November 2, 2018
IRU opposes ‘cost recovery’ for HELP operational costs
The Innovative Research Universities (IRU) opposes the government’s plan to levy a higher education provider charge.
The higher education provider charge is to be created through the Higher Education Support (Charges) Bill 2018 and required to be paid through the Higher Education Support Amendment (Cost Recovery) Bill 2018.
The Higher Education Loans Program (HELP) is a scheme that assists Australians who pay a student contribution for a Commonwealth support place, to pay higher education fees or to study overseas for short periods.
Australia’s HELP scheme is essential for maintaining access to higher education for all Australians with no upfront payments. Universities facilitate students to access HELP, bearing costs in the process. These costs include liaising with government departments and processing student applications for HELP.
