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What a teaching degree costs in 2026: HECS-HELP, hidden costs and the money that offsets them

A teaching degree costs about $4,738 a year in HECS-HELP in 2026, around $19,000 for a 4-year degree. Hidden costs, repayments and what offsets them.

✓ Fact-checked against official sources Updated 16 October 2026 6 min read
On this page (7 sections)
  1. The 2026 tuition cost of a teaching degree
  2. The costs that aren't on your fee statement
  3. Money that offsets the cost
  4. Repaying your HECS-HELP on a teacher's salary
  5. Ways to pay less HECS
  6. Is a teaching degree good value?
  7. FAQs

The short answer

Education is in the lowest HECS band: about $4,738 per full-time year in 2026. A 4-year Bachelor of Education comes to roughly $19,000, a 2-year Master of Teaching roughly $9,500. Nothing is paid upfront. Repayments start above $69,528 in 2026-27, about $3,503 a year on a NSW graduate's $92,882.

  • The student contribution is indexed each year, so later years cost a little more.
  • Placement weeks cost you lost wages; the Prac Payment ($338.60 a week) offsets some of that.
  • A Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship (up to $40,000) can exceed your entire HECS debt.
  • Full-fee postgraduate places cost far more. Make sure you have a CSP.

The 2026 tuition cost of a teaching degree

If you're a domestic student in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP), the government pays most of your tuition and you pay a student contribution. The amount depends on the band your units fall into, not on the university. Education units are in the lowest band. For 2026 that's about $4,738 per EFTSL (one equivalent full-time student load, roughly one full-time year). Universities can't charge more than the maximum, so check your university's 2026 fee schedule for the exact figure.

Estimated student contribution for a teaching degree at 2026 rates
DegreeFull-time lengthLoadEstimated HECS-HELP at 2026 rate
Bachelor of Education4 years4.0 EFTSLAbout $18,952
Master of Teaching2 years2.0 EFTSLAbout $9,476
Accelerated Master of TeachingShorter than 2 yearsUsually the same total load, studied fasterUsually about $9,476
Double degree (e.g. BSc/BEd)4 to 5 years4.0 to 5.0 EFTSLHigher: non-education units are charged at their own band

Calculated as load x $4,738. The student contribution is indexed each year, and debt is indexed each 1 June (2.8% in 2026), so your final debt will be a little higher.

The costs that aren't on your fee statement

Other costs of becoming a teacher (2026)
CostAmountWhen
LANTITE (both components)$196 ($98 per component per attempt)Before graduating
Working with children check (NSW, paid worker)$112, valid 5 yearsBefore placements
Initial registration (Victoria)$175.60 (Victorian qualification), plus $77.40 criminal history checkOn graduating
Initial registration (WA)$140 (provisional, Australian/NZ qualification)On graduating
Annual registration$95 (WA) to $137 (SA)Every year
Lost income during placementYour usual weekly earnings x 12 to 16 weeksPlacement blocks
Travel to placement schoolsVaries; rural placements can be far from homePlacement blocks

For most students, lost income during placement is the biggest hidden cost. Placements are full-time, follow school hours, and the school doesn't pay you. That's the gap the Commonwealth Prac Payment is designed to narrow.

Money that offsets the cost

Worked example

Bachelor of Education student who gets a Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship

Estimated HECS-HELP (4.0 EFTSL x $4,738)
$18,952
LANTITE, WWCC, first registration (NSW)
About $308 ($196 + $112; NESA has no separate initial fee)
Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship (4 years)
+ $40,000
Prac Payment on 16 weeks of placement (if eligible)
+ $5,417.60
Support minus HECS and upfront fees About $26,158 ahead

The scholarship isn't paid against your HECS debt; it's paid to you while you study. You could choose to make a voluntary HELP repayment with it. The scholarship requires 4 years of teaching in government schools or early learning afterwards.

Main payments for teaching students
PaymentAmountConditions
Commonwealth Prac Payment$338.60 a week of placement (2026)Means-tested; CSP only; apply through your university
Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship$10,000 a year, up to $40,000 (UG) or $20,000 (PG), + $2,000 remote placementFull-time; teach in government schools for as long as the degree
NSW Teacher Education ScholarshipUp to $7,500 a year + $6,000 appointment allowanceShortage subjects; NSW public school job
NSW teach.Rural ScholarshipUp to $50,000 course fees + $7,500 a year + $6,000 + up to $5,000 rural practicumRural or remote NSW public school job; credit average for fee payments
VIC Teach the Future Fellowship$10,000STEM, EAL or special education undergraduate secondary or specialist degree
VIC Pre-service Teacher Placement Grants$100 to $200 per placement dayPlacements at eligible regional, remote or specialist government schools in 2026

Repaying your HECS-HELP on a teacher's salary

HECS-HELP is repaid through the tax system. From 2025-26 repayments are marginal: you only repay on income above the threshold. For 2026-27, there's nothing to pay up to $69,528, then 15 cents for each dollar up to $129,717. Your employer withholds it from each pay once you tell them you have a debt.

HECS-HELP repayments on common teacher salaries, 2026-27
SalaryWhere it appliesYearly HELP repaymentTake-home with HELP
$79,589VIC graduate (current rate)$1,509$62,091
$90,164QLD graduate (Band 2 Step 1)$3,095$67,696
$92,882NSW graduate (Step 1)$3,503$69,137
$99,889NSW Step 2$4,554$72,850
$104,156NSW Step 3 (Proficient)$5,194$75,112

From our 2026-27 tax engine: income tax after LITO, Medicare levy and marginal HELP repayment. Repayment income can include reportable fringe benefits and salary-sacrificed super.

On those numbers, a NSW graduate repays about $3,503 in year 1, $4,554 in year 2 and $5,194 in year 3. A Bachelor of Education debt of about $19,000 is typically cleared in around 4 to 5 years of full-time teaching, a little longer with indexation and part-time work. A Master of Teaching debt clears in about 2 to 3 years.

Free calculator

Teacher HECS-HELP calculator

Enter your debt and salary to see your repayment each fortnight and the year your debt clears, including step progression.

Work out my payoff date

Ways to pay less HECS

  • The 20% cut is already done. HELP balances as at 1 June 2025 were cut by 20% under the Universities Accord legislation (assented 2 August 2025). The ATO applied it from November 2025. You don't need to apply.
  • Indexation is now the lower of CPI and WPI. It was 2.8% on 1 June 2026. To beat indexation with a voluntary repayment, pay before late May.
  • Very remote teaching. Teachers who complete 4 years full-time (or pro rata part-time) within 6 years in a Very Remote area school or early learning service can have HELP debt reduced. See HECS debt relief for remote teachers.
  • Scholarships paid in cash can fund a voluntary repayment, though keeping the money for placement weeks is often the better use.
  • Avoid full-fee places. Check you have a CSP before enrolling in a Master of Teaching.

Is a teaching degree good value?

On the numbers, yes. The debt is among the lowest of any professional degree, graduate salaries in government schools are about $80,000 (VIC, current rate) to $96,000 (NT), and pay rises quickly in the early steps: NSW goes from $92,882 to $133,422 in about 6 years. Add employer super of 12% on top. The real costs are time, placement income and the risk of not finishing. Plan for the placement weeks and apply for every payment you're eligible for. See which state pays teachers the most to compare where your degree earns most.

Frequently asked questions

How much is HECS for a teaching degree in 2026?
About $4,738 per full-time year for education units in a Commonwealth supported place. That's the lowest student contribution band. A 4-year Bachelor of Education is roughly $19,000 at 2026 rates.
How much does a Master of Teaching cost?
In a Commonwealth supported place, about $9,500 for 2 full-time years at 2026 rates. A full-fee place costs much more, so check you have a CSP.
When do I start repaying HECS as a teacher?
When your repayment income passes $69,528 in 2026-27. Every graduate teacher salary in government schools is above that, so repayments start in your first year of full-time teaching.
How much HECS will I repay on a graduate teacher salary?
About $3,503 a year on NSW's $92,882 graduate salary in 2026-27, or $3,095 on Queensland's $90,164. Repayments are 15 cents for each dollar above $69,528.
Is education still in the cheapest HECS band?
Yes. Education units are in the lowest student contribution band for Commonwealth supported places in 2026.
Can a teaching scholarship pay off my HECS?
Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships are paid to you, not to your debt, but $10,000 a year is more than a full year of education HECS. You can use it to make voluntary repayments if you choose.
Do remote teachers get HECS forgiven?
Teachers in Very Remote areas can have HELP debt reduced after 4 years of full-time teaching within 6 years. The reduction is the lesser of your teaching degree debt and your debt when you started eligible teaching.

Sources we checked · last verified 2026-10-16

  1. 1.ATO: Study and training support loans repayment thresholds
  2. 2.StudyAssist: Indexation 2026
  3. 3.Department of Education: 20% HELP debt cut
  4. 4.Department of Education: Commonwealth Prac Payment
  5. 5.Department of Education: Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships guidelines
  6. 6.Department of Education: HELP debt reduction for very remote teachers
  7. 7.ACER: LANTITE fees
  8. 8.Teach.NSW: teach.Rural Scholarship

About this page

Written and fact-checked by the TeacherPay AU editorial team against the enterprise agreements, awards and official pages listed in the sources. It is general information, not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it, usually within a day. See our editorial policy and how we calculate.

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