Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan:The government is unveiling an overhaul of university funding to incentive students into priority areas.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
The cost of humanities and communications courses will more than double,with a year of full-time study costing $14,500,up from $6684 this year. Fees for law and commerce will increase 28 per cent to $14,500 a year,up from $11,155. A full three-year program in these disciplines will cost students about $43,500 as the government slashes its funding contribution.
Teaching,nursing,clinical psychology,English,languages,maths and agriculture courses will cost $3700 a year,down by 46 to 62 per cent. Fees for science,health,architecture,environmental science,IT and engineering will drop 20 per cent,with a year of study costing $7700.
"To deliver cheaper degrees in areas of expected employment growth,students who choose to study more popular degrees will make a higher contribution,"Education Minister Dan Tehan will say in an address to the National Press Club,according to a draft of the speech.
"A cheaper degree in an area where there's a job is a win-win for students ... It's common sense. If Australia needs more educators,more health professionals and more engineers then we should incentivise students to pursue those careers."
In anticipation of a backlash to fee increases,Mr Tehan will declare:"This does not mean fee deregulation. This does not mean $100,000 degrees."
Students facing increased costs for law,commerce and humanities"will still pay less for those degrees in Australia than they would for a similar degree in similar countries,like the USA and the UK,"he will say.
The government predicts 60 per cent of students will see reduced or unchanged fees. No current students'fees will increase as the changes will be grandfathered. Fee reductions will apply to existing students.