VET News

Supporting Australian Education Providers in Their Quest to Expand International Course Offerings

$53 million of targeted support is being provided to international education providers who are most affected by COVID-19 border closures.

Minister for Education and Youth, Alan Tudge, said that the measures would benefit thousands of domestic and international students, and Australian businesses who support local jobs as well as support those hardest hit by COVID-19.  This support will encourage providers to refocus their business models on Australian students and expand online as well as offshore course offerings.

The $53.6 million package of support measures targeted to English language and non-university higher education providers includes:

• $26.1 million for an extra 5000 short course places in 2021-22, so non-university higher education providers can attract more Australian students.
• $9.4 million to start an innovation fund that will offer grants of up to $150,000 for providers to grow offshore and online delivery.
• $17.7 million to further extend the pause on fees and charges from CRICOS (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students), TEQSA (Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency), and ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) until 31 December 2021.
• Further FEE-HELP loan fee exemptions for about 30,000 existing and prospective students until 31 December 2021.

“International students will be welcomed back when conditions allow, and these measures will support providers to maintain as much capacity as possible." Minister Tudge said. “In the meantime, the innovation grants will encourage providers to take advantage of growing domestic student numbers and deliver more education online to international students offshore."

The $26.1 million package for 5000 short course places for domestic students at non-university higher education providers (NUHEPs) is being allocated to support the number of enrolments for Semester 2 in 2021.  This, in addition to the 2500 short course places already allocated to NUHEPs this year, brings the total number of short courses places to 7500 in 2021.

NUHEPs interested in seeking an allocation of Commonwealth supported places (CSPs) to deliver short higher education courses in any field of education in Semester 2, 2021, are invited to apply to the department by 16 May 2021 to ensure courses can be delivered from Semester 2 2021.

NUHEPs submitting an EOI are required to provide the following: 

• evidence of the financial impact arising from the decline in international student enrolments on the institution in 2020 that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic
• number of places sought 
• proposed courses, by undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and modality (in person or online) and whether the course already has been approved by TEQSA
• timing of course delivery
• minimum viable offer of places for the NUHEP. 

To see the Ministers' Media Centre Release  and for further information on how to apply for a Commonwealth support place click the links below:

• Ministers' Media Centre Release
• Semester 2, 2021 Short courses for NUHEPs

Date posted May 6, 2021