The reforms aim to make university more accessible by creating additional student places and providing extra support for those who may face barriers to study, including students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, First Nations students, and students studying at regional campuses.
A key part of the reforms is the introduction of Managed Growth Funding, which will enable universities to offer more places, along with Needs-based Funding to help students succeed once they enrol.
The Australian Government will set the total number of Commonwealth supported places and the Australian Tertiary Education Commissioner (ATEC) will allocate those places to universities.
ATEC will also have the power to allocate additional places where it thinks they are needed to meet the demand from students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and regional and remote communities.
An additional $3.6 billion in funding has been allocated to the reforms which are expected to support an extra 230,000 students to enrol in university over the next decade.
Minister for Education, the Hon Jason Clare MP said:
"The Universities Accord set a target that by 2050, 80 per cent of the workforce will have a TAFE qualification or a university degree.
"The only way to do that is if we break down the barriers that stop so many young people from getting to university.
"Talent is everywhere. It's opportunity that's not."
The changes recognise that talent and potential exist in every community. By expanding access to higher education and providing targeted support where it is needed most, more Australians will have the chance to gain qualifications, build rewarding careers and contribute to the nation's future workforce.
For students considering university, the reforms represent a significant step towards making higher education more accessible, inclusive and achievable, regardless of where they live or their background.
