STUDENTS attending Charles Sturt University (CSU) will struggle under changes to funding for tertiary education, according to a group which lobbies for regional students.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The government has frozen funding to universities for the next two years, with regional universities expect to be hardest hit.
In addition, Education Minister Simon Birmingham has proposed a reduction in the threshold for HECS repayments, from the current level of $52,000 to $45,000.
The Orange-based Country Education Foundation has the goal of helping students from country areas achieve their goal of attending university and its chief executive officer Wendy Cohen said the proposed changes would leave a lot more students needed assistance.
Regional students had to overcome a participation gap just to attend university, so any changes that resulted in fewer course places and increased costs would make it tougher, Ms Cohen said.
“There was a buzz after the Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education and the government said it was committed to closing the gap but this takes a backwards step,” Ms Cohen said.
“There is no doubt that individual students will struggle more to attend university.
“Regional and remote students have to deal with costs that metro kids don’t face because they often live close to university and can commute.
“Adding additional impediments for kids is just going to widen the gap.”
Ms Cohen said the one good thing was the government’s decision not to abolish the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program.
Second-year CSU journalism students Jay-Anna Mobbs and Alanna Tomazin said they both knew people who had struggled to attend university.
They said a restriction in the number of places, or added financial challenges, would be enough for some people to give up on aspirations of university.
“I have four siblings and a couple of them want to go to uni but I worry it’s going to be harder for them,” Ms Mobb said.
“There are people who I go to uni with who are working two jobs and struggling to make ends meet. And now when they finish, they will have to start repaying their fees earlier.”
Ms Tomazin, 19, had initially planned to study at a university in Sydney but just weeks before the course began, realized she couldn’t afford the expensive living.
“It was the week before O-week [orientation] when I decided to go to Bathurst instead. I just couldn’t afford to live in Sydney,” she said.
“I don’t regret it through. Having universities in the country is great.”