‘Guarantee’: Labor to subsidise university spots for poorer students

Poorer students, including those hailing from regional or remote parts of Australia, will not be held back by disadvantage from studying at university, as Labor moves to introduce subsidies for every disadvantaged student who meets academic entry requirements.The proposed Bill will “guarantee a place at university for everyone from a poor family or from a regional or remote location that has what it takes to take on a bachelor’s degree,” Education Minister Jason Clare told the Universities Australia conference on Wednesday.

“We have done this for Indigenous students. Now we are doing it for all students from poor families and from the bush,” he said.

“If you get the marks, or you’ve got the skills, you will get a spot. You will get a place.”The Australian Tertiary Education Commission – a new independent statutory authority – will provide every university with a capped number of commonwealth-funded places for students next year.

But Mr Clare said this cap would be lifted for disadvantaged students.

“What we are doing here is increasing the number of students at university and providing universities with extra incentive to enrol more students from poorer families and from the bush,” he said.

The second aspect of the legislation will apply “needs-based” funding reform to tertiary intuitions, bringing them in line with the rest of the education sector, where schools receive extra funding depending on their location, socio-economic disadvantage or proportion of students needing support.

Introducing this model was a key recommendation from the 2022-23 Australian Universities Accord, aimed at improve the access and quality of Australian tertiary education.

“It means extra academic and other support services to help students make it through university. It’s demand driven,” Mr Clare said.

“The more students a university has that meet the criteria, the more funding they will receive.

“The more students there are at a regional campus, the more funding that university will receive as well.”

He also outlined his intentions to create a “standard system that makes getting a degree quicker and cheaper” if students already have a TAFE qualification, citing the need for more affordable education.

“At the moment it’s all over the shop,” he said.

Using the example of a student with a TAFE Certificate IV, Mr Clare proposed the change could reduce their teaching degree by six months to a year, depending on which university they attended.

“We need to sort this out, make it easier for students to get the skills and qualifications they want and need without relying on pot luck that they pick the university that offers the best deal,’’ he said.

“If we link this up with free TAFE, it means some students will effectively be able to do the first year of their degree for free.’’