
• providing food or drink to students on a campus of the University
• supporting a sporting or other recreational activity by students
• supporting the administration of a club most of whose members are students
• caring for children of students
• helping students secure accommodation
• supporting debating by students
• providing libraries and reading rooms (other than those provided for academic purposes) for students, and
• supporting an artistic activity by students.

Universities can either deliver the services and amenities themselves or contract a third party to deliver the services and amenities on their behalf.

With the move to distance learning, many of the SSAF services have been moved online so that students can continue to access them. 

Additional support services (funded by the SSAF) are also being added on a regular basis. Students are now able to more easily access services, without having to come onto campus. Student News has started to promote these online services and will continue to do so.

SSAF services are probably more crucial to students now than ever before. Students face new and daunting challenges with finances, social isolation, the breakdown of daily routines, widespread uncertainty, new teaching methods and modified workloads, all whilst trying to juggle their studies alongside the backdrop of a rapidly changing world.

The services outlined below aim to support students during this challenging time.

Please visit our SA-HELP page for more information.

Students enrolled in an Academic Program on a full-time or part-time basis will be charged a Student Services and Amenities Fee. The Student Services and Amenities Fee is indexed annually.

• Students enrolled full-time will be charged an annual fee of $365. Full-time enrolment is defined as enrolment in at least 75% (18 units or more) of a normal full-time study load in an Academic Year.
• Students enrolled part-time will be charged an annual fee of $273. Part-time enrolment is defined as enrolment in less than 75% (less than 18 units) of a normal full-time study load in an Academic Year.
• The normal full-time study load for an Academic Year at The University of Adelaide is 24 units of study.

Students enrolled in less than 75% of a normal full-time study load at their first due date (e.g. first term of enrolment in 2025) will be charged a part-time fee of $273. If students are subsequently enrolled in further studies in another term in 2025, increasing the study load to greater than or equal to 75%, a 'top-up fee' of $92 will be charged at the due date for that term of enrolment.

Due dates for 2025 are dependent on each student's individual enrolments in 2025. SSAF is due on the census date of the study period.

The census date is the date the Student Services and Amenities Fee is payable. It is also the last day to submit the electronic Request for SA-HELP assistance form, if eligible. The first due date for 2025 will be the census date of a student's first enrolment in 2025.

If the Request for SA-HELP assistance form is not completed on or before the due date a student will not be eligible for SA-HELP assistance to defer the Student Services and Amenities Fee and payment of the fee must be made in full to the University.

After the payment due date of each term of enrolment no refunds will be processed for SSAF. Further there is no capacity under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 for the provider to remit a SA-HELP debt incurred by a student, therefore any SA-HELP debt at the due date will also remain.

The study load for subsequent enrolled courses through to Term 4 2025 will be accumulated to determine whether a student has reached a total study load of at least 75% of a normal full-time load (18 units or more). When the study load is 75% (18 units) or more, the full-time fee of $365 will be payable. If the study load is less than 75% (17 units or less) the part-time fee of $273.00 will be payable.

For example

Wendy is enrolled in 3 units in Regular Session of Summer School 2025 and 12 units in Semester 1 2025 only. Wendy will be charged a part-time fee of $273 due on 16 January 2025. As the accumulated study load in 2025 is less than 75%, the 'top up fee' is not charged.

Frank is enrolled in 12 units in Semester 1 2025 and 12 units in Semester 2 2025. Frank will be charged a part-time fee of $273 due on 27 March 2025. When the accumulated study load reaches 75% of a full-time study load in Semester 2 2025, the 'top up fee' of $92 will be charged with a due date of 20 August 2025.

John is enrolled in 6 units in Trimester 1 2025, 6 units in Trimester 2 2025 and 6 units in Trimester 3 2025. John will be charged a part-time fee of $273 due on 20 February 2025. When the accumulated study load reaches 75% of a full-time study load in Trimester 3 2025, the 'top up fee' of $92 will be charged with a due date of 24 September 2025.

Key Notes

• The above due dates, time periods and amounts apply to 2025 only.
• Students enrolled in less than 75% of a normal full-time study load at their first term of enrolment will be charged a part-time fee of $273.
• If students subsequently enrol in further studies, increasing the load to 75% (18 units or more) in 2025, a 'top-up fee' of $92 will be charged at the due date for the term of enrolment.

Due dates for 2025 are dependent on each student's individual enrolments in 2025.

Students enrolled in an Academic Program on a full-time or part-time basis will be charged a Student Services and Amenities Fee. The Student Services and Amenities Fee is indexed annually.

• Students enrolled full-time will be charged an annual fee of $351. Full-time enrolment is defined as enrolment in at least 75% (18 units or more) of a normal full-time study load in an Academic Year.
• Students enrolled part-time will be charged an annual fee of $263. Part-time enrolment is defined as enrolment in less than 75% (less than 18 units) of a normal full-time study load in an Academic Year.
• The normal full-time study load for an Academic Year at The University of Adelaide is 24 units of study.

Students enrolled in less than 75% of a normal full-time study load at their first due date (e.g. first term of enrolment in 2024) will be charged a part-time fee of $263. If students are subsequently enrolled in further studies in another term in 2024, increasing the study load to greater than or equal to 75%, a 'top-up fee' of $88 will be charged at the due date for that term of enrolment.

Due dates for 2024 are dependent on each student's individual enrolments in 2024. SSAF is due on the census date of the study period.

The census date is the date the Student Services and Amenities Fee is payable. It is also the last day to submit the electronic Request for SA-HELP assistance form, if eligible. The first due date for 2024 will be the census date of a student's first enrolment in 2024.

If the Request for SA-HELP assistance form is not completed on or before the due date a student will not be eligible for SA-HELP assistance to defer the Student Services and Amenities Fee and payment of the fee must be made in full to the University.

After the payment due date of each term of enrolment no refunds will be processed for SSAF. Further there is no capacity under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 for the provider to remit a SA-HELP debt incurred by a student, therefore any SA-HELP debt at the due date will also remain.

The study load for subsequent enrolled courses through to Term 4 2024 will be accumulated to determine whether a student has reached a total study load of at least 75% of a normal full-time load (18 units or more). When the study load is 75% (18 units) or more, the full-time fee of $351 will be payable. If the study load is less than 75% (17 units or less) the part-time fee of $263.00 will be payable.

For example;

Wendy is enrolled in 3 units in Regular Session of Summer School 2024 and 12 units in Semester 1 2024 only. Wendy will be charged a part-time fee of $263 due on 12 January 2024. As the accumulated study load in 2024 is less than 75%, the 'top up fee' is not charged.

Frank is enrolled in 12 units in Semester 1 2024 and 12 units in Semester 2 2024. Frank will be charged a part-time fee of $263 due on 21 March 2024. When the accumulated study load reaches 75% of a full-time study load in Semester 2 2024, the 'top up fee' of $88 will be charged with a due date of 14 August 2024.

John is enrolled in 6 units in Trimester 1 2024, 6 units in Trimester 2 2024 and 6 units in Trimester 3 2024. John will be charged a part-time fee of $263 due on 15 February 2024. When the accumulated study load reaches 75% of a full-time study load in Trimester 3 2024, the 'top up fee' of $88 will be charged with a due date of 18 September 2024.

Key Notes

• The above due dates, time periods and amounts apply to 2024 only.
• Students enrolled in less than 75% of a normal full-time study load at their first term of enrolment will be charged a part-time fee of $263.
• If students subsequently enrol in further studies, increasing the load to 75% (18 units or more) in 2024, a 'top-up fee' of $88 will be charged at the due date for the term of enrolment.

Due dates for 2024 are dependent on each student's individual enrolments in 2024.

Students enrolled in an Academic Program on a full-time or part-time basis will be charged a Student Services and Amenities Fee.

The following students will not be charged a Student Services and Amenities Fee in 2023:

• International Students who commenced their program of study prior to 2013
• Higher Degree Research students
• Non-award students
• Students enrolled in Vocational Education and Training (VET) Programs
• Students studying cross-institutionally at The University of Adelaide
• Students enrolled in an offshore program
• Students enrolled in a program that is offered exclusively in an online or distance education mode of delivery. In the event students are enrolled in an on-campus program, and any or all of the individual courses are offered and/or studied externally, the SSAF will remain payable
• International Students undertaking an Exchange program at The University of Adelaide.

In allocating the SSAF for 2023, the University has undertaken a two-phase consultation process with students. The first phase involved surveying all students regarding their priorities for allocation of the SSAF.

The second phase involved consultation with democratically elected student representatives as required under the Student Services, Amenities, Representation and Advocacy Guidelines. This consultation was carried out through the SSAF Consultative Committee, which was established in 2011. This committee comprised student representatives from the Adelaide University Union (AUU), Student Representative Council, international and postgraduate student representatives as well as Adelaide University Sport and Fitness (AUSF).

The AUU, AUSF and the University were asked to submit SSAF funding requests on behalf of all groups to the committee. They were asked to take feedback from the student survey into account when forming these submissions.

The Committee then made recommendations to the University on the allocation of SSAF funding for 2023. The allocation of SSAF for 2023 is outlined below. 

• Distribution of SSAF 2023
• Distribution of SSAF 2024

• 2017 SSAF Expenditure
• 2018 SSAF Expenditure
• 2019 SSAF Expenditure
• 2020 SSAF Expenditure
• 2021 SSAF Expenditure
• 2022 SSAF Allocation Report
• 2023 SSAF Allocation Report

2021 SSAF Survey Results

Failure to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) by the due date will result in restrictions to university services including:

• The inability to enrol in courses of study
• Withholding of academic transcripts and/or parchments
• Refusal to graduate.

For further details of the University's approach to debts incurred by students as students, whether currently enrolled or not, please refer to University Student Debt Outcomes.