Job-ready university degrees that will be cheaper next year attracted the highest growth in student numbers in 2020.
More Australians applied to study vocational university degrees in 2020, with growth in applications of:
• Agriculture, environmental and related studies up 10.8 per cent
• Information technology up 9.8 per cent
• Natural and physical sciences up 3.1 per cent, and
• Education up 2 per cent.
From 2021, those degrees will be cheaper for students under the Morrison Government’s Job-ready Graduates package.
Applications for undergraduate courses increased by 0.9 per cent for the 2020 academic year, following falls of 1.3 per cent in 2019 and 2.6 per cent in 2018.
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the Undergraduate Applications, Offers and Acceptances 2020 report published today reflected data from before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This data is from another time because we know the COVID-19 recession will lead to even more Australians applying for university in 2021,” Mr Tehan said.
“Our Government has taken action to meet that demand by creating up to 30,000 additional places at university for Australian students next year through our Job-ready Graduates package and this year’s budget, as well as more than $250 million for 50,000 short course places next year.
“Our reforms will make it cheaper to study in areas of expected job growth, and the report shows growth in applications was strongest for vocationally oriented courses, which means students are already choosing to study in national priority areas.
“Universities in regional Australia recorded the biggest growth in applications of 3.3 per cent, and the Job-ready Graduates package will provide faster growth in the number of student places at those universities as well as an additional $400 million in support for regional students and regional universities.”
