THE Regional Universities Network (RUN) has welcomed changes to Youth Allowance which will make it easier for rural and regional students to go to university.
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The changes, passed by the Federal Parliament last week, mean that the Family Actual Means Test and Family Asset Test will be removed from the Youth Allowance Personal Test from the beginning of next year.
An income test will still apply but all dependent children will be taken into consideration in that assessment which the government says will "soften reductions in Youth Allowance" as family income increases.
The Chair of RUN, professor Jan Thomas, said the changes mean that more regional students will qualify for Youth Allowance to help them go to university.
“Far fewer regional Australians attend university compared to people in capital cities. The changes to Youth Allowance are great news and will encourage more people from the regions to pursue higher education,” professor Thomas said.
“Regional Australians who receive an offer to go to university are more than twice as likely to defer, due to financial pressures, compared to metropolitan Australians. Providing more regional students access to Youth Allowance will help.
“It is critical to grow the proportion of educated professionals working in the regions, if regional Australia is to fully be part of an innovative economy in the national interest,” Professor Thomas said.
“Students who attend university in regional Australia stay and work the regions. Living costs in regional Australian towns are well below that in capitals, and offer an attractive option for students."