Student fees and loans
16 April 2019
Commonwealth Orange Book 2019: Policy priorities for the federal government
The winner of the 2019 federal election should defy the national mood of reform fatigue and stare down vested interests to pursue a targeted agenda to improve the lives of Australians. The Orange Book charts the policy priorities.
4 December 2016
Shared interest: a universal loan fee for HELP
A 15 per cent loan fee on all new tertiary education lending could save the Commonwealth $700 million a year and make HELP fairer and stronger.
14 June 2016
Orange Book 2016: priorities for the next Commonwealth Government
Australia faces many domestic policy challenges as the election looms. Yet a survey of seven years of Grattan Institute reports and policy proposals shows that a government prepared to forcefully articulate the public interest could win public support for a brave and powerful reform agenda.
28 March 2016
HELP for the future: fairer repayment of student debt
Reducing the thresholds at which former students repay HELP debt would increase repayments by $500 million a year. Without change, HELP costs will soar, putting other education programs in jeopardy.
1 November 2015
The cash nexus: how teaching funds research in Australian universities
More than $2 billion in surpluses from teaching are being used to fund research in Australian universities. Universities have powerful incentives to spend on research, but the benefits for students are less clear.
30 August 2015
University fees: what students pay in deregulated markets
Student fees now comprise a fifth of public university funding – almost $6 billion a year – and international students pay most of them. Despite often high fees, the market is growing.
6 April 2014
Doubtful debt: the rising cost of student loans
By 2017 the Government will have $13 billion of student loans on its books that it does not expect to collect. With modest reforms it could recoup $800 million a year while still meeting the loan scheme’s goals.
5 August 2012
Graduate Winners: Assessing the public and private benefits of higher education
Higher education tuition subsidies are generally too high. They benefit students who already gain a great advantage from higher education. It is time to find a funding model that makes better use of public funds.