The $1 billion spent compensating universities for students who weren’t
The Australian federal government has allocated over $1 billion to compensate universities for students who did not attend classes under a scheme aimed at addressing under-enrolment. This funding was intended to provide stability during the pandemic, as there were concerns about a significant drop in domestic student numbers. Despite initial fears, there was a surge in demand for higher education in 2021, leading to significant payouts to various universities.
- ▪The compensation scheme was introduced in 2020 and continued until early 2026.
- ▪James Cook University, the University of Tasmania, and the University of the Sunshine Coast each received over $100 million.
- ▪The University of NSW received $23 million, while the University of Sydney and the University of Western Sydney received $10 million and $20 million, respectively.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Sydney Morning Herald.