Housing and Employment HEP program - Supporting students to stay in their private rental home while they study
Managing study while working or receiving Centrelink payments can be difficult. We understand that earning enough to live and pay bills such as rent, often on a part-time or casual wage can sometimes feel impossible.
The Queensland Government’s Housing and Employment Program (HEP program) provides rental subsidies to those who are studying with the goal of improving their employment prospects. If you are struggling to cover your rental costs while studying, you may be eligible to receive HEP support.
If you are considering studying but rental costs are holding you back, we may be able to guide you into a training course that helps you achieve your employment goals while also providing access to HEP rental subsidies.
What will I receive?
- Support with rental payments
- Support to move you into a less expensive private rental if required
- Assistance to transition to a private rental if required.
Accessing Housing and Employment HEP program
Eligibility for Housing and Employment Program (HEP) program funding
To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be an Australian citizen
- Be a permanent resident, or hold a temporary protection visa
- Be a Queensland resident
- Meet social housing income eligibility requirements
- Demonstrate a willingness and capacity to engage in an Eligible Training Course, particularly those noted as government priority certificate IV, diploma or advanced diploma qualifications
- Have an assessed housing need, based on the Social Housing Needs Assessment.
If you think you might be eligible, you can contact us directly or be referred to us by your school, university, TAFE, RentConnect consultant or another community or government organisation.
Contact usTell us about you
You can meet with a MAX consultant at one of our offices or at your place of study. We will get to know you, along with your current study, work and rental situation before conducting a more official assessment of your income, study status and tenancy arrangements.
This enables us to confirm whether you are eligible to receive HEP funding and what level of assistance you can receive. We will also help you understand your commitments as part of the HEP.
We will talk through the housing options available to you. If you are not already studying, we can help you to identify sustainable study and employment goals and help you to find and enrol in a course that helps you to achieve your employment goals.
Apply for HEP funding
Once we have confirmed that you are eligible to receive HEP funding and what level of assistance you can receive, our team will facilitate your application to the HEP and finalise the process with you.
Support may include assisting social housing tenants to transition into a private rental, linking you with real estate agencies and, if appropriate, assistance to relocate more affordable or appropriate private rental accommodation. You may also be provided with some financial assistance to establish or stabilise your tenancy.
We will also help you understand your commitments while receiving HEP support.
Complete your course
After you have started your course, we can continue to provide support as you work to complete your qualification. We will walk alongside you to help you achieve your goals.
If you are struggling to meet the requirements of your course, we can provide support to address any challenges that you may be facing. This might be in the form of advice or information, or referrals to other support agencies that can best help you overcome these challenges.
Supporting you into work
Following the completion of your study, we can provide access to pre-employment and job search support for up to three months. As you look to transition into employment or further studies, we will help you to transition in a way to allows you to continue to maintain stability in your rental home.
Ultimately, we aim to help you land the job you want and fulfil your employment goals.
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