For those who hold Study and Training Support Loans (STSL), good news came in the form of a new law enacted last month. On 2 August 2025, the Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20 Per Cent) Bill 2025 became law, raising the minimum repayment income for compulsory repayment, moving to a marginal repayment system for income above $67,000, and providing a 20 percent reduction on all STSL loans backdated to 1 June 2025.
The Study and Training Support Loans, also referred to as HECS, HELP or SFSS, are an Australian government initiative to assist Australians in repaying debts related to higher education, vocational training and apprenticeships. The most recent change is an effort by the government to make the student loan repayment system more fair, particularly at a time when many Australians are struggling to make ends meet.
Sybiz Visipay users will need to make a few key changes related to the new law. Before processing pays on or after 24 September 2025, payroll officers will need to modify the Tax Scale of employees who are subject to STSL. Leave the Apply STSL flag checked, as this informs the ATO that the employee’s tax treatment includes STSL. The new tax scales will be published by Sybiz and automatically downloaded by Sybiz Visipay ahead of 24 September. Sybiz has created a handy guide for Visipay users that walks through these steps in a clear fashion.
