Government invests in fee free ‘uni ready’ courses

Freya Lucas

Dec 06, 2024

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The Federal Government will deliver 8,600 FEE-FREE Uni Ready places in 2025 to help more Australians get to university, including those studying early childhood education.

FEE-FREE Uni Ready courses are short courses which help prepare people for university, acting as a bridge between school or work and higher education.

“Today, almost one in two young people in their 20s and their 30s have a university degree. But not everywhere,” Minister for Education Jason Clare said.

“In the years ahead more jobs will require more skills. The Government has set a target that by 2050, 80 per cent of workers will have a TAFE or university qualification. To hit that target we have to break down that invisible barrier that stops a lot of people getting a crack at going to university.”

The Government is investing an additional $53 million next year in 29 universities to fund and expand these courses, bringing the total investment to $158 million for 2025.

The changes will ensure that universities will receive $18,278 per place next year, which will be tied to CPI increases each year. This will provide funding certainty for universities and ensure more of these courses are delivered to students for free.

This is expected to result in 30,000 students studying in FEE-FREE Uni Ready courses each year by 2030, an increase in student numbers of 40 per cent, and doubling the number of students studying these courses by 2040.

As of this week, applications for universities to receive additional FEE-FREE Uni Ready places have opened.

Learn more about the courses here.

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