Students’ huge debts

TEN Queensland students have racked up more than $2 million in HECS/HELP debts between them.

Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham said professional students amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt for their university degrees “that they never expect to repay”.

The $225,000 bill racked up by one student was the equivalent of eight four-year nursing or teaching degrees, 11 arts degrees or three six-year medical degrees.

The figures were revealed as the Federal Government attempted to get its higher education reforms through the fractious Senate this week.