Kiwis keep subsidised student fees in Australia

Kiwis studying at Australian universities will retain their access to government-subsidised fees.

The Australian Government has scrapped legislation that would have seen a significant fees rise for New Zealanders studying in Australia, after the bill stalled in the Senate.

Australia would go ahead with some reforms that were part of its higher-education reforms, but none that required legislation.

A spokesman for Australian Education Minister Simon Birmingham said this meant there would be no student fee increases, and there would be no changes for New Zealanders and permanent residents. On average, Australian taxpayers would continue to pick up more than half of the course costs for Commonwealth- supported places, the spokesman said.

University fees for New Zealanders studying at university in Australia became an election issue after Labour leader Jacinda Ardern said she wouldn’t rule out retaliation if the Australian Government hiked Kiwis’ fees.

Australians studying in New Zealand were charged the same fees as domestic students.

The changes to the Australian Government’s Higher Education Reform Package was announced as part of its mid-year economic and fiscal outlook.

There would also be a freeze put on funding for the Commonwealth Grant Scheme bachelor courses. The freeze put on the Commonwealth Grant Scheme did not affect New Zealanders’ ability to access Australian Governmentsubsidised study.

More than 10,000 Kiwis study in Australia.