Arts degrees to cost $50,000 until at least 2028 as measures to lower Australian university fees put on hold
Summary
The cost of arts degrees in Australia will stay at about $50,000 until at least 2028 because no quick changes will be made to the Job-ready Graduates (JRG) program. The head of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission, Barney Glover, said he will advise the government after more research next year and warned universities to prepare for stable, but not growing, international student numbers.Key Facts
- The JRG program raised fees for arts and humanities courses while lowering them for science and math.
- This has led to fewer students from lower-income backgrounds enrolling in arts subjects.
- Barney Glover, head of Atec, will not suggest any short-term fee reductions and will advise on changes in the second half of next year.
- The program has been called a failure by Glover and others, with concerns about unfair fees and growing student debt.
- Commonwealth government funding to universities decreased by $1.2 billion in 2024 compared to before the JRG program.
- International student numbers have stopped growing due to government caps, creating financial uncertainty for universities.
- Glover encourages universities to find new income sources and diversify away from relying heavily on one market.
- Some politicians, like Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi, want faster action to reduce or eliminate university fees.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.