Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Guidelines 2022
Part 8Grants to promote equality of opportunity in higher education, and to assure and enhance the quality of Australia’s higher education sector—Higher Education Continuity Guarantee
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This instrument is the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Guidelines 2022.
3 Authority
This instrument is made under section 238‑10 of the Act.
4 Definitions
Note: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in Schedule 1 of the Act, including the following:
(a) ABS Remoteness Structure;
(b) Australian Qualifications Framework;
(c) Australian university;
(d) course of study;
(e) domestic student;
(f) enabling course;
(g) EFTSL;
(h) higher education provider;
(i) Table A provider; and
(j) unit of study.
In this instrument:
Act means the Higher Education Support Act 2003.
Australian Bureau of Statistics means the Bureau established in section 5 of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975.
ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Areas means the document created by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as in force at the commencement of the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Suburban University Study Hubs) Guidelines 2024.
Note: The ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Areas document as in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Suburban University Study Hubs) Guidelines 2024 commenced can be viewed on the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ website at ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Areas.
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage means the document created by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as in force at the commencement of the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Suburban University Study Hubs) Guidelines 2024.
Note: The ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage and Disadvantage document as in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Suburban University Study Hubs) Guidelines 2024 commenced can be viewed on the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ website at ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas.
Accreditation Standards and Procedures means the Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures developed by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (as that document was in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Strong Beginnings Fund) Guidelines 2024 were made).
Part Part 8 - Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Guidelines 2022 - Grants to promote equality of opportunity in higher education, and to assure and enhance the quality of Australia’s higher education sector—Higher Education Continuity Guarantee | Zoe
campus means the physical location at which a provider delivers a unit of study and, for online or distance education courses of study or where studies require attendance at external locations (such as a health centre, teaching hospital or agricultural farm), the campus is the location from which the course is administered.
CAST means the nonprofit education, research and development organisation that created Universal Design for Learning and the UDL Guidelines 3.0 whose website can be found at https://www.cast.org/.
Commonwealth assisted student means a person undertaking tertiary education and receiving any of the following kinds of assistance from the Commonwealth:
(a) assistance under Chapter 3 of the Act;
(b) a VET student loan;
(c) a payment or loan (however described) under any of the following Acts, for which the person qualifies because he or she is undertaking study:
(i) Social Security Act 1991;
(ii) Student Assistance Act 1973;
(iii) Trade Support Loans Act 2014;
(d) a payment under the ABSTUDY Scheme (within the meaning of the Student Assistance Act 1973).
Commonwealth supported student load means the EFTSL of students in Commonwealth supported places.
Core content means the core content listed in Schedule 2 of Addendum: Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures developed by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (as that document was in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Strong Beginnings Fund) Guidelines 2024 were made).
Department means the Department of State responsible for administering the Act and a reference in this instrument to the Department doing something is a reference to the Secretary or an APS employee who is a delegate of the Secretary under subsection 238‑1(1) of the Act.
eligible midwifery (clinical placement) prac student has the meaning given by subsection 84(2).
eligible midwifery (continuity of care) prac student has the meaning given by subsection 84(2).
eligible nursing prac student has the meaning given by subsection 84(2).
eligible prac student has the meaning given by subsection 84(1).
eligible prac unit has the meaning given by subsection 81(2).
eligible social work prac student has the meaning given by subsection 84(2).
eligible teaching (bachelor) prac student has the meaning given by subsection 84(2).
eligible teaching (master’s) prac student has the meaning given by subsection 84(2).
Equity policy, practice and programs means strategies, initiatives and interventions to support the needs of students from under-represented backgrounds.
Equity student outcomes means educational outcomes (including transition to employment) for students from under-represented backgrounds.
exceptional circumstances student has the meaning given by subsection 84(2).
external when used in context as of a way of attending education, means a mode of attendance for a unit of study in circumstances where the provider delivers the course materials to the student and the student is not required to attend classes on campus on a regular basis.
FEE-HELP loan fee is the difference between a student’s FEE HELP debt and FEE-HELP loan, if any, as referred to in subsection 137-10(2) of the Act.
HESDC means Higher Education Student Data Collection.
Initial Teacher Education Quality Assurance Oversight Board means the expert advisory body appointed by the Minister to oversee a systematic approach to assessing and improving the quality, consistency and outcomes of ITE programs.
internal when used in context as of a way of attending education, means a mode of attendance for a unit of study in circumstances where the student must attend classes at the provider’s facilities on a regular basis.
ITE means initial teacher education.
ITE course means an accredited course of study in ITE that is recognised by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership under the Accreditation Standards and Procedures.
low socioeconomic background means:
(a) in relation to Part 4A – a person whose residential address is in the lowest quartile of population aged 15-64 at the time the person enrols in their higher education course, by Statistical Area 1, as referred to in the document published by the Australian Statistician as Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) (as that document was in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Needs-Based Funding Program) Guidelines 2025 was made);
(b) in relation to every other reference in the instrument – a person whose residential address is in the lowest quartile, by Statistical Area 1, as referred to in the document published by the Australian Statistician as Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) (as that document was in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Guidelines 2022 was made).
Note 1: The SEIFA as in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Needs-Based Funding Program) Guidelines 2025 was made can be viewed on the ABS’ website at: https://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/seifa.
multi-modal means a mode of attendance for a unit of study that is undertaken partially in an internal mode of attendance and partially in an external mode.
outreach when used in context of higher education, refers to a range of programs and activities delivered by a higher education provider or other organisation that is designed to build or enable an individual’s aspiration to attend higher education.
provider means a higher education provider.
STEM means science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
STEM Fields of Education means a field of education referred to in the document published in 2001 by the Australian Statistician titled Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED) starting with 01 (natural and physical sciences), 02 (information technology), 03 (engineering and related technologies), or 05 (agriculture, environmental and related studies).
student prac payments amount has the meaning given by subsection 83(2).
study period means a period of study during which a unit of study is offered.
Note: Examples of study periods include semesters, trimesters, blocks, intensives and sessions.
study period week means a week within a study period but does not include a week where a student is participating in a mandatory placement.
Teacher Regulatory Authority means any one of the following State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authorities that is responsible for the registration of qualified teachers and for accrediting ITE courses under the Accreditation Standards and Procedures:
(i) Australian Capital Territory Teacher Quality Institute;
(ii) New South Wales Education Standards Authority;
(iii) Queensland College of Teachers;
(iv) Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory;
(v) Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia;
(vi) Teachers Registration Board of South Australia;
(vii) Teachers Registration Board of Tasmania; and
(viii) Victorian Institute of Teaching.
Tertiary Collection of Student Information (or TCSI) system means the data reporting system of that name maintained by the Department.
Universal Design for Learning means the educational framework developed by CAST to guide learning goals, material, methods and assessments based on learner diversity, supported by the UDL Guidelines.
UDL Guidelines 3.0 means the tool used in the implementation of the Universal Design for Learning framework developed by CAST, which offers concrete suggestions to support educators and facilitators to apply the UDL framework, as in force at the commencement of the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Disability Support Programs) Guidelines 2025.
Note: The UDL Guidelines as in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Disability Support Programs) Guidelines 2025 commenced can be viewed on the CAST website at https://udlguidelines.cast.org/more/downloads/.
weekly Austudy rate for a year means half of the maximum basic rate of Austudy payment specified in item 1 of Table BA in subsection 1067L-B2(1) of the Social Security Act 1991 that applies on 1 January of that year.
Note: Under the Social Security Act 1991, the maximum basic rate of Austudy payment is indexed on 1 January every year.
5 Schedules
Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.
6 General outline
Section 238-10 of the Act states that the Minister may, by legislative instrument, make Other Grant Guidelines which provide for matters required or permitted by Part 2-3 of the Act, which deals with other grants.Section 41-5 of the Act says that the provisions of Part 2-3 indicate when a particular matter is or may be dealt with in these guidelines, as summarised below.Section 41-10 of the Act contains a table which states the purposes for which other grants made under Part 2-3 of the Act may be made and says that the Other Grant Guidelines may:(a) specify certain bodies corporate that are eligible for grants in relation to particular purposes set out in the table in that section;(b) specify national institutes for the purposes of item 4 in the table in that section; and(c) specify extra conditions of eligibility to receive a grant under a program that is also specified in these Guidelines.Subsection 41-15(1) of the Act states that Other Grants Guidelines may specify one or more programs under which grants for particular purposes specified in the table in subsection 41‑10(1) are to be paid.Subsection 41-15(2) of the Act says that, if the Other Grants Guidelines specify a program for a grant for a particular purpose, the guidelines may also specify all or any of the following matters for the program:(a) the program’s objectives;(b) the extra conditions of eligibility to receive a grant under the program;(c) the amount, being a part of the amount referred to in section 41‑45 for a year, that will be spent on the program in that particular year;(d) the indexation of that amount for subsequent years, using the method of indexation set out in Part 5‑6 of the Act;(e) the method by which the amount of grants under the program will be determined;(f) whether grants under a program are in respect of a year or a project;(g) the conditions that apply to grants under the program.Subsection 41-25(1) of the Act states that, if a grant is made under a program and the Other Grants Guidelines specify conditions that apply to a grant under that program, the grant is made on the conditions provided for in the guidelines (however the Minister may also determine other conditions).Section 41-30 of the Act states that the Other Grant Guidelines may also specify a method by which the amount of grants under a program are to be determined.
Part 1A—Application, saving and transitional provisions
6A Saved effect of conditions
Despite the repeal of the Other Grants Guidelines (Education) 2012, conditions specified under that instrument as in force immediately prior to the repeal (including in relation to the Higher Education Relief Package) are to be taken to remain in force in respect of a grant made to a higher education provider or other body corporate made prior to that repeal.
6B Application of amendments made by the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Higher Education Continuity Guarantee) Guidelines 2023
The amendments made by the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Higher Education Continuity Guarantee) Guidelines 2023 apply in relation to grants made under the Higher Education Continuity Guarantee program for the 2023 grant year.
6C Saved effect of conditions on grants under the Enabling Loading Program
For the absence of doubt, a condition imposed by the Minister under paragraph 41-25(1)(c) of the Act in relation to a grant under Division 5 of Part 2 of this instrument that was in force immediately before that Division was repealed by the Higher Education Support Amendment (FEE-FREE Uni Ready Courses) Guidelines 2024 remains in force in relation to the grant after that repeal in accordance with its terms.
Part 2—Programs that promote equality of opportunity in higher education—Indigenous, Regional and Low Socio-Economic Status Attainment Fund (IRLSAF)
7 Outline of this Part
Item 1 of the table in section 41-10 of the Act states that other grants may be made for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.Each Division of this Part specifies separate programs for this purpose.Each program provides grants to Table A providers, to encourage the enrolment of Indigenous persons, people from a regional area or a remote area, and people from a low socioeconomic background.
Division 1—Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP)
8 Program objectives
(1) The Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program is specified for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
(2) The objective of the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program is to promote equality of opportunity in higher education by improving:
(a) outreach initiatives to widen and enable higher education aspiration and promote higher education to persons from a low socioeconomic background, persons from regional areas and remote areas, and Indigenous persons; and
(b) the extent to which persons from a low socioeconomic background, persons from regional areas and remote areas, and Indigenous persons access, participate, remain and succeed in higher education, and obtain higher education awards.
9 Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
There are no specified bodies corporate or extra conditions of eligibility for the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program.
Note: Under section 41-10 of the Act, Table A providers are eligible for grants made for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
10 Grants to be made in respect of a year
(1) Grants under this program are in respect of a year.
(2) The amount, being a part of the amount referred to in section 41‑45 of the Act, that will be spent on the program in 2022 is $140,146,842.
Note 1: See section 11 for indexation that applies for future years (2023 onwards).
Note 2: Under section 41-20 of the Act, grants are subject to approval by the Minister.
11 Indexation
The amount listed in subsection 10(2) is to be indexed for subsequent years using the method of indexation set out in Part 5-6 of the Act.
Note 1: Part 5-6 of the Act contains an indexation method that adjusts certain amounts against the Consumer Price Index.
Note 2: Unspent grant amounts in a year are also subject to the rollover of grant amount rules in section 41-40 of the Act.
12 Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined for a provider
(1) Grants will be made to eligible higher education providers each year based on the provider’s percentage share of total students of all providers who are domestic undergraduate students from a low socioeconomic background, students from regional areas and remote areas and Indigenous students, using the applicable formula for a year as set out in subsection (2).
(2) Grant amounts for a provider for a year are to be calculated by applying the following formulas as applicable to the year (ignoring any amount rolled over because of section 41-40 of the Act):
Formulas to work out how the amount of grants under the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program are determined for a provider for 2022, 2023 and 2024 and later years
Where:
A is the total amount available for the year under the program, as set out in subsection 10(2);
B is the total number of domestic undergraduate students from low socioeconomic backgrounds enrolled at the relevant higher education provider, as reflected by the most recent data reported by the provider through the Tertiary Collection of Student Information (TCSI) system;
C is the total number of domestic undergraduate students from low socioeconomic backgrounds enrolled at all Table A providers, as reflected by the most recent data reported by those providers through the TCSI system;
D is the total number of domestic undergraduate students with a permanent residential address in a regional area or a remote area at the time the person first enrols in a course of study with the relevant provider, as reflected by the most recent data reported about this matter through the TCSI system;
E is the total number of domestic undergraduate students at all Table A providers that have a permanent residential address in a regional area or a remote area at the time the person first enrols in a course of study with their provider, as reflected by the most recent data reported by those providers through the TCSI system;
F is the total number of domestic undergraduate Indigenous persons enrolled at the relevant higher education provider, as reflected by the most recent data reported by the provider through the TCSI system;
G is the total number of domestic undergraduate Indigenous persons enrolled at all Table A providers, as reflected by the most recent data reported by those providers through the TCSI system.
(3) In subsection (2) a reference to most recent data means the data for a full year reported through the TCSI system as at the last quarter of the year prior to the year to which the grant relates.
13 Conditions that apply to grants
(1) For the purposes of section 41-25 of the Act, conditions that apply to grants under the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program are set out in this section.
(2) Grants under the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program may only be spent on activities that:
(a) benefit current and prospective domestic undergraduate students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, students from regional areas and remote areas and Indigenous students; and
(b) address the specific disadvantages faced by the provider’s students, and prospective students, from low socioeconomic backgrounds, regional areas and remote areas, and Indigenous populations.
(3) To avoid doubt, grants under the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program may not be spent on:
(a) infrastructure, including maintenance and construction of buildings, fixtures, roads and pathways; and
(b) facilities, services or transport vehicles that are not principally for the use or benefit of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, regional and remote areas, or Indigenous students.
(4) A provider in receipt of a grant must submit reports and financial acquittals to the Department at least annually in the form specified by the Department.
Note: The Minister has the power under section 41-25 of the Act to impose conditions in relation to reporting and, without limitation, may require reports that deal with:
Note: strategies and policies which support students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, students from regional and remote areas and Indigenous students;
Note: activities planned and undertaken with grant funding;
Note: evaluation of activities undertaken;
Note: acquittal of expenditure.
Division 2—National Priorities Pool Program
14 Program objectives
(1) The National Priorities Pool Program is specified for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
(2) The objective of the National Priorities Pool Program is to provide grants to higher education providers and specified bodies corporate to conduct research projects and trial initiatives designed to:
(a) inform future equity policy development and equity practice nationally and at an institutional level;
(b) help increase the number of persons from a low socioeconomic background, persons from regional areas and remote areas, and Indigenous persons who aspire to, access, participate in, remain in, and succeed in higher education;
(c) help increase the number of persons from a low socioeconomic background, persons from regional areas and remote areas, and Indigenous persons who obtain higher education awards; and
(d) address barriers to education including through embedding inclusive education, universal design for teaching and learning and improved cultural safety.
15 Specified bodies corporate
The Australian Human Rights Commission is specified as eligible to receive a grant under the National Priorities Pool Program.
Note: Under section 41-10 of the Act, Table A providers are eligible for grants made for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
16 Grants to be made in respect of projects
Grants under the National Priorities Pool Program are made in respect of projects.
Note 1: Under section 41-20 of the Act, grants are subject to approval by the Minister.
Note 2: Under section 41-30 of the Act, the amount of a grant is either determined by a method specified in the Other Grants Guidelines or the amount determined in writing by the Minister.
17 Conditions that apply to grants
(1) For the purposes of section 41-25 of the Act, conditions that apply to grants under the National Priorities Pool Program are set out in this section.
(2) Grants under the National Priorities Pool Program may only be spent on projects for the following purposes:
(a) conducting research that builds the evidence base that informs equity policy and practice; and
(b) conducting trials of innovative approaches to equity policy and practice;
(c) more effective and efficient implementation of equity policy and programs;
(d) responses to emerging priorities that will maximise equity student outcomes.
Note: The Minister may impose other conditions that apply to grants under paragraph 41‑25(1)(c) of the Act.
Division 3—Regional Partnerships Project Pool Program
18 Program objectives
(1) The Regional Partnerships Project Pool Program is specified for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
(2) The objective of the Regional Partnerships Project Pool Program is to provide grants to higher education providers to:
(a) assist Table A providers and Regional University Study Hubs to link with other providers, including non-university higher education providers, schools, vocational education and training providers and community organisations to develop and implement innovative and practical outreach initiatives in regional and remote areas;
(b) support collaboration between Table A providers and Regional University Study Hubs to ensure a coordinated approach to identifying and engaging with stakeholders (including those referred to in paragraph (a));
(c) direct resources to target regional areas and remote areas where there are barriers to aspiration and preparedness for higher education and where transition to higher education is constrained; and
(d) facilitate research and collaboration in the higher education sector and support an ongoing nationally coherent response to issues and barriers faced by students from regional areas and remote areas.
19 Specified bodies corporate
Bodies corporate in receipt of a grant under the Regional University Study Hubs Program referred to in Part 9 of these Guidelines are also specified as eligible to receive a grant under the Regional Partnerships Project Pool Program.
Note: Under section 41-10 of the Act, Table A providers are also eligible for grants made for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
20 Grants to be made in respect of projects
(1) Grants under the Regional Partnerships Project Pool Program are made in respect of projects.
(2) The amount, being a part of the amount referred to in section 41-45 of the Act, that will be spent on the program for 2023 is $4,631,462.
(3) The amount, being a part of the amount referred to in section 41‑45 of the Act, that will be spent on the program for 2024 is $1,784,000 multiplied by the indexation factor (within the meaning of subsection 198-15(1) of the Act) for 2024.
Note: Under section 41-20 of the Act, grants are subject to approval by the Minister.
22 Conditions that apply to grants
The Minister may impose conditions that apply to grants under this program under paragraph 41‑25(1)(c) of the Act.
Division 4—Regional Loading Program
23 Program objectives
(1) The Regional Loading Program is specified for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
(2) The objective of the Regional Loading Program is to promote equality of opportunity in higher education by providing additional funding to eligible higher education providers to assist those providers to offset higher operating costs of regional campuses in comparison with major city campuses.
24 Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
(1) There are no specified bodies corporate for the Regional Loading Program.
Note: Under section 41-10 of the Act, Table A providers are eligible for grants made for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
(2) A higher education provider will be eligible for grant under the Regional Loading Program in relation to a particular campus of the provider if the average student load for the campus is a minimum of 50 internal and multi-modal Commonwealth supported students, expressed as EFTSL.
(3) For the purpose of subsection (2) and section 27 Commonwealth supported student load at Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education is counted towards Charles Darwin University’s average student load.
25 Grants to be made in respect of a year
(1) Grants under the Regional Loading Program are made in respect of a year.
(2) the amount, being a part of the amount referred to in section 41‑45 of the Act for a year, that will be spent on the program in 2022, is $77,129,263—that amount is indexed in accordance with section 26.
Note: Under section 41-20 of the Act, grants are subject to approval by the Minister.
26 Indexation
The amount mentioned in subsection 25(2) for the year 2022 is to be indexed for subsequent years using the method of indexation set out in Part 5-6 of the Act.
Note 1: Part 5-6 of the Act contains an indexation method that adjusts certain amounts against the Consumer Price Index.
Note 2: Unspent grant amounts in a year are also subject to the rollover of grant amount rules in section 41-40 of the Act.
27 Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined for a provider
Average student load
(1) A grant under the Regional Loading Program for each eligible provider is to be calculated using the most recent Commonwealth supported student load data for the reporting years as verified by the provider through the HESDC, as accepted by the Department.
(2) The average student load for the purposes of this section is the EFTSL of the Commonwealth supported student load, as expressed as an average for the most recent three years for which HESDC full year student load data is available.
Note: This means that the calculation of average student load will be updated annually as new HESDC full year student load data becomes available.
RLP Remoteness Categories
(3) A grant is calculated for a provider for each campus and depends upon the remoteness category of each of the provider’s eligible campuses (as provided for in subsections (4), (5) and (6)).
(4) The remoteness category for a campus is determined by where the campus is physically located by reference to the ABS Remoteness Structure.
(5) The loading (expressed as L in the formula in subsection (7)) for the remoteness categories is as follows:
Remoteness category
Loading (L)
Remote and very remote
20%
Darwin region
15%
Outer regional
10%
Inner regional
5%
Major city and overseas
0%
(6) For purposes of this section, the Darwin region is defined as the area of the Northern Territory that is not classified as remote or very remote in the ABS Remoteness Structure.
Formula
(7) Grant amounts for eligible providers are to be calculated by applying the following formula:
A formula to work out the grant amount for an eligible provider under the Regional Loading Program
Where:
Image unavailable in extracted text is the grant for a provider (p) under the Regional Loading Program;
Image unavailable in extracted text is the loading for the location of a provider’s campus as referred to in subsection (5);
Image unavailable in extracted text is the average student load, expressed as EFTSL, of the internal and multi-modal Commonwealth supported students enrolled at the relevant eligible campus (c);
Image unavailable in extracted text is the loading for the location of a provider’s main campus as referred to in subsection (5);
Image unavailable in extracted text is the average student load based on the EFTSL of a provider’s (p) external Commonwealth supported student load;
Image unavailable in extracted text is the variation required to ensure the expenditure is within the RLP grant made for that calendar year.
Detailed explanation of the formula
(8) The formula in subsection (7) has two components—the first is based on the EFTSL of the internal and multi-modal Commonwealth supported student load of each of a provider’s eligible campuses, the second is based on the provider’s external Commonwealth supported student load.
(9) The first component of the formula for a provider is calculated by multiplying the average student load of a provider’s internal and multi-modal Commonwealth supported student load for each eligible campus by the remoteness loading for the physical location of that eligible campus—the totals for each of a provider’s eligible campuses are added together to calculate the grant amount for the provider.
(10) The second component of the formula for a provider is calculated by multiplying 50 per cent of the average student load of a provider’s external Commonwealth supported student load by the remoteness loading for the provider’s main campus—for this purpose a provider’s main campus is the campus that has the highest average student load based on the EFTSL of the average internal and multi-modal Commonwealth supported student load.
(11) The amount of funding available under the Regional Loading Program is capped for each calendar year—to ensure that this total funding is not exceeded for a year, the following process is used to adjust the final amount of the grant to be paid to each eligible provider in a calendar year:
(a) initially a preliminary grant amount for each provider is calculated using the formula in subsection (7), without reference to the variation expressed as V.
(b) then the preliminary grant amount for each provider is added to determine an interim grant total—();
(c) to establish the value of the variation () for determining the final grant amount, the grant amount available for the calendar year less any transitional support payment () is divided by the interim grant total by applying the formula—( );
(d) to calculate the final grant amount for each provider for a year, the formula in subsection (7) is reapplied using the value for  as mentioned in paragraph (c).
Calculation of grants for recently established campuses
(12) Where the available HESDC full year student load data for a recently established campus is less than three years, the average student load will be calculated based on the Commonwealth supported student load (EFTSL) over the number of years for which the data is available.
(13) A provider will be eligible for grant under the Regional Loading Program in relation to a new campus if the average student load for the campus, calculated using the method in subsection (12), is at least 50 EFTSL (for internal and multi-modal attendance).
28 Conditions that apply to grants
The Minister may impose conditions that apply to grants under this program under paragraph 41‑25(1)(c) of the Act.
Part 3—Programs that promote equality of opportunity in higher education—Disability Support Programs
35 Outline of this Part
Item 1 of the table in section 41-10 of the Act states that other grants may be made for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.Each Division of this Part specifies separate programs for this purpose.Each program provides grants to Table A providers, to promote equality of opportunity in higher education by providing support to students with disability to access, participate in and succeed in higher education.
Division 1—Disability Support Fund
36 Program objectives
(1) The Disability Support Fund is specified as a program for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
(2) The objective of the Disability Support Fund is to promote equality of opportunity in higher education by providing supplementary funding to providers to assist them to attract domestic students with disability to participate in higher education, and to assist providers to deliver appropriate support for them to succeed.
37 Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
There are no specified bodies corporate or extra conditions of eligibility for the Disability Support Fund.
Note: Under section 41-10 of the Act, Table A providers are eligible for grants made for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
38 Grants to be made in respect of a year
Grants under this program are in respect of a year.
39 Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined for a provider
Total grants funds available under Disability Support Programs
(1) The total amounts available for the three Disability Support Programs (the Disability Support Fund, the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training, and the Capacity Building Fund) for 2025, 2026 and future years are:
(a) for 2025, $53,905,928;
(b) for 2026, the amount that is determined by multiplying $53,490,328 with the indexation factor (within the meaning of subsection 198-15(1) of the Act) for 2026 (the 2026 DSP Grants Total); and
(c) for all future years, the 2026 DSP Grants Total as indexed under section 40.
(2) The total amount of funding available for the Disability Support Fund (the DSF yearly total) is:
(a) for 2025, the amount in paragraph (1)(a), less the amount allocated to the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training under section 45 (the ADCET amount) and the amount allocated to the Capacity Building Fund under section 45D (the CBF amount) for that year;
(b) for 2026, the amount in paragraph (1)(b), less the ADCET amount and the CBF amount for that year;
(c) for all future years, the 2026 DSP Grants Total, as indexed, less the ADCET amount and the CBF amount for that year.
(3) Subject to subsection (7), a grant amount under the Disability Support Fund for a provider is calculated by adding:
(a) the enrolments-based grant amount for a provider (mentioned in subsection (4)); and
(b) the amount for students with disability with high cost needs for a provider (mentioned in subsection (6)).
Note: Under section 41-20 of the Act, grants are subject to approval by the Minister.
(4) The enrolments-based grant amount for a provider, for a year, subject to subsection (8), to be calculated by:
(a) dividing:
(i) the number of domestic students with disability enrolled at the provider in the most recent year for which data is available (based on data reported by the provider through TCSI during the second half of the preceding year for that year); by
(ii) the number of domestic students with disability enrolled at all Table A providers in the most recent year for which data is available (based on data reported by all Table A providers through TCSI as at the last quarter of the year prior to the year to which the grant relates); and
(b) multiplying the result of (a) by 55 percent of the DSF yearly total (as mentioned in subsection (2)) (the enrolments-based grant pool)).
(5) For the purposes of subsection (6):
(a) a student with disability and high cost needs is a domestic student enrolled with a provider, who has been assessed by the provider as having disability, and has received from the provider educational support and equipment related to that disability in a calendar year for an amount that exceeds $5,000 in 2024 (subject to indexation under section 40);
(b) a claim for educational support and equipment means a claim made by a provider with the Department, in relation to the year preceding the year to which a grant relates, and which outlines expenses associated with educational support and equipment provided to a student with disability and high cost needs.
(5A) For the purposes of paragraph (5)(b), a claim for educational support and equipment does not include a claim for amounts spent by the provider that have been sourced from grant amounts received under Part 3 of this instrument.
(6) The amount for students with disability with high cost needs for a provider, for a year, subject to subsection (7), is to be calculated by:
(a) dividing:
(i) the sum of the claims for educational support and equipment submitted by the provider, as mentioned in subsection (5), that can be attributed to students with disability and high cost needs in the preceding year; by
(ii) the total of all claims for educational support and equipment submitted by all Table A providers that can be attributed to students with disability and high cost needs in the preceding year; and
(b) multiplying the result of (a) by 45 percent of the DSF yearly total (as mentioned in subsection (2)).
(7) In any case where the amount for students with disability with high costs needs calculated for a provider in accordance is subsection (6) is higher than the expenses associated with the claims for educational support and equipment made by that provider (as mentioned in subparagraph (6)(a)(i)), the amount payable to the provider in respect of those claims is to be no more than the expenses associated with those claims.
(8) In any year, if the sum of claims for educational support and equipment made by all providers is less than the total of the amounts for students with disability with high cost needs payable to all providers as calculated under subsection (6) (and, where applicable, subsection (7)), the difference is to be added to the enrolments based grant pool mentioned in subsection (4) when calculating the enrolments-based grant amount for a provider.
40 Indexation
The dollar amounts mentioned in paragraphs 39(1)(c) and (5)(a) are to be indexed for subsequent years using the method of indexation set out in Part 5-6 of the Act.
Note 1: Part 5-6 of the Act contains an indexation method that adjusts certain amounts against the Consumer Price Index.
41 Conditions that apply to grants
(1) For the purposes of section 41-25 of the Act, conditions that apply to grants under the Disability Support Fund are set out in this section.
(2) Grant amounts under this program may only be spent:
(a) on activities aimed at attracting and supporting students with disability to participate in higher education;
(b) on educational support and equipment for students with disability;
(c) for the purpose of making modifications to course content, teaching materials and delivery methods to better meet the needs of students with disability, which may include implementation of Universal Design for Learning in accordance with the UDL Guidelines 3.0 created by CAST;
(d) to train staff to support students with disability;
(e) on salaries for those staff whose only duties involve supporting students with disability; and
(f) on the purchase of information and communication technology licences in bulk to support students with disability.
(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(b), educational support and equipment for students with disability involves, at a minimum:
(a) obtaining evidence of students’ disability and support needs;
(b) undertaking a needs assessment of students’ need for a reasonable adjustment in accordance with the Disability Standards for Education 2005; and
(c) ensuring any educational support service or equipment provided or adjusted using grant funds reasonably meets students’ needs for successfully engaging in a course of study or program.
(4) Providers must maintain an evidence and assessment process in relation to their use of grant funds, by keeping records (for the preceding 7 year period) of the medical, specialist or other advice obtained in verifying disability and support needs.
(5) Providers must publish a disability needs assessment procedure on the provider’s website in a format that is readily available and accessible.
(6) To avoid doubt, the reference in subsection (2) to grant amounts only being able to be spent on purposes listed in that provision means that grant amounts under this program may not be spent on:
(a) construction and maintenance of infrastructure (including buildings, fixtures, roads and pathways);
(b) staff salaries and other costs relating to the ongoing operation of general disability support services and facilities that are integral to the provision of education for all students;
(c) provision of personal care for students with disability (such as care to assist with daily activities such as eating, dressing, grooming and commuting, or assistance with medication or treatment); and
(d) any support service, equipment, or transport that is or may be reasonably available to the student under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
(7) A provider must report to the Department annually on the progress and outcomes of the funded activities as mentioned in subsection (2) in a format acceptable to the Department.
Note 1: Part 2-5 of the Act deals with circumstances in which grants may be required to be reduced or repaid.
Division 2—Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training
42 Program objectives
(1) The Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training is specified as a program for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
(2) The objective of the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training is to provide information, advice, and online resources (including in a form able to be downloaded and used) through a website, hosted by a provider, to disability practitioners, teachers and students to promote inclusive teaching and learning practices for students with disability.
43 Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
There are no specified bodies corporate or extra conditions of eligibility for the Disability Support Fund.
Note: Under section 41-10 of the Act, Table A providers are eligible for grants made for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
44 Grants to be made in respect of a year
Grants under this program are in respect of a year.
45 Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined and applicable conditions of grant
(1) A grant under this program will be made to a specific provider chosen to host the website referred to in section 42.
(2) The Minister will determine conditions that apply to grant funds under this program, and the grant amount, under paragraphs 41-25(1)(c) and 41-30(b) of the Act.
Division 3—Capacity Building Fund
45A Program objectives
(1) The Capacity Building Fund is specified as a program for the purposes of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education, under item 1 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objective of the Capacity Building Fund is to promote equality of opportunity in higher education by providing grant funding to a higher education provider to provide capacity building support to other higher education providers to assist those providers with strengthening their internal skills, abilities, processes and resources to support students with disability to access, participate and succeed in higher education.
45B Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
There are no specified bodies corporate or extra conditions of eligibility for the Capacity Building Fund.
Note: Under section 41-10 of the Act, Table A providers are eligible for grants made for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
45C Grants to be made in respect of a project
Grants under this program are in respect of a project.
45D Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined and applicable conditions of grant
(1) A grant under this program will be made to a specific provider chosen to deliver the capacity building support described in subsection 45A(1).
(2) The Minister will determine conditions that apply to grant funds under this program, and the grant amount, under paragraphs 41-25(1)(c) and 41-30(b) of the Act.
Part 4—Programs that promote equality of opportunity in higher education—Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program
46 Program objectives
(1) The Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program is specified as a program for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education.
(2) The objective of the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program is to provide grants to higher education providers and employers, to improve the participation of women in STEM Fields of Education.
(3) The program supports cadetship and advanced apprenticeship models of course delivery that are designed to:
(a) increase the number of women with STEM qualifications in the labour force;
(b) help women to upskill in STEM or gain job relevant skills to help build a STEM career; and
(c) produce graduates with practical workplace skills in STEM sectors vital to Australia’s future productivity.
47 Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
(1) The following bodies corporate are specified for the purposes of item 1 in the table in section 41-10 of the Act:
(a) higher education providers (providers) (other than Table A providers); or
(b) employers that employ women undertaking a STEM qualification (Women in STEM employers).
Note: Under section 41-10 of the Act, Table A providers are eligible for grants made for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education and do not need to be specified in these Guidelines.
(2) It is an extra condition of eligibility that Women in STEM employers and providers:
(a) where requested, agree to enter into a deed of agreement with the Commonwealth under this Part in which the provider is allocated employer reserved places; and
(b) enter into a restricted access arrangement in relation to allocated employer reserved places.
Note: The term employer reserved place is defined in Schedule 1 of the Act as a place, in a course of study, made available under a restricted access arrangement for the course.
48 Grant distribution
Grants under this program will be distributed twice per calendar year.
50 Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined
(1) Subject to subsections (4) and (5), the Minister will specify the grant amount for a provider or Women in STEM employer under paragraph 41‑30(b) of the Act (and may do so when entering into a deed of agreement with the provider or Women in STEM employer).
(2) Grant amounts payable to a provider will be made in relation to students enrolled in an employer reserved place, as mentioned in subsection 47(2) and will be no more than the difference between a student’s total fee liability for the relevant course of study and any up-front fees payable by or on behalf of the student for the course (the student contribution) and as agreed in a deed of agreement with the Commonwealth.
(3) A provider may be awarded an extra amount, as specified in their deed of agreement with the Commonwealth (as mentioned in subsection 51(4)), for the purposes of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education (an additional equality of opportunity payment).
(4) The maximum grant amount for a Women in STEM employer is $5,000 for each student, for each year, over the duration of the course of study.
(5) Notwithstanding subsection 50(4), a Women in STEM employer will not be eligible to receive more than:
(a) $10,000 in relation to a student undertaking a course of study that leads to an Australian Qualifications Framework qualification at level 5; and
(b) $20,000 in relation to a student undertaking a course of study that leads to an Australian Qualifications Framework qualification at level 6.
51 Conditions that apply to grants for providers
Where student eligible for FEE-HELP
(1) Where a student enrolled in an employer reserved place under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program is eligible for FEE-HELP in relation to units of study as part of the relevant course of study, the provider must accept the grant provided by the Commonwealth (except any additional equality of opportunity payment, as referred to in subsection 49(3)) as an up-front payment made on behalf of the student in relation to the unit for the purposes of section 107-1 of the Act.
(2) Where, but for this subsection, a student would have incurred a FEE-HELP loan fee in accordance with paragraph 137-10(2)(b) of the Act, in relation to a unit of study to which a grant under this Division relates, an additional grant amount is payable to the provider to be applied as an up-front payment made on behalf of the student, and is to be calculated as the amount that would result in the student’s FEE-HELP debt being increased by only so much as it would have if no loan fee applied.
Providers must achieve program objectives and enter a deed
(3) A grant to a provider under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeship Program must be used to achieve the program objectives (as mentioned in section 46).
(4) A provider must, on request, enter into a deed of agreement with the Commonwealth, in a form required by the Commonwealth, in relation to grant funding under this program.
Conditions in respect of courses and students
(5) Courses of study provided by providers to students in allocated employer reserved places must meet the following requirements:
(a) the course of study must lead to an Australian Qualifications Framework qualification at levels 5 or 6;
(b) the course of study may articulate into a related course of study at the bachelor level or higher;
(c) the course of study must lead to a qualification in one of the STEM Fields of Education; and
(d) the course of study must be offered in a mode that enables it to be undertaken part-time whilst the student remains employed.
(6) Students enrolled in allocated employer reserved places must be:
(a) women;
(b) enrolled part-time; and
(c) employed by an employer that agrees with the provider or with the Commonwealth to provide conditions (including by releasing the student from work) that allow those students to study over the duration of the course of study.
(7) Providers may not charge a student more than a maximum tuition fee as specified in their deed of agreement with the Commonwealth under subsection (4).
Reporting
(8) Providers in receipt of a grant under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program are required to report on performance twice annually in the format requested by the Department.
(9) These reports must include, at a minimum, the following information:
(a) number of students enrolled and the course of study in which they are enrolled for the purposes of the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program;
(b) the provider’s compliance with the conditions applicable to its use of the additional equality of opportunity payment set out in the deed, if applicable;
(c) student attrition, progression and completion; and
(d) any additional criteria to satisfy their deed of agreement.
52 Conditions that apply to grants for Women in STEM employers
Women in STEM employers must achieve program objectives and enter a deed, where required
(1) A grant to a Women in STEM employer must be used to achieve the program objectives (as mentioned in section 46).
(2) Women in STEM employers must:
(a) agree to release participating employees for study purposes over the duration of the course to be agreed with the student and provider;
(b) where required, enter into a deed of agreement with the Commonwealth which will set, at a minimum, the maximum grant amount for an employer and the study conditions that the employer will provide for any employees undertaking study under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program; and
(c) where required by the Department, report on performance twice annually in the format requested.
(3) Women in STEM employers must only use grants to support the provision of courses of study covering STEM Fields of Education for women and specifically for one or more of the following purposes:
(a) to provide flexible working arrangements to support the provision of higher education and enable employees to undertake study;
(b) to collaborate with higher education providers on the development or design of courses of study;
(c) work-based assessment;
(d) supervision;
(e) providing study equipment and resources;
(f) reimbursing employees for expenses relating to their study;
(g) work integrated learning; and
(h) associated program administration.
Reporting
(4) Women in STEM employers must, on request, provide a report that includes, at a minimum, the following information:
(a) numbers of employees enrolled in allocated employer reserved places;
(b) hours each employee is released from work for study (and whether as paid or unpaid time) and as a proportion of work time; and
(c) any additional criteria to satisfy their deed of agreement (as referred to in paragraph 52(2)(b)).
Part 4A—Grants to promote equality of opportunity in higher education —Needs-Based Funding Program
52A Program objectives
(1) The Needs-Based Funding Program is specified as a program for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education, under item 1 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objective of the Needs-Based Funding Program is to provide grants to assist higher education providers to promote equality of opportunity in higher education by:
(a) improving the extent to which persons from a low socioeconomic background and Indigenous persons participate, remain and succeed in higher education, and obtain higher education awards; and
(b) assisting providers to offset higher operating costs of campuses in inner regional, regional, outer regional, remote and very remote areas and the Northern Territory, in comparison to campuses in metropolitan areas.
52B Specified bodies corporate
Higher education providers that are not Table A providers are specified for the purposes of item 1 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act as a bodies corporate eligible to receive grants under the Needs-Based Funding program.
Note: Table A providers are eligible for grants made for the purpose of item 1 of the table in subsection 41-10(1), and do not need to be specified in these guidelines.
52C Extra conditions of eligibility
Provider must be eligible for Commonwealth Grant Scheme
(1) A higher education provider is only eligible for a grant under the Needs-Based Funding program if it is eligible to receive grants under Part 2-2 of the Act for 2026.
Provider must enrol certain cohorts of students
(2) A higher education provider is only eligible for a grant under the Needs-Based Funding program for 2026 if, using the most recent Commonwealth supported student load data for 2024 as verified by the provider through the HESDC, and as accepted by the Department, the provider enrolled at least one of the following types of students:
(a) students from low socioeconomic backgrounds;
(b) Indigenous persons; and
(c) students enrolled at campuses located in regional and remote areas of Australia.
52D Grants payable under the program
Grants under the Needs-Based Funding Program are made in respect of a year and are made for the purposes of either:
(a) improving the extent to which persons from a low socioeconomic background and Indigenous persons participate, remain and succeed in higher education, and obtain higher education awards (Equity Grant); or
(b) assisting providers to offset higher operating costs of campuses in inner regional, outer regional, remote and very remote areas and the Northern Territory, in comparison to campuses in metropolitan areas (Regional Grant).
Note: Grant amounts for the program will be determined by the Minister in writing under paragraph 41-30(b) of the Act.
52E Conditions that apply to grants
Conditions that apply to Equity Grant
(1) A higher education provider under the program in receipt of the Equity Grant, must use the Equity Grant to achieve the program objective as set out in paragraph 52A(2)(a).
(2) The Equity Grant must be spent on activities that:
(a) support students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and Indigenous persons to access, participate in, succeed in, and complete higher education; and
(b) address the specific disadvantages or barriers faced by the provider’s students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and Indigenous persons in accessing, participating in, succeeding in, and completing higher education.
Note: For the avoidance of doubt, the Equity Grant could be used to fund direct support to individuals or groups of eligible students or indirect supports that benefit a wider cohort of students as long as they are delivered for the primary purpose of supporting eligible students.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), a higher education provider may use the Equity Grant on activities targeted at those who are not yet enrolled in higher education, to build higher education aspiration and promote higher education to people from low socioeconomic backgrounds and Indigenous people, if the provider meets all of the following requirements:
(a) the provider received a grant for the 2025 grant year under the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program specified in Division 1 of Part 2; and
(b) the provider will receive a grant for the 2026 grant year under the Outreach Funding Program specified in Part 9B; and
(c) the provider’s grant amount for the Outreach Funding Program for the 2026 grant year is less than the provider’s grant amount for the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program in the 2025 grant year; and
(d) the activities are not already funded using grant amounts received by the grant recipient under Part 2-3 of the Act.
(4) A higher education provider who is permitted to use the Equity Grant on the activities in subsection (3), must not spend more of the Equity Grant than the difference between the amounts listed in paragraphs (3)(a) and (3)(b) on those activities.
(5) The Equity Grant must not be spent on the following activities:
(a) any activities related to infrastructure, including maintenance and construction of buildings, fixtures, roads and pathways;
(b) any activities related to services or transport vehicles, that are not principally for the use or benefit of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds or Indigenous persons.
(6) A provider in receipt of the Equity Grant must provide reports that comply with any requirements specified by the Minister under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act, which must, at a minimum:
(a) set out details of each activity delivered using the Equity Grant, including:
(i) a breakdown of total expenditure;
(ii) the number of students that participated in each activity funded by the grant;
(iii) the number of activities funded by the grant;
(iv) key outcomes and learnings from the provider’s participation in the program, including any available evidence supporting the provider’s conclusions; and
(b) set out details of how the provider intends to use any funding for the Equity Grant remaining at the end of the grant period.
Note: The Minister has the power under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act, to impose further conditions on grants, including requirements on reporting.
Conditions that apply to Regional Grant
(7) The Regional Grant must be used to offset the higher costs associated with operating regional campuses and support high ‑quality, accessible higher education in regional and remote Australia.
(8) A provider in receipt of the Regional Grant must provide reports that comply with any requirements specified by the Minister under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act, which must, at a minimum, provide evidence about the use of the Regional Grant, and information on how the funding has been used to offset the higher costs associated with operating regional campuses and to support high-quality, accessible higher education in regional and remote Australia, including:
(a) a summary of how funding was used; and
(b) a breakdown of total expenditure.
Note: The Minister has the power under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act, to impose further conditions on grants, including requirements on reporting.
Part 5—Specification of National Institutes
53 National institutes
The following national institutes are specified for the purposes of item 4 of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act:
(a) The Australian National University;
(b) AMC Institute at the University of Tasmania; and
(c) the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education;
(d) the Victorian College of the Arts at the University of Melbourne.
Note: Grants may be approved by the Minister under Part 2-3 of the Act to be made to Table A providers to support these specified national institutes, as set out in item 4 of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.
Part 6—Grants to assist with the cost of higher education providers’ superannuation liabilities—Higher Education Superannuation Program
54 Program objectives
(1) The Higher Education Superannuation Program is specified for the purpose of assisting with the cost of higher education providers’ superannuation liabilities, under item 6 of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objective of the Higher Education Superannuation Program is to provide Commonwealth financial assistance to eligible higher education providers by contributing to expenses incurred by those providers in respect of former employees who are members of an eligible superannuation scheme or fund.
55 Extra conditions of eligibility
(1) Under paragraph 41-15(2)(b) of the Act, this section specifies extra conditions of eligibility to receive a grant under the program.
(2) Only the following Table A providers are eligible to receive a grant under this program:
(a) Deakin University;
(b) La Trobe University;
(c) Monash University;
(d) Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University;
(e) Swinburne University of Technology;
(f) The University of Melbourne;
(g) Federation University Australia;
(h) Victoria University;
(i) Curtin University of Technology;
(j) Edith Cowan University;
(k) The Flinders University of South Australia;
(l) The University of Adelaide;
(m) University of South Australia;
(n) University of Tasmania;
(o) Charles Darwin University;
(p) University of Canberra;
(q) Australian Catholic University;
(r) The University of Sydney;
(s) The University of New South Wales;
(t) Macquarie University;
(u) University of Newcastle;
(v) Southern Cross University;
(w) University of Technology, Sydney;
(x) University of New England;
(y) University of Western Sydney;
(z) University of Wollongong; and
(za) Charles Sturt University.
(3) However, to receive a grant under the program, a provider must have former employees who are members of one or more of the following superannuation schemes or funds:
(a) New South Wales State Superannuation Scheme;
(b) New South Wales State Authorities Superannuation Scheme;
(c) New South Wales State Authorities Non‑Contributory Scheme;
(d) Victorian State Superannuation Fund – Revised Scheme;
(e) Victorian State Superannuation Fund – New Scheme;
(f) Western Australian Government Employees Superannuation Scheme;
(g) South Australian Superannuation Fund;
(h) Tasmanian Retirement Benefits Fund;
(i) Catholic Superannuation Fund;
(j) Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme; and
(k) Public Sector Superannuation Scheme.
56 Grants to be made in respect of a year
Grants under the Higher Education Superannuation Program are made in respect of a year.
57 Grant amounts
Grant amounts will be determined in writing by the Minister under paragraph 41‑30(b) of the Act.
58 Conditions that apply to grants
(1) For the purposes of section 41-25 of the Act, conditions that apply to grants under the Higher Education Superannuation Program are set out in this section (in addition to any other conditions that apply to grants under paragraph 41‑25(1)(c) of the Act).
(2) Grants under this program may only be applied towards:
(a) a provider’s ongoing superannuation expenses (such as administrative fees, management fees and applicable taxes);
(b) paying out superannuation liabilities.
(3) Grants under this program may not be applied towards:
(a) superannuation employer contributions for current employees; or
(b) superannuation liabilities which are, in the Minister’s reasonable opinion, attributed to excess salary increases.
(4) Grants under this program are provided on condition that providers reconcile grants received with actual member entitlements paid in relation to the schemes or funds referred to in subsection 55(3) by:
(a) obtaining supporting documentary evidence (such as invoices) from the relevant superannuation fund or scheme and providing that evidence to the Department upon request; and
(b) providing authority for the Commonwealth to obtain further information in relation to the expenses and liabilities covered by a grant from the relevant superannuation scheme or fund.
Part 7—Grants to foster collaboration and reform in higher education—University and Industry Collaboration Program
59 Program objectives
(1) The University and Industry Collaboration Program is specified for the purpose of fostering collaboration and reform in higher education, under item 9 of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objective of the University and Industry Collaboration Program is to enhance collaboration between Australian universities and industry.
Note 1: Table A providers are eligible to receive grants under a program specified for the purposes of item 9 of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.
Note 2: Under section 41-20 of the Act, grants are subject to approval by the Minister.
Note 3: The Minister may impose conditions that apply to grants under paragraph 41‑25(1)(c) of the Act.
Note 4: Grant amounts will be determined in writing by the Minister under paragraph 41‑30(b) of the Act.
Part 7A—Grants to support structural adjustment—Transitional Funding Floor Guarantee
59A Program objectives
(1) The Transitional Funding Floor Guarantee is specified as a program for the purpose of supporting structural adjustment under item 9B of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objectives of the program are to:
(a) provide financial assistance to Table A providers in 2026 to transition to new funding arrangements under Part 2-2 of the Act (referred to as the managed growth funding system) from 2027; and
(b) ensure that Table A providers can continue to operate, employ staff and provide quality education services during this transition period.
59B Extra conditions of eligibility
A Table A provider must have entered into a funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act for 2026, to be eligible for a grant under this program.
59C Grants to be made in respect of a year
Grants under this program are made in respect of a year.
59D Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined for a provider
(1) A grant under this program for a Table A provider for 2026 is to be calculated by applying the following formula:
Where:
Start formula Transitional Funding Floor Guarantee equals Max minus CGS Payments end formula
Max is the sum of the amounts the provider was entitled to be paid for 2025 in relation to the following:
(a) the total basic grant amount calculated under subsection 33-5(1) of the Act; and
(b) the Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Equity program specified in Division 2 of Part 8.
CGS Payments is the total basic grant amount, calculated under subsection 33-5(1) of the Act, the provider was entitled to be paid for 2026.
59E Conditions that apply to grants
Table A providers must only use grants provided under this program for the program objectives set out in section 59A.
Note: The Minister may impose other conditions that apply to grants under section 41‑25 of the Act.
Part 8—Grants to promote equality of opportunity in higher education, and to assure and enhance the quality of Australia’s higher education sector—Higher Education Continuity Guarantee
(1) The Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Quality is specified as a program for the purpose of assuring and enhancing the quality of Australia’s higher education sector, under subitem 11(a) of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objective of the Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Quality is to provide grants in 2021, 2022 and 2023 to:
(a) provide financial assistance to eligible higher education providers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic for activities to assist these providers to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic (and for other activities identified in conditions of grant); and
(b) ensure that higher education providers are able to keep operating and employing staff in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to assure the ability of these providers to continue to provide quality education services into the future.
61 Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
(1) Bodies corporate that have entered into a funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act, for the period 2021 to 2023, are eligible for a grant under this program.
(2) A Table A provider must have entered into a funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act, for the period 2021 to 2023, to be eligible for a grant under this program.
62 Grants to be made in respect of a year
Grants under the Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Quality program are made in respect of a year (but only the years referred to in section 63).
63 Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined for a provider
(1) A grant under this program for a Table A provider for 2022 is to be calculated by applying the following formula:
Start formula HECG equals open round bracket Max minus CGS payments close round bracket end formula
Where:
Max for the relevant year is the sum of:
(a) the provider’s Maximum Basic Grant Amount for higher education courses of study;
(b) the provider’s Maximum Basic Grant Amount for designated higher education courses of study;
(c) amounts for a provider under subparagraph 33-1(1)(b)(ii) of the Act (medical student loading);
minus:
(d) funding allocated to the provider to support the delivery of ‘short courses’, ‘national priority places’, and ‘Innovative Places’ as set out in the provider’s funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act.
CGS Payments is the amount, for the relevant year, that a provider is entitled to be paid for higher education courses and designated higher education courses, plus the amount a provider is entitled to be paid under paragraph 33-1(1)(b)(ii) of the Act (medical student loading), minus any funding for the delivery of ‘Innovative Places’, ‘short courses’ and ‘national priority places’.
(2) A grant under this program for a provider that is not a Table A provider for 2022 is to be calculated by applying the following formula:
Start formula HECG equals open round bracket Max minus CGS payments close round bracket end formula
Where:
Max for the relevant year is the sum of:
(a) the provider’s Maximum Basic Grant Amount;
(b) amounts for a provider under subparagraph 33-1(1)(b)(ii) of the Act (medical student loading);
minus:
(c) funding allocated to the provider to support the delivery of ‘short courses’, ‘national priority places’, and ‘Innovative Places’ as set out in the provider’s funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act.
CGS Payments is the amount, for the relevant year, that a provider is entitled to be paid under subsection 33-5(7) of the Act, plus the amount a provider is entitled to be paid under paragraph 33-1(1)(b)(ii) of the Act (medical student loading), minus any funding for the delivery of ‘Innovative Places’, ‘short courses’ and ‘national priority places’.
(3) For grant calculation in respect of 2022 only, the reference in subsections (1) and (2) to funding allocated to the provider to support the delivery of ‘short courses’ includes any funding allocated to the provider for that purpose in 2021 and which:
(a) is unspent in respect of 2021; and
(b) the Minister has decided to make available for that purpose in 2022.
Note 1: Under section 41-20 of the Act, grants are subject to approval by the Minister.
Note 2: The Minister may impose conditions that apply to grants under paragraph 41‑25(1)(c) of the Act.
(4) A grant under this program for a Table A provider for 2023 is to be calculated by applying the following formula:
Start formula HECG equals open round bracket Max minus CGS payments close round bracket end formula
Where:
Max for 2023 is the sum of:
(a) funding allocated to the provider and specified as the provider’s ‘Base MBGA’ for higher education courses in the provider’s funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act; and
(b) the provider’s Maximum Basic Grant Amount for designated higher education courses; and
(c) amounts for a provider under subparagraph 33-1(1)(b)(ii) of the Act (medical student loading).
CGS Payments for 2023 is the sum of:
(a) the lesser of:
(i) the amount a provider is entitled to be paid for higher education courses; and
(ii) the funding allocated to the provider and specified as the provider’s ‘Base MBGA’ for higher education courses in the provider’s funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act; and
(b) the amount a provider is entitled to be paid for designated higher education courses; and
(c) the amount a provider is entitled to be paid under paragraph 33-1(1)(b)(ii) of the Act (medical student loading).
Note: Example 1: A Table A provider has been allocated $100 as their Base MBGA in their funding agreement, their Maximum Basic Grant Amount for designated higher education courses is $100, and the amount for the Table A provider for medical student loading is $100. Therefore, the ‘Max’ for the Table A provider for the purposes of subsection (4) is $300 ($100 + $100 + $100).
The Table A provider is then entitled to be paid $50 for higher education courses, $50 for designated higher education courses and $50 for medical student loading. Therefore, the ‘CGS Payments’ for the Table A provider is $150 ($50 + $50 + $50). The HECG for the provider would be $150 ($300 - $150).
Note: Example 2: A Table A provider has been allocated $100 as their Base MBGA in their funding agreement, their Maximum Basic Grant Amount for designated higher education courses is $100, and the amount for the Table A provider for medical student loading is $100. Therefore, the ‘Max’ for the Table A provider for the purposes of subsection (4) is $300 ($100 + $100 + $100).
The Table A provider is then entitled to be paid the full amount of the funding specified as their ‘Base MBGA’ for higher education courses in their funding agreement (i.e. $100), $100 for designated higher education courses and $100 for medical student loading. Therefore, the ‘CGS Payments’ for the Table A provider is $300 ($100 + $100 + $100). The HECG for the provider would be $0 ($300 - $300).
(5) A grant under this program for a provider that is not a Table A provider for 2023 is to be calculated by applying the following formula:
Start formula HECG equals open round bracket Max minus CGS payments close round bracket end formula
Where:
Max for the relevant year is the sum of:
(a) the provider’s Maximum Basic Grant Amount minus any funding allocated to the provider for ‘equity places’, ‘national priority places’ and ‘innovative places’ as set out in the provider’s funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act; and
(b) amounts for a provider under subparagraph 33-1(1)(b)(ii) of the Act (medical student loading).
CGS Payments for 2023 is the sum of:
(a) the amount a provider is entitled to be paid under subsection 33-5(7) of the Act, minus any funding the provider is entitled to be paid for ‘equity places’, ‘national priority places’ and ‘innovative places’ as set out in the provider’s funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act; and
(b) the amount a provider is entitled to be paid under paragraph 33-1(1)(b)(ii) of the Act (medical student loading).
Note: Example: A non-Table A provider’s Maximum Basic Grant Amount is $100 and the provider has been allocated $50 in their funding agreement for ‘equity places’. The amount for the non-Table A provider for medical student loading is $50. Therefore, the ‘Max’ for the Table A provider for the purposes of subsection (5) is $100 ($100 - $50 + $50).
The non-Table A provider is then entitled to be paid $30 under subsection 33-5(7) of the Act, entitled to be paid $15 for ‘equity places’, and entitled to be paid $50 for medical student loading. Therefore, the ‘CGS Payments’ for the Table A provider is $65 ($30 - $15 + $50). The HECG for the provider would be $35 ($100 - $65).
(1) The Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Equity is specified as a program for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education, under item 1 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objective of the Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Equity is to provide grants to assist higher education providers with attracting and providing support to the following cohorts of students to participate and succeed in higher education (equity cohorts):
(a) students from low socio-economic backgrounds;
(b) students from regional and remote areas of Australia;
(c) students who are the first in their family to access higher education;
(d) Indigenous persons; and
(e) students with disability.
63AB Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
(1) Bodies corporate that have entered into a funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act for 2024 and 2025, are specified as a body corporate eligible for a grant under this program.
(2) A Table A provider must have entered into a funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act for 2024 and 2025, to be eligible for a grant under this program.
(3) A Table A provider, or a body corporate referred to in subsection (1), must have developed an ‘Equity Plan’ as described under the relevant funding agreement referred to in subsections (1) and (2).
63AC Grants to be made in respect of projects
Grants under the Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Equity are made in respect of projects.
63AD Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined
The Minister will determine the grant amount for a higher education provider in writing under paragraph 41-30(b) of the Act.
63AE Conditions that apply to grants
(1) A grant to a higher education provider under the program must be used to achieve the program objective as set out in subsection 63AA(2).
(2) Grants under the program must be used to support and fund initiatives that support equity cohorts.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), the initiatives that support equity cohorts include but are not limited to:
(a) outreach and pre-access activities aimed at attracting equity cohorts to enrol and participate in higher education;
(b) initiatives that promote access and participation by equity cohorts;
(c) providing enabling courses for equity cohorts;
(d) providing support to equity cohorts to assist with the cost of higher education, such as providing scholarships or bursaries, assistance with accommodation or other living expenses;
(e) providing emergency cost-of-living support to equity cohorts so that those students are able to continue to participate in higher education;
(f) providing student belonging services and engagement services and support, including services that assist equity cohorts in areas such as career planning, employability and job readiness;
(g) exploring innovative delivery models that would benefit equity cohorts;
(h) initiatives that address barriers to student success to promote completion of higher education courses by equity cohorts and assist those students in completing their higher education courses on-time;
(i) initiatives that support students in equity cohorts in accessing work-integrated learning;
(j) initiatives that support equity cohorts in their transition from higher education to employment;
(k) capital works, including construction or upgrades to capital and infrastructure, if the construction or upgrade is for the purpose of improving access and outcomes for equity cohorts;
(l) transport services specifically designed to assist equity cohorts;
(m) capital, infrastructure and equipment related initiatives that improve the provider’s capacity to provide online, remote or other innovative learning environments; and
(n) initiatives to improve curriculum development to make courses of study more inclusive.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (2), an initiative is not an initiative that supports equity cohorts if the initiative has been funded using grant amounts received by the grant recipient under Part 2-3 of the Act.
(5) The grant recipient must seek approval from the Department if the recipient is seeking to use grant funds for initiatives that support equity cohorts that are not listed in subsection (3).
(6) The grant recipient must expend grant funds for a project under the program on initiatives that are consistent with subsection (2) and (3) in accordance with any timeframes specified in conditions imposed under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act.
(7) The grant recipient must provide reports to the Department, if required by conditions imposed under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act.
Note: The Minister has the power under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act, to impose further conditions on grants, including conditions on reporting.
Part 8A—Grants to assure and enhance the quality of Australia’s higher education sector—Strong Beginnings Fund
Division 1—Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund
63A Program objectives
(1) The Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund is specified as a program for the purpose of assuring and enhancing the quality of Australia’s higher education sector, under subitem 11(a) of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objective of the Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund is to improve the quality of ITE courses by supporting higher education providers to ensure their ITE courses align with core content described in the Accreditation Standards and Procedures.
63B Extra conditions of eligibility
A Table A provider or a specified body corporate in section 67 is eligible to receive a grant under the Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund if:
(a) the Table A provider or the specified body corporate delivers ITE courses; and
(b) the grant application includes evidence of the number of ITE courses delivered by the Table A provider or the specified body corporate as at 31 October 2023.
63C Grants to be made in respect of a year
(1) Grants under the Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund are made in respect of a year.
(2) The amount, being a part of the amount referred to in section 41‑45 of the Act, that will be spent on the program in 2024 is $4.635 million.
Note: Under section 41-20 of the Act, grants are subject to approval by the Minister.
63D Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined for a provider
The grant amount for a higher education provider under the Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund is $15,000 per ITE course.
63E Conditions that apply to grants
(1) Providers must use the grant to:
(a) review their ITE courses and make changes necessary to include core content; and
(b) have their ITE courses reaccredited under the Accreditation Standards and Procedures by 31 December 2025 or a date stipulated by their Teacher Regulatory Authority in accordance with their state or territory legislative frameworks.
(2) Providers in receipt of a grant under the Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund are required to report by 31 December 2025 in the format requested by the Department.
(3) These reports must include the following information:
(a) evidence from the Teacher Regulatory Authority in the provider’s state or territory that the provider has met the requirements of the Accreditation Standards and Procedures with respect to core content; or
(b) if the provider has not met the requirements of the Accreditation Standards and Procedures, the report must include:
(i) reasons for why the core content has not been implemented into the ITE course; and
(ii) a project plan, in the format requested by the Department, detailing how the provider will implement core content and the timeframe in which the core content will be implemented.
Division 2—Strong Beginnings (Excellence) Fund
63F Program objectives
(1) The Strong Beginnings (Excellence) Fund is specified as a program for the purpose of assuring and enhancing the quality of Australia’s higher education sector, under subitem 11(a) of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objectives of the Strong Beginnings (Excellence) Fund are to:
(a) support select higher education providers to share best practice and foster improved performance in the delivery of ITE courses across the sector; and
(b) build the capability of the higher education sector in the delivery of ITE courses and strengthen the overall quality of ITE programs in Australia.
63G Eligible bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
A Table A provider or a body corporate specified in subsection 67(1) is eligible to receive a grant under the Strong Beginnings (Excellence) Fund if it:
(a) delivers ITE courses;
(b) has demonstrated that it has met all conditions specified in section 63E for the Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund in Division 1 of Part 8A, if the body received a grant under that program;
(c) has demonstrated that it has met the requirements of the Accreditation Standards and Procedures with respect to core content for its ITE courses; and
(d) has not refused to participate in quality assurance processes related to the implementation of core content for its ITE courses by the Initial Teacher Education Quality Assurance Oversight Board.
63H Grants to be made in respect of a year
Grants under the Strong Beginnings (Excellence) Fund are made in respect of a year.
Note 1: Under section 41-20 of the Act, grants are subject to approval by the Minister.
Note 2: Grant amounts for this program are determined in writing by the Minister.
63I Conditions that apply to grants
Use of grant
(1) The grant recipient must use the grant to achieve the program objective set out in section 63F.
Note: The Minister has the power under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act, to impose further conditions on grants, including imposing a requirement that the grant recipient use the grant funding in relation to certain priority areas.
Reporting
(2) The grant recipient is required to provide an interim report and a final report, within the timeframe specified by the Minister under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act.
(3) The interim report must at a minimum, include the following information:
(a) expenditure of the grant funding to date;
(b) implementation to date of the grant activity detailed in the application to receive the grant;
(c) preliminary outcomes of the grant activity; and
(d) planned next steps for the grant activity.
(4) The final report must at a minimum, include the following information:
(a) acquittal of expenditure of the grant funding; and
(b) reporting on the following areas:
(i) how the provider implemented the grant activity detailed in its application;
(ii) the deliverables from the grant activity; and
(iii) how the grant activity is achieving the program objectives set out in section 63F, including its alignment with any priority areas determined by the Minister under subsection 41‑25(2) of the Act.
Part 9—Grants to support open access to higher education across Australia—Regional University Study Hubs
64 Program objectives
(1) The Regional University Study Hubs Program is specified for the purpose of supporting open access to higher education across Australia, under subitem 11(c) of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objective of the Regional University Study Hubs Program is to provide financial assistance to community-based bodies corporate in regional and remote areas of Australia, to enable them to establish and maintain regional university study hubs in regional areas that support local students.
65 Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
(1) The following bodies corporate are specified for the purposes of subitem 11(c) of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act as eligible to receive a grant under this program:
(a) a body corporate that the Minister is satisfied has, or will have, a physical operational presence in a Remoteness Area categorised under the ABS Remoteness Structure as Inner Regional Australia, Outer Regional Australia, Remote Australia or Very Remote Australia;
(b) a body corporate that is a registered entity (within the meaning of the Australian Charities and Not‑for‑profits Commission Act 2012);
(c) a Table B provider;
(d) a higher education provider to which the Minister has allocated Commonwealth supported places under section 30‑10 of the Act.
Note: Table A providers are also eligible to receive grants under a program specified for the purposes of item 11 of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.
(2) However a body corporate mentioned in paragraph (1)(a) or (b) is only eligible where they are able to satisfy the Minister that:
(a) the body corporate, and each person who makes, or participates in making, decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part, of the body’s affairs, is a fit and proper person within the meaning of the Act; and
(b) the body corporate is, and is likely to remain, financially viable.
66 Conditions that apply to grants
Grant to be used to establish and operate a Regional University Study Hub
(1) A grant under the Regional University Study Hubs Program must only be used to establish, operate and maintain a facility in, and to provide services from, a location in a Remoteness Area categorised under the ABS Remoteness Structure as Inner Regional Australia, Outer Regional Australia, Remote Australia or Very Remote Australia.
Grant to be used to support students to undertake study
(2) A recipient of a grant must ensure that the facilities and services provided using the grant primarily support Commonwealth assisted students.
Note: Facilities and services described in this section may be provided to other students undertaking study if there is spare capacity to do so.
(3) A grant must be used to support students to undertake study, through provision of some or all of the following:
(a) infrastructure and facilities, including:
(i) study spaces, including facility rental, furniture and furnishings; and
(ii) internet access, including the cost of connection to, and maintenance of, internet services, and telecommunications hardware necessary to connect the facility to internet; and
(iii) computing facilities including computers, local network hardware, operating software and software licences, applications software and software licence, and computing peripherals such as printers and workstations; and
(iv) video conferencing facilities, including video conferencing equipment and software; and
(b) academic support services, including:
(i) library services, including licences for research databases, books and periodicals, shelving and storage systems, photocopiers, and reader support services; and
(ii) academic skills training and tutoring;
(c) administrative support, including student administration activities, information technology support services, facilities management, and facility security (human and security systems); and
(d) other services to support students’ learning environment, consistent with requirements set out in Part 2 of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021, including in relation to:
(i) student wellbeing and safety;
(ii) information on student obligations and behavioural standards; and
(iii) personal support services, cultural support and ancillary services, hours of availability, and how to access services and emergency contact details.
(4) Grants may also be used to support forming partnerships with other organisations such other higher education providers, state and local government bodies or local industry bodies to further support student learning and outcomes.
Note: The Minister may impose other conditions that apply to grants under paragraph 41‑25(1)(c) of the Act.
Part 9A—Grants to support open access to higher education across Australia—Suburban University Study Hubs Program
66A Program objectives
(1) The Suburban University Study Hubs Program is specified for the purpose of supporting open access to higher education across Australia, under subitem 11(c) of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objective of the Suburban University Study Hubs Program is to provide financial assistance to bodies corporate in areas of Australia described in paragraph 66B(1)(a), to enable them to establish and maintain Suburban University Study Hubs that support local students.
66B Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
(1) The following bodies corporate are specified for the purposes of subitem 11(c) of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act as eligible to receive a grant under this program:
(a) a body corporate that the Minister is satisfied at the time the grant is made has, or will have, a physical operational presence in:
(i) a location categorised as one of the Major Cities of Australia under the ABS Remoteness Structure, or Greater Darwin or Greater Hobart under the ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Areas; and
(ii) a Statistical Area Level 2 classified as Quintile 1 or 2 in the ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage;
(b) a body corporate that is a registered entity (within the meaning of the Australian Charities and Not‑for‑profits Commission Act 2012);
(c) a Table B provider; or
(d) a higher education provider to which the Minister has allocated Commonwealth supported places under section 30‑10 of the Act.
Note: Table A providers are also eligible to receive grants under a program specified for the purposes of item 11 of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), a body corporate mentioned in paragraphs (1)(a) or (b) is only eligible where they are able to satisfy the Minister that:
(a) the body corporate, and each person who makes, or participates in making, decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part, of the body’s affairs, is a fit and proper person within the meaning of the Act; and
(b) the body corporate is, and is likely to remain, financially viable.
(3) A body corporate is only eligible for a grant under this program if the body corporate has not received funding under the Regional University Study Hubs program in Part 9 of this instrument, or from a State or Territory government, for the proposed facility.
66C Conditions that apply to grants
Grant to be used to establish and operate a Suburban University Study Hub
(1) A grant under the Suburban University Study Hub Program must only be used to establish, operate and maintain a facility in, and to provide services from:
(a) a location that is categorised as one of the Major Cities of Australia under the ABS Remoteness Structure, or Greater Darwin or Greater Hobart under the ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, at the time the grant is made; and
(b) a Statistical Area Level 2 that is classified as Quintile 1 or 2 in the ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, at the time the grant is made.
(2) Grants must be used to establish a new facility that will operate as a Suburban University Study Hub.
Grant to be used to support students to undertake study
(3) A recipient of a grant must ensure that the facilities and services provided using the grant primarily support Commonwealth assisted students.
Note: Facilities and services described in this section may be provided to other students undertaking study, if there is spare capacity to do so.
(4) A grant must be used to support students to undertake study, through provision of some or all of the following:
(a) infrastructure and facilities, including:
(i) study spaces, including facility rental, furniture and furnishings; and
(ii) internet access, including the cost of connection to, and maintenance of, internet services, and telecommunications hardware necessary to connect the facility to internet; and
(iii) computing facilities including computers, local network hardware, operating software and software licences, applications software and software licence, and computing peripherals such as printers and workstations; and
(iv) video conferencing facilities, including video conferencing equipment and software;
(b) academic skills support services, including academic skills training and support;
(c) administrative support, including student administration activities, information technology support services, facilities management, and facility security (human and security systems); and
(d) other services to support students’ learning environment, consistent with requirements set out in Part 2 of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021, including in relation to:
(i) student wellbeing and safety;
(ii) information on student obligations and behavioural standards; and
(iii) personal support services, cultural support and ancillary services, hours of availability, and how to access services and emergency contact details.
(5) Grants may also be used to support forming partnerships with other organisations such as higher education providers, vocational education and training providers, state and local government bodies or local industry bodies to further support student learning and outcomes.
Note: The Minister may impose other conditions that apply to grants under paragraph 41‑25(1)(c) of the Act.
Part 9B—Programs that support open access to higher education across Australia—Outreach Funding Program
66AA Program objectives
(1) The Outreach Funding Program is specified for the purpose of supporting open access to higher education across Australia under item 11(c) of the table in section 41-10 of the Act.
(2) The objectives of the Outreach Funding Program are to:
(a) promote higher education to people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, people from regional and remote areas, and Indigenous persons; and
(b) increase the number of people from these underrepresented backgrounds accessing higher education by delivering outreach initiatives to broaden and enable higher education aspiration.
66AB Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
There are no specified bodies corporate or extra conditions of eligibility for the Outreach Funding Program.
Note: Under section 41-10 of the Act, Table A providers are eligible for grants made for the purpose of supporting open access to higher education across Australia.
66AC Grants to be made in respect of a year
(1) Grants under this program are made in respect of a year.
(2) The amount, being a part of the amount referred to in section 41‑45 of the Act, that will be spent on the program:
(a) in 2026, is $43,735,160; and
(b) in all future years, is the amount at paragraph (2)(a) as indexed annually under section 66AD.
Note 1: See section 66AD for indexation that applies for future years (2027 onwards).
Note 2: Under section 41-20 of the Act, grants are subject to approval by the Minister.
66AD Indexation
The amount listed in subsection 66AC(2)(a) is to be indexed for subsequent years using the method of indexation set out in Part 5-6 of the Act.
Note 1: Part 5-6 of the Act contains an indexation method that adjusts certain amounts against the Consumer Price Index.
Note 2: Unspent grant amounts in a year are also subject to the rollover of grant amount rules in section 41-40 of the Act.
66AE Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined for a provider
(1) Grants will be made to eligible higher education providers each year based on the provider’s percentage share of total students of all eligible providers who are domestic undergraduate students from a low socioeconomic background, students from regional areas and remote areas and students who are Indigenous persons, using the applicable formula for a year as set out in subsection (2).
(2) Grant amounts for a provider for a year are to be calculated by applying the following formula (ignoring any amount rolled over because of section 41-40 of the Act):
start formula A open bracket 0.45 open bracket B over C close bracket plus 0.45 open bracket D over E close bracket plus 0.1 open bracket F over G close bracket close bracket end formula
Where:
A is the total amount available for the year under the program, as set out in subsection 66AC(2);
B is the total number of domestic undergraduate students from low socioeconomic backgrounds enrolled at the relevant higher education provider, based on each student’s address at the time the student first enrols in a course of study with the provider, as reflected by the most recent data reported and verified by the provider through the HESDC, and accepted by the Department;
C is the total number of domestic undergraduate students from low socioeconomic backgrounds enrolled at all Table A providers, based on each student’s address at the time the student first enrols in a course of study at the relevant provider, as reflected by the most recent data reported and verified by those providers through the HESDC, and accepted by the Department;
D is the total number of domestic undergraduate students enrolled at the relevant higher education provider with a permanent residential address in a regional area or a remote area at the time the student first enrols in a course of study with the provider, as reflected by the most recent data reported and verified by the provider through the HESDC, and accepted by the Department;
E is the total number of domestic undergraduate students enrolled at all Table A providers that have a permanent residential address in a regional area or a remote area at the time the student first enrols in a course of study with the provider, as reflected by the most recent data reported and verified by those providers through the HESDC, and accepted by the Department;
F is the total number of domestic undergraduate Indigenous persons enrolled at the relevant higher education provider, as reflected by the most recent data reported and verified by the provider through the HESDC, and accepted by the Department;
G is the total number of domestic undergraduate Indigenous persons enrolled at all Table A providers, as reflected by the most recent data reported and verified by those providers through the HESDC, and accepted by the Department.
(3) In subsection (2) a reference to most recent data means the data for a full year reported and verified by the provider through the HESDC as at the last quarter of the year prior to the year to which the grant relates.
66AF Conditions that apply to grants
(1) Grants under the Outreach Funding Program must only be spent on outreach activities and initiatives that:
(a) are to encourage more people to engage in higher education by building and supporting aspiration for further study, targeted to people who have not already decided to enrol in or undertake higher education study; and
(b) address individual, institutional, geographic or material barriers faced by people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, people from regional and remote areas, and Indigenous persons, in relation to accessing higher education; and
(c) are designed to encourage people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, people from regional and remote areas and Indigenous persons to aspire to access and participate in higher education; and
(d) are designed to attract people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, people from regional and remote areas and Indigenous persons to enrol in higher education.
(2) To avoid doubt, grants under the Outreach Funding Program may not be spent on:
(a) infrastructure, including maintenance and construction of buildings, fixtures, roads and pathways; and
(b) services, activities or transport vehicles that are not principally for the use or benefit of people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, people from regional and remote areas, or Indigenous persons; and
(c) general marketing and recruitment activities, or marketing and recruitment targeted towards a particular higher education provider; and
(d) activities which do not specifically target people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, people from regional and remote areas, and Indigenous persons who have not made a decision to study; and
(e) activities aimed at supporting people once they have already enrolled in higher education.
Reporting
(3) A provider in receipt of a grant must provide annual reports that comply with requirements specified by the Minister under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act.
Note: The Minister has the power under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act to impose further conditions on grants, including conditions in relation to reporting which, without limitation, may require reports that deal with:
(a) strategies and policies which aim to increase the number of people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, people from regional and remote areas and Indigenous persons accessing higher education;
(b) activities planned and undertaken with grant funding;
(c) evaluation of activities undertaken; and
(d) acquittal of expenditure.
Part 10—Other specified bodies corporate
67 Bodies corporate specified for the purposes of eligibility to receive grants
(1) The following bodies corporate are specified for the purposes of item 11 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act:
(a) Graduate Careers Australia Limited;
(b) Australian Council for Educational Research Limited;
(c) Universities Australia;
(d) The body corporate representing the Organisation for Economic, Co‑operation and Development (OECD) in Australia;
(e) Alphacrucis University College Limited;
(f) ACPE Limited (known as The Australian College of Physical Education);
(g) Christian Heritage College;
(h) Eastern College Australia Limited;
(i) Excelsia College;
(j) Holmesglen Institute
(k) Melbourne Polytechnic;
(l) Tabor College Inc;
(m) Avondale University; and
(n) Australian College of Christian Studies.
(2) The following bodies corporate are specified for the purposes of item 15 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act:
(a) Alphacrucis University College Limited;
(b) Christian Heritage College;
(c) Eastern College Australia Limited;
(d) Holmesglen Institute;
(e) Melbourne Polytechnic; and
(f) Tabor College Inc.
Note: The Minister may impose other conditions that apply to any grants made to these bodies under subsection 41‑25(2) of the Act.
Part 11—Grants to encourage higher education providers to engage with industry—National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund
68 Program objectives
(1) The National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund is specified as a program for the purpose of encouraging higher education providers to engage with industry, under item 13 of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objective of the National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund is to provide financial assistance to eligible higher education providers to encourage those providers to engage with industry to produce job-ready graduates by:
(a) increasing the number of internships, practicums and other innovative approaches to work integrated learning across all disciplines;
(b) increasing the number of STEM-skilled graduates and improving their employment outcomes; and
(c) rewarding Australian universities for the development of partnerships and collaborations with industry.
69 Grants to be made in respect of a year
(1) Grants under this program are in respect of a year.
(2) The amount, being a part of the amount referred to in section 41‑45 of the Act for a year, that will be spent on the program in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 is the total of all grant amounts calculated in accordance with sections 70 and 71.
70 Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined for a provider
A Table A provider is to receive the relevant grant amount specified in the table below, based on the number of Commonwealth supported places (CSPs) the provider has provided for a grant year (based on the most recent data reported by those providers through the TCSI system) in the relevant enrolment band:
Enrolment band
Amount of grant for the year
Up to and including 9,999 CSPs
$3.25 million
Including and between 10,000 – 14,999 CSPs
$4.75 million
Including and between 15,000 – 21,999 CSPs
$7.0 million
Equal to or greater than 22,000 CSPs
$8.75 million
71 Indexation
(1) The amounts listed in the table in section 70 are listed for the year 2021 and are to be indexed for subsequent years using the method of indexation set out in Part 5-6 of the Act.
Note 1: Part 5-6 of the Act contains an indexation method that adjusts certain amounts against the Consumer Price Index.
72 Conditions of grant
Table A providers must only use grants provided under this program for the program objectives set out in section 68.
Note: The Minister may impose other conditions that apply to grants under paragraph 41‑25(1)(c) of the Act.
Part 12—Grants to support open access to higher education across Australia, and to encourage higher education providers to engage with industry—Microcredentials Pilot
73 Program objectives
(1) The Microcredentials Pilot is specified as a program for the purposes of supporting open access to higher education across Australia, and encouraging higher education providers to engage with industry, under subitem 11(c) and item 13 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objectives of the Microcredentials Pilot are to:
(a) for the purposes of subitem 11(c) of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act:
(i) support Table A providers to design microcredential courses that support open access to higher education by increasing course offerings for students to support lifelong learning;
(ii) support all providers to deliver microcredential courses that support open access to higher education by increasing course offerings for students to support lifelong learning;
(iii) reduce barriers for people in the workforce to access higher education and support open access to higher education by encouraging higher education providers to offer shorter and more accessible forms of learning;
(iv) improve understanding of how microcredential courses can be applied in higher education to support workforce needs and how microcredential courses can improve accessibility to higher education for people in the workforce; and
(b) for the purposes of item 13 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act, encourage Table A providers to engage with industry to design shorter forms of learning that address skill shortages in industry.
74 Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility
(1) Grants under the Microcredentials Pilot may be provided across three stages that will fund higher education providers to:
(a) design a microcredential course (Stage 1);
(b) deliver a microcredential course designed by a Table A provider in Stage 1 (Stage 2); and
(c) deliver a microcredential course that has been designed by a higher education provider independent of this program (Stage 3).
Eligibility for Stage 1 grants
(2) A Table A provider is eligible for a grant under paragraph 74(1)(a) for the design of a microcredential course if the provider can demonstrate industry engagement with the proposed design of the microcredential course.
Eligibility for Stage 2 grants
(3) A Table A provider is eligible for a grant under paragraph 74(1)(b) for the delivery of a microcredential course that has been designed by a Table A provider in Stage 1.
(4) From 1 July 2023, a higher education provider that is not a Table A provider is eligible for a grant under paragraph 74(1)(b) for the delivery of a microcredential course designed by a Table A provider in Stage 1.
Eligibility for Stage 3 grants
(5) From 1 July 2023, a higher education provider is eligible for a grant under paragraph 74(1)(c) for the delivery of a microcredential course that has been designed by a higher education provider independent of this program.
75 Approval of grants
A grant under the Microcredentials Pilot must be:
(a) approved by the Minister in writing; and
(b) made in respect of a project.
76 Conditions that apply to grants
Conditions that apply to Stage 1 grants
(1) A grant to a higher education provider for the design of a microcredential course must be used to achieve the program objectives as set out in subsection 73(2).
(4) The higher education provider must demonstrate to the Commonwealth that their designed microcredential course has endorsement from industry or a professional body by providing a signed letter from an industry partner or the professional body endorsing the microcredential course and acknowledging that the microcredential course addresses a skill shortage in industry.
(5) The higher education provider must apply for a Stage 2 grant for the delivery of their microcredential course designed in Stage 1 and, if successful, the higher education provider must deliver that microcredential course in Stage 2.
Conditions that apply to Stage 2 grants
(6) A grant to a higher education provider for the delivery of a microcredential course designed in Stage 1 by a Table A provider must be used to achieve the program objectives as set out in subparagraphs 73(2)(a)(ii), (iii) and (iv).
Conditions that apply to Stage 3 grants
(7) A grant to a higher education provider for the delivery of a microcredential course that has been designed by a higher education provider independent of this program must be used to achieve the program objectives as set out in subparagraphs 73(2)(a)(ii), (iii) and (iv).
Conditions in respect of courses and students
(8) Microcredential courses designed and delivered under this program must be in a national priority field of education outlined in the conditions of grant determined by the Minister in writing under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act.
(9) A higher education provider must not charge a student in a microcredential course more than an amount determined in the following formula:
start formula A equals P times EV end formula
Where:
A is the maximum amount a higher education provider can charge a student in a microcredential course;
P is the amount set out in the third column of the following table for a microcredential course in the part of the funding cluster specified in the second column of the table;
EV is the EFTSL value of the microcredential course.
Item
Funding clusters:
The amount in respect of a student is:
1
Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics, Commerce, Communications, Society and Culture
$15,142.
2
Education, Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics, Statistics, Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Visual and Performing Arts, Professional Pathway Psychology or Professional Pathway Social Work
(a) for a microcredential course in Education, Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics or Statistics—$4,124; or(b) for a microcredential course in Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Visual and Performing Arts, Professional Pathway Psychology or Professional Pathway Social Work—$8,301.
(a) for a microcredential course in Nursing or Foreign Languages—$4,124; or(b) for a microcredential course in Engineering, Surveying, Environmental Studies or Science—$8,301.
(a) for a microcredential course in Agriculture—$4,124; or(b) for a microcredential course in Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science—$11,800; or(c) for a microcredential course in Pathology—$8,301.
77 Method by which the grant amounts under the program are to be determined
(1) For Stage 1 grants, the Minister will determine the grant amount for a higher education provider in writing under paragraph 41-30(b) of the Act.
(2) A grant to a higher education provider for Stage 2 and Stage 3 of the program is to be calculated by applying the following formula:
Start formula G equals CP times EV times EN end formula
Where:
G is the grant amount for providers in Stage 2 or Stage 3;
CP is the Commonwealth payment set out in the third column of the following table for a microcredential course in the part of the funding cluster specified in the second column of the table;
EV is the EFTSL value of the microcredential course;
EN is either:
(a) the number of students actually enrolled in microcredential courses with the provider immediately after the census date; or
(b) if the Minister has specified a maximum number of students for which the provider can receive funding under Stage 2 and Stage 3 in writing under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act, the lesser of:
(i) the number of students actually enrolled in microcredential courses with the provider immediately after the census date; and
(ii) the maximum number of students specified by the Minister in writing for which the provider can receive funding under Stage 2 and Stage 3.
Item
Funding cluster:
Commonwealth payment
1
Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics, Commerce, Communications, Society and Culture
$1,147
2
Education, Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics, Statistics, Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Visual and Performing Arts, Professional Pathway Psychology or Professional Pathway Social Work
The amounts specified in the third column of the tables in subsections 76(9) and 77(2) are specified for the year 2023 and indexed for subsequent years using the method of indexation set out in Part 5-6 of the Act.
Part 13—Grants to assist higher education providers to provide payments to students who are undertaking mandatory practicums as part of their course of study—Commonwealth Prac Payment
79 Program objectives
(1) The Commonwealth Prac Payment program is specified as a program for the purposes of providing higher education providers with grants to give payments to Commonwealth supported students, who are undertaking mandatory practicums as part of their course of study, under item 15 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act.
(2) The objectives of the Commonwealth Prac Payment program are to:
(a) provide grants to higher education providers so those providers are able to deliver cost of living relief to eligible students undertaking mandatory placements as part of their teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work courses of study; and
(b) support students’ learning outcomes by easing financial pressure on students during their mandatory placements; and
(c) increase students’ rates of retention and completion of their courses of study by reducing the financial impact of mandatory placements that may have influenced students to defer or withdraw from study.
80 Specified bodies corporate
Higher education providers that are not Table A providers or Table B providers are specified for the purposes of item 15 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act.
Note: Table A providers and Table B providers are eligible for grants made for the purpose of item 15 of the table in subsection 41-10(1), and do not need to be specified in these guidelines.
81 Extra conditions of eligibility
Provider must be eligible for Commonwealth Grant Scheme
(1) A higher education provider that is not a Table A provider or a Table B provider is only eligible for a grant under the Commonwealth Prac Payment program for a year if it is eligible for grants under Part 2-2 of the Act for the year.
Provider must deliver certain units of study
(2) A higher education provider is only eligible for a grant under the Commonwealth Prac Payment program for a year if, during the year, it delivers a unit (eligible prac unit) that:
(a) is being delivered as part of a course of study that:
(i) leads to the award of a bachelor degree or a master’s degree in one or more of the fields of study listed in subsection (3);
(ii) is accredited or approved by the relevant professional standards body for the purposes of registration or licensing of a person as a nurse, midwife, social worker or teacher, as the case may be, in Australia or a State or Territory of Australia; and
(b) requires the student to participate in one or more mandatory placements that:
(i) ordinarily involves the student’s participation for an average of 30 hours or more per week for the duration of the mandatory placement; or
(ii) for a mandatory placement for a course of study in midwifery known as a continuity of care placement—prevents the student from being able to maintain paid work due to the need to ensure their availability during the placement.
(3) For the purposes of subparagraph (2)(a)(i), the fields of study are:
(a) midwifery;
(b) nursing;
(c) social work; and
(d) teaching.
82 Grants to be made in respect of a year
A grant to a higher education provider under the Commonwealth Prac Payment program is made in respect of a year.
83 Amount of grant for a year
Amount of a grant for a provider for a year
(1) Subject to subsection (3), the amount of a grant for a higher education provider for a year is the sum of the student prac payments amount for the provider for the year and the amount of the administrative component for the provider for the year worked out in accordance with subsection (4).
Note: Subsection 83(3) reduces an amount of a grant to a higher education provider for a year if the provider does not make payments to its eligible prac students for the year of an amount at least equal to the student prac payments amount for the provider for that year.
(2) The student prac payments amount for the higher education provider for the year is the sum of each of the amounts of the components worked out in accordance with subsections (5) to (10).
Grant amount reduced if student prac payments amount not all used
(3) If the total amount of payments that the higher education provider pays to eligible prac students under subsections 86(3) and (5) for a year is less than the student prac payments amount for the provider for the year, the amount of the grant for the provider for the year is reduced by operation of this subsection by an amount equal to the difference between the student prac payments amount and the amount the provider has paid to students under subsections 86(3) and (5), multiplied by 1.05.
Note: The effect of this subsection is that any part of a higher education provider’s student prac payments amount for a year that the provider does not pay to eligible students under subsections 86(3) and (5), and a part of the administrative component related to that amount, is an overpayment for the purposes of the Act, and is not rolled over to the following year under section 41-40 of the Act.
Administrative component
(4) The amount of the administrative component for a higher education provider for a year is the student prac payments amount for the provider for the year multiplied by 0.05.
Midwifery (clinical placement) component
(5) The amount of the midwifery (clinical placement) component for a higher education provider for a year is the number of eligible midwifery (clinical placement) prac students of the provider for the year, plus the number of exceptional circumstances students of the provider for the year participating in a mandatory placement known as a clinical placement for a unit in a course of study in midwifery, multiplied by the weekly Austudy rate for the year, multiplied by 20.
Midwifery (continuity of care) component
(6) The amount of the midwifery (continuity of care) component for a higher education provider for a year is the number of eligible midwifery (continuity of care) prac students of the provider for the year, plus the number of exceptional circumstances students of the provider for the year participating in a mandatory placement known as a continuity of care placement for a unit in a course of study in midwifery, multiplied by the weekly Austudy rate for the year, multiplied by 6.
Nursing component
(7) The amount of the nursing component for a higher education provider for a year is the number of eligible nursing prac students of the provider for the year, plus the number of exceptional circumstances students of the provider for the year participating in a mandatory placement for a unit in a course of study in nursing, multiplied by the weekly Austudy rate for the year, multiplied by 20.
Social work component
(8) The amount of the social work component for a higher education provider for a year is the number of eligible social work prac students of the provider for the year, plus the number of exceptional circumstances students of the provider for the year participating in a mandatory placement for a unit in a course of study in social work, multiplied by the weekly Austudy rate for the year, multiplied by 26.
Teaching (bachelor) component
(9) The amount of the teaching (bachelor) component for a higher education provider for a year is the number of eligible teaching (bachelor) prac students of the provider for the year, plus the number of exceptional circumstances students of the provider for the year participating in a mandatory placement for a unit in a course of study that leads to the award of a bachelor degree in teaching, multiplied by the weekly Austudy rate for the year, multiplied by 16.
Teaching (master’s) component
(10) The amount of the teaching (master’s) component for a higher education provider for a year is the number of eligible teaching (master’s) prac students of the provider for the year, plus the number of exceptional circumstances students of the provider for the year participating in a mandatory placement for a unit in a postgraduate course of study that leads to the award of a master’s degree in teaching, multiplied by the weekly Austudy rate for the year, multiplied by 12.
84 Eligible prac students etc.
(1) For the purposes of this Part, an eligible prac student of a higher education provider for a year is a student who:
(a) is enrolled in an eligible prac unit delivered by the provider during the year; and
(b) is a Commonwealth supported student in relation to that unit, or is a student that the provider reasonably expects will be a Commonwealth supported student in relation to that unit; and
(c) must, as part of the requirements to complete the unit, participate for a week in a mandatory placement that either:
(i) commences prior to 1 July 2025 and includes 1 July 2025; or
(ii) commences on or after 1 July 2025.
(2) For the purposes of this Part:
(a) an eligible midwifery (clinical placement) prac student of a higher education provider for a year is an eligible prac student of the provider who, during the year, must participate in a mandatory placement known as a clinical placement for a unit of a course of study in midwifery; and
(b) an eligible midwifery (continuity of care) prac student of a higher education provider for a year is an eligible prac student of the provider who, during the year, must participate in a mandatory placement known as a continuity of care placement for a unit in a course of study in midwifery; and
(c) an eligible nursing prac student of a higher education provider for a year is an eligible prac student of the provider who, during the year, must participate in a mandatory placement for a unit in a course of study in nursing; and
(d) an eligible social work prac student of a higher education provider for a year is an eligible prac student of the provider who, during the year, must participate in a mandatory placement for a unit in a course of study in social work; and
(e) an eligible teaching (bachelor) prac student of a higher education provider for a year is an eligible prac student of the provider who, during the year, must participate in a mandatory placement for a unit in a course of study that leads to the award of a bachelor degree in teaching; and
(f) an eligible teaching (master’s) prac student of a higher education provider for a year is an eligible prac student of the provider who, during the year, must participate in a mandatory placement for a unit in a postgraduate course of study that leads to the award of a master’s degree in teaching; and
(g) an exceptional circumstances student of a higher education provider for a year is an eligible prac student of the provider:
(i) who during the year, must participate in a mandatory placement for a unit in a course of study in midwifery, nursing, social work or teaching; and
(ii) to whom the provider is satisfied that exceptional circumstances apply, such that, because of their exceptional circumstances, the student is unable to meet the requirements in subsection 86(3) in relation to the mandatory placement.
Note: The Minister has the power under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act, to impose further conditions on grants, including conditions on when a higher education provider can be satisfied that the student had ‘exceptional circumstances’.
85 Conditions that apply to grant—general
A higher education provider must only use the grant for a year to:
(a) make payments to eligible prac students of the provider for the year under section 86; and
(b) administer payments made under section 86 (whether for that year or another year).
Note: The Minister can impose other conditions on grants, including conditions on reporting, under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act.
86 Conditions that apply to grant—payments to eligible prac students
Higher education provider to provide information to students
(1) A higher education provider must provide, in writing, information about the Commonwealth Prac Payment program to each student of the provider that the provider anticipates will become an eligible prac student in relation to an eligible prac unit to be delivered by the provider, as soon as practicable after the student enrols in the unit.
(2) The information must include details of students’ eligibility for payments under the program, and how to apply for those payments.
Payments to students who satisfy means test etc.
(3) Subject to subsection (9) and section 87, a higher education provider must pay an amount equal to the weekly Austudy rate to each eligible prac student who has applied for payments under the Commonwealth Prac Payment program in relation to each week that:
(a) the student:
(i) participates, or has participated, in a mandatory placement for an eligible prac unit of the provider for the number of hours advised by the provider for that week, consistent with subsection (8); or
(ii) participates, or has participated, in a mandatory placement for a course of study in midwifery known as a continuity of care placement which prevents the student from being able to maintain paid work due to the need to ensure their availability during the placement; and
(b) satisfies subsection (4).
Note: If a provider does not make payments under this subsection in a year that at least equal the provider’s student prac payments amount for the year, its grant amount for the year is reduced under subsection 83(3).
(4) An eligible prac student satisfies this subsection if:
(a) the student is in receipt of an income support payment (within the meaning of subsection 23(1) of the Social Security Act 1991); or
(b) the student is in receipt of a tertiary education allowance paid under sections 3.3, 3.5, 3.6 or 3.6A of the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme (an instrument made under subsection 117(3) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986); or
(c) the student is in receipt of a tertiary education allowance paid under sections 3.3, 3.5 or 3.6 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme 2004 (an instrument made under subsection 258(5) of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004); or
(d) the student is in receipt of an amount identified as a ‘Living Allowance’, which has been appropriated under subsection 55A(1) of the Student Assistance Act 1973; or
(e) the student:
(i) in the four study period weeks immediately prior to the student commencing their mandatory placement, or in the four study period weeks immediately prior to the student applying to the provider for the payments under the Commonwealth Prac Payment program (whichever is earlier), worked on average more than 15 hours a week; and
(ii) earned, derived or received an income (including amounts of scholarships from the Commonwealth, States and Territories) of less than $1500 per week before tax, on average over that period.
Payments to exceptional circumstances students
(5) Subject to subsection (9) and section 87, a higher education provider must pay an amount equal to the weekly Austudy rate to each eligible prac student who has applied for payments under the Commonwealth Prac Payment program in relation to each week that the student is an exceptional circumstances student.
Note 1: The effect of section 83 is that payments under this subsection will be made out of the student prac payments amount of the grant.
Note 2: The Minister has the power under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act, to impose further conditions on grants, including conditions on the number of students that a higher education provider can be satisfied are exceptional circumstances students, or that the provider cannot be satisfied that a student is an exceptional circumstances student if doing so will result in the provider paying amounts in relation to ‘exceptional circumstances students’ above a certain amount.
Timing of payments to students
(6) Unless conditions imposed on the provider under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act provide otherwise, a higher education provider must make a payment to a student under subsections (3) or (5) by the later of:
(a) the end of the month in which the student applied for payments under the Commonwealth Prac Payment program; and
(b) the end of the month in which the last day of the week to which the payment relates occurred.
(7) The higher education provider must inform the department if the provider becomes aware that they will not be able to make a payment to a student in the timeframes specified in subsection (6).
Note: The notification by the provider under this subsection will give the Minister the opportunity to consider whether to exercise the power to impose conditions under subsection 41-25(2), to enable the provider to make a payment to a student outside of the timeframes specified in subsection (6).
Advice to students about hours in their mandatory placement for a week
(8) For the purposes of subparagraph (3)(a)(i), a higher education provider must advise the student of the number of hours the student must participate in their mandatory placement in each week, and those hours must total an average of 30 hours or more a week for the duration of the placement.
When a higher education provider must not make a payment to a student for a week
(9) A higher education provider must not make a payment to a student for a week under subsection (3) if:
(a) the week to which the payment relates commences before 1 July 2025 but includes 1 July 2025; and
(b) subparagraph (3)(a)(i) applies to the student; and
(c) counting only the days in the week starting on 1 July 2025, the number of hours the student participates, or participated, in a mandatory placement for the week is less than the number of hours advised by the provider under subsection (8).
87 Maximum payment to a student
The maximum number of weeks in relation to which a higher education provider can make a payment under subsections 86(3) or (5) to an eligible prac student in relation to the student’s participation in mandatory placements for a course of study is as follows:
(a) for a course of study in midwifery—26;
(b) for course of study in nursing—20;
(c) for a course of study in social work—26;
(d) for a course of study that leads to the award of a bachelor degree in teaching—16;
(e) for a postgraduate course of study that leads to the award of a master’s degree in teaching—12.
88 Indexation
The amount of income earned, derived or received specified in subparagraph 86(4)(e)(ii) is indexed on 1 January 2026, and each subsequent 1 January, using the method set out in Part 5-6 of the Act.