Melbourne JD Bursary information

Australian Fee Place with JD Bursary

Since 2014 Melbourne Law School has been pleased to offer a JD Bursary to assist students who are offered an Australian Fee Place greater access to study in the Melbourne JD.

The JD Bursary is available to Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia, and New Zealand citizens who are eligible for an Australian Fee Place. Those eligible will automatically be considered for a JD Bursary. You don’t need to do anything. If you are awarded a JD Bursary you will receive a partial fee remission (discount) from the full course fee.

Australian citizens are eligible for FEE-HELP to help fund fee paying courses, a Government loan scheme which allows most of your course fees to be deferred. The FEE-HELP loan scheme is part of a new combined HELP loan limit from 1 January 2020.

The JD Bursary aims to minimise the gap between a fee place in the JD and the amount that you are able to defer to the combined HELP loan.

Bursaries are awarded based on academic achievement, as well as access and equity grounds under the Graduate Access Melbourne program, or a combination of both.

How it works

It is important that if you receive an offer for an Australian Fee Place with JD Bursary, you know exactly what it means. We advise you to read the information below and FAQs carefully to understand how this might affect you.

In 2023, the JD Bursary will be awarded according to the undergraduate degree you have completed.

The JD Bursary will be awarded as a fee remission (discount) over three years as one of three fixed amounts or ‘bands’. The Bursary band you will be allocated will depend on which of the following bands your undergraduate degree falls into:

  • Band 1 - undergraduate study in areas such as arts, humanities, behavioural science, social studies, education,  foreign languages, visual and performing arts, nursing
  • Band 2 - undergraduate study in areas such as science, computing, built environment, other health, allied health, engineering, surveying, agriculture, mathematics, statistics
  • Band 3 - undergraduate study in areas such as commerce, economics, dentistry, medicine, veterinary science, accounting, administration

The JD Bursary bands are based on the Government’s Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) student contribution bands.

Frequently asked questions for 2023 intake

How much is the JD Bursary?

Students who are offered a bursary, will receive this information at the time of offer.

How is the JD Bursary paid?

The bursary is awarded as a fee remission (not a payment directly to you) and this discount appear on your Fee Statement each year for the three years. The bursary will be applied at the start of the next year of study.

How do I know the JD Bursary has been applied to my fees?

After the bursary has been applied, it will show up on your online Fee Account Statement under the Scholarship/Sponsorship column. The amount will be split equally over the three years and you will see a deduction (usually over a few subjects) in your Fee Account Statement.

Who decides my JD Bursary band?

The JD Selection Committee allocates your bursary band based on your undergraduate degree (not on the subjects studied within that degree). The amounts for each band are based on the Government’s CSP student contribution bands.

Can I change my JD Bursary band?

No, the decision made by the JD Selection Committee is final.

If I’m awarded the JD Bursary am I still eligible if I’m not deferring my fees to HELP?

Yes.

Where can I check my combined HELP balance?

See information about how to check your combined HELP balance and indicative course fees for the JD.

The amount you can defer each year to HELP is also indexed which increases the amount you can borrow (see next FAQ).

You will need to check this information carefully throughout your studies so that you understand your fee liability and how much you may be deferring.

Further details regarding University of Melbourne fees.

Does the amount I can defer to HELP increase each year?

Yes, each year the amount you can defer to HELP is indexed (increased) in line with changes in the cost of living. Further information on indexation.

What if I am studying part time and will take longer than three years to complete my JD course?

The full amount of the bursary will be applied during the first three years of your JD.

Have more questions?

If you have a question, contact Stop 1. You can submit an enquiry, chat online or give us a call.