A new funding scheme could help disadvantaged students finish their degrees.

The Federal Government has released a consultation paper on the design of needs-based university funding, intended to allow students from disadvantaged backgrounds, students with a disability and Indigenous Australians get the extra support they need to succeed at university.

The new system is also proposed to direct funding to students studying at regional campuses, due to the higher costs regional universities face to deliver courses.

The Universities Accord recommended a new funding system to replace the current grant-based, fixed funding equity programs that are complex and no longer fit for purpose.

The Government is also undertaking consultation on the design of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) and the new Managed Growth Funding System which are central to setting the tertiary education sector up for the future.

The government says these reforms are central to reaching its target of having 80 per cent of the workforce with a university degree or TAFE qualification by 2050.

The needs-based funding consultation paper is now live and can be found here.

Feedback can be submitted via email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), with the feedback requested by Friday, 9 August 2024.