The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) is a charge for student services that are of a non-academic nature. SSAF supports a wide range of activities and initiatives, such as orientation, wellbeing, counselling, careers advice, advocacy and recreational activities. The services provided are designed to empower students to engage and optimise their individual education, social and cultural experience, whether on-campus or online.
To ensure the services and activities provided are relevant for our students, UniSQ conducts an annual SSAF survey of all students to identify priorities and partners with the Student Senate regarding the expenditure of future SSAF funds.
The SSAF was introduced to all Australian universities in January 2021, after the Federal Government passed the Student Services Amenities Fee Legislation in 2011. Further information on SSAF, including the services and amenities that are permitted to be funded under Commonwealth legislation can be found at student services and amenities fee.
Student Services and Amenities Fee
All students who are required to pay a student contribution or tuition fee will be charged the Student Amenities fee.
The following students are exempt from paying SSAF:
- Research students on an RTP scholarship
- International Partner students
- Exchange students
- Pathway students (UniSQ Ready and English language)
- Students enrolled in microcredential courses.
The SA fee is charged each Teaching Period based on your enrolment load and is due by the fee due date. Eligible students can defer payment of their SA fee by completing a Request for SA-Help assistance form prior to the census date.
In 2024, the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) will be charged at $43.85 per unit of enrolment up to a maximum annual amount of $351.
The 2025 Student Amenities Fee will be charged at $45.60 per unit of enrolment up to a maximum of eight units.
The fee is the same for on-campus or online students. Services funded via the SSAF fee are generally accessible to all students regardless of study mode.
The maximum annual Student Services and Amenities Fee charge is set by the Department of Education and is indexed each year. Further information on the Student Services and Amenities Fee and SA-HELP is available on the Australian Government's Study Assist website.
The 2023 SSAF budget expenditure has been prepared in consultation with the Student Senate. The areas outlined below were the priority activities identified for 2023.
| 2023 SSAF Spending | $ |
| Health Services | 33,080 |
| Clubs or other associations | 286,686 |
| Employment/career services | 1,173,004 |
| Other student amenities | 186,509 |
| Orientation | 568,787 |
| Advocacy for student interests in matters arising under the higher education provider's rules | 133,200 |
| Advising on matters arising under the higher education provider's rules | 199,075 |
| Helping students develop skills for study | 856,902 |
| Total | $3,437,243 |
Under the Student Services, Amenities, Representation and Advocacy Guidelines the University must consult and provide information to all students enrolled including the democratically elected student representative on the following:
- purpose of the funding
- the amount of anticipated SSAF funding revenue
- mechanisms to establish priorities and the process to provide feedback on the priorities.
The University regularly consults with the Student Senate to promote activities that harness the student voice in relation to the acquisition of information for SSAF and proposed priority funding areas.
| Consultation Timeframes | |
| Priorities and previous year’s SSAF expenditure published on the website | June |
| Annual survey sent to all students to determine priority funding areas for the following year | September |
| Students, including elected representatives, invited via email to review the current year’s priorities and proposed future year allocations | October |
| Feedback on proposed allocations reviewed and recommendations made to the Associate Provost and Provost. | November |
Students are welcome to consult with the Student Senate at any time outside of the above timeframes in relation to SSAF.