Charles Sturt University (CSU), in consultation with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is making Goods and Services Tax (GST) refunds available to over 67 500 students.

 

The refunds are for the GST charged on the Student Facilities Service Fees (SFSF) paid by students who attended CSU between December 2000 and December 2005.  The total amount due to be refunded is around $1.3 million. 

 

When the GST commenced in July 2000, CSU and all other public universities charged GST on amenities and services fees such as the SFSF.  In the following years, rulings from the Australian Tax Office (ATO) clarified that in certain situations fees such as this could be considered free of GST as fee is required for an education course. 

 

CSU assessed its position under the prevailing taxation rulings and in January 2006 stopped charging GST on the SFSF. The University subsequently applied to the Australian Tax Office and received GST remitted on SFSF fees for earlier years.   CSU is now returning these funds to its students.

 

For students entitled to refunds the average refund is about $20, although individual refunds range from a few dollars up to $130. Refunds will be net of any debts still owing to the University.

 

Current students entitled to refunds will have the refund amount credited automatically to their student account. Former students will be able to organise their refund by visiting the CSU website www.csu.edu.au and following the instructions provided.