Charles Sturt University (CSU) has welcomed news of a breakthrough in the legislative impasse regarding crucial scholarships for university students, lifting a veil of uncertainty for many about financing their studies.Yesterday the Federal Government, the Greens, the Independents and the Coalition reached an accord on the details of the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Income Support for Students Bill, which the Senate is expected to pass today (Wednesday 17 March).
Once passed, the laws will allow scholarships will flow to eligible students from Thursday 1 April. Students who receive a Youth Allowance are eligible for a $1 300 scholarship this year and every year of their studies, indexed for inflation. For CSU students who had to move from very remote, remote or outer regional areas to study and whose parents earn less than $150 000 per annum, they will eligible for the existing independence test criteria.
“As Australia’s largest regional university and having 33 000 students, we welcome the accord as it creates greater financial certainty for many of our students to be able to participate in higher education,” Vice-Chancellor and President of CSU, Professor Ian Goulter, said.
“We acknowledge that rural and regional students experience significant barriers to participation in higher education. These financial and social costs are borne by students in uprooting themselves from their homes, family, work and social networks,” he said.
About a quarter of CSU’s domestic award students come from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This means more than 5 000 CSU students are expected to be eligible for the scholarship assistance.
“Our staff have been taking many calls from anxious students and their parents over this issue. With significant areas of NSW being under drought conditions for some time, the recent good rains and this good legislation make March a memorable month.
“Charles Sturt University is about enhancing participation in our professional education courses for rural and regional students through a broad course profile in both on campus and distance education mode, TAFE articulation and access pathways. Our mission is to provide education for jobs in the professions and to deliver on national priorities,” Professor Goulter said.
Click here to see the media release of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, the Hon. Julia Gillard, MP.
Click here to see the Universities Australia response to the announcement.
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