Accord 2024-25 Budget Measures

As part of the 2024–25 Budget, the Government is delivering on reforms recommended by the Australian Universities Accord.

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This includes reforms to ease cost-of-living pressure on students, improve equity, and increase access to tertiary education opportunities for more Australians, particularly in outer suburban and regional areas.

The Government also announced three important structural reforms that are central to setting the tertiary education system up for the future: the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC), a Managed Growth Funding System, and demand-driven Needs-based Funding. Further details on these reforms were announced in the 2024-25 MYEFO.

Read the Australian Government's Accord Budget Summary

The Australian Government has listened to students’ concerns and will make HELP fairer by improving the way indexation is calculated so that HELP debts do not grow faster than wages in the future.

Tell me more about Higher Education Loan Program – fairer indexation

$427.4 million to introduce a new Commonwealth Prac Payment from 1 July 2025 to support eligible teaching, nursing and midwifery, and social work students in higher education and Vocational Education and Training as they undertake mandatory practicum placements.

Tell me more about New Commonwealth Prac Payment

$350.3 million in additional Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding over four years to deliver FEE-FREE Uni Ready courses to help more students who aspire to university gain the skills they need to participate.

The Australian Government will invest $27.7 million over 4 years to 2027-28 in a range of initiatives to drive harmonisation between the higher education and Vocational Education and Training (VET) sectors.

The Government has committed to establish the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) as an independent steward of Australia’s tertiary education system. The ATEC will work to drive growth and meet national skills needs through equity measures, and create a cohesive and diverse tertiary education system. Further details have been announced in the 2024-25 MYEFO.

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The Government will introduce a new funding system for Commonwealth supported places (CSPs), from 1 January 2026, to meet student demand, maintain sustainable growth and increase opportunity for people from under-represented backgrounds. Further details have been announced in the 2024-25 MYEFO.

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The Government will introduce new demand-driven Needs-based Funding to better support students from underrepresented backgrounds participate and succeed in higher education. Further details have been announced in the 2024-25 MYEFO.

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The Government will require higher education providers to allocate a minimum of 40% of the Student Services and Amenities Fee revenue to student-led organisations, including student associations, student unions and student guilds.

The Government will provide $24.6 million for Charles Darwin University to establish a medical school from 2026 to help build a health workforce to support the Northern Territory’s unique health challenges.

The Government will develop a new International Education and Skills Strategic Framework for a managed system to deliver sustainable growth over time, and to improve the quality and integrity of Australia’s international education sector.