Uni Students Who Fail Classes Will Lose HECS Access Under Government Reform

Here's how it'll work.

The federal government has revealed that students who fail more than half of their uni subjects in their first year will be cut from uni loans and subsidies under a major shake-up proposed for the higher education sector.

Federal Minister for Education Dan Tehan released a statement earlier today saying that students who fail more than 50 per cent of their classes after taking at least eight units in a Bachelor course will no longer be able to access a Commonwealth-supported place or a HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP loan.

Instead, they'd have to pay the full cost of their studies upfront if they want to continue. 

Mr Tehan said in the statement, "These measures will ensure students can't take on a study load they won't complete, leaving them without a qualification but a large debt." 

"The lack of transparency of a student's enrolment has allowed some non-genuine students to enrol and re-enrol at multiple providers at the same time."

In the statement, Mr Tehan gave examples of students enrolling at multiple universities at the same time, resulting in debts ranging from $220,000 up to $660,000. 

The statement also highlighted that there will be exemptions for special circumstances if students can demonstrate that they were adversely impacted by illness or bereavement. 

Additionally, if a student transfers to another course, the low completion rate will not be carried across with them.

The announcement has already been largely criticised on social media.

National Union of Students President, Molly Willmott, said in a statement, "While the government has said that this package will include leeway for universities to waive this punishment in illness or bereavement, in the midst of a recession that will impact young people hardest, this package fails to account for the reasons why students don't succeed at university." 

People have also started sharing their own personal experiences with failing uni classes, pointing out that students need encouragement more than anything. 

I failed hard for a while at uni. Not a point of pride, but finding my path to a first class honours after that happened is. If this was a thing when I was there it would have stopped me in my tracks before I found my calling. https://t.co/rC0gsY8gSJ

— Seamus Byrne (@seamus) August 13, 2020

This is unfairly punitive of those struggling to adjust to what, for some, is a massive culture change and life upheaval. I would not be where I was if these rules were in place in 2012.

— Rachel (@rachel_lansell) August 13, 2020

I got through uni by the skin of my teeth. Moving out of home at 17 and working full time to pay my bills with no parental support took its toll. My lecturers wouldn’t have known why I was always late/flustered.There’s already a limit on HECS-HELP borrowing- so why this? https://t.co/DZ59uCDDni

— Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) August 12, 2020

The Department of Education, Skills and Employment estimates the change will affect around 2500 people annually. 

A couple of months ago, the federal government also announced that the cost of studying humanities at uni is set to double, while "job-relevant" course fees will be decreased. 

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