Additional postgraduate and sub-bachelor student places in Australian universities

2013-11-26

 The Minister for Education, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today announced a boost to postgraduate and sub-bachelor student places in Australian universities.

“Over the next four years, 1,500 more places will be available for people undertaking postgraduate nursing and allied health specialities, part of a $62 million investment in a total of 4,902 new places,” Mr Pyne said.

“Almost 2,000 new places will be available for students undertaking diplomas of language, and 1,000 places for students undertaking tertiary preparation programmes.”

Mr Pyne said more places for nursing and allied health meant more highly trained health professionals to support Australia’s ageing population.

“The Government has paid particular attention in allocating places to support universities that are serving regions with a high need for trained professionals in skills shortage occupations,” Mr Pyne said.

“We have allocated places for diploma-level language courses to encourage more people to study a second language.

“The government is especially keen for students to take up opportunities to study an Asian language,” Mr Pyne said.

The Government is also targeting funding to support student places in Western Australian universities because of a State Government decision more than a decade ago to change the school entry age.

“The decision in 2001 means there will be a reduced number of students entering university in 2015,” Mr Pyne said.

“This will impact on Western Australian universities’ operations for several years.

“That’s why we will allocate 430 places to Western Australian universities in 2014 to help them prepare for the impact of this reduced number of students.

“With these additional places, Western Australian universities will be able to offer more students the opportunity to undertake a tertiary preparation program in 2014 so they can move into a bachelor degree program in 2015.”