The new indexation arrangement will be backdated to all HELP, VET Student Loan, Australian Apprenticeship Support and other student support loan accounts operating on June 1 last year.
Labor has promised to review the tertiary education sector if elected next year. There are some major issues, and some examples from abroad they should consider.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister-designate Jacinda Ardern has vowed to take retaliatory action if the Turnbull government changes fee arrangements for New Zealanders studying in Australia.
While the government finally ruled out full fee deregulation in its 2016 budget, it is still contemplating uncapping fees for some degree courses. Here’s what else is being discussed.
Combining a lower repayment scale with a super option would allow for earlier repayment of HELP loans and greater flexibility for graduates to manage living expenses early in their careers.
A new report has called on the government to lower the threshold at which university graduates repay their debt from $54,126 to $42,000. But is this fair on students?
Students rated their financial literacy quite low, which means many students who have managed to secure a place at university don’t believe they understand about debt.
The HECS revolution remains seriously incomplete because it does not extend to many parts of the vocational education and training sector - which still suffers from the scourge, hostility and unfairness of upfront fees.
The cost of the national student loan debt held by the federal government has gathered pace to pop the A$30 billion mark, perpetuating rumours that a debt sale could be on the cards. Should that happen…
Senior Research Fellow in Youth, Research & Policy Centre, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Honorary Fellow in Education Policy, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne