Demand-driven funding supports all First Nations students to go to university.
From 2021, the Australian Government guaranteed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from regional and remote areas a Commonwealth supported place.
This measure has been extended to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students regardless of location. Since 2024, all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Australia are guaranteed a Commonwealth supported place at a university of their choice, when accepted into their chosen non-medical course of study. From 2026 these arrangements will be extended to courses in medicine.
An eligible university place is:
- a non-designated, bachelor level course (other than medicine) at an Australian public university, or
- an undergraduate or postgraduate course in medicine at an eligible university (from 2026, pending passage of legislation).
The Australian Universities Accord process has highlighted the increased challenges First Nations students continue to experience, noting to meet the Closing the Gap target ‘by 2031, 70% of First Nations people have a tertiary qualification’, systemic barriers to participation need to be addressed.
Introducing demand driven funding for all First Nations students responds to Priority Action 3 of the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report.
Demand-driven funding for these students will have flow-on benefits for all First Nations communities across Australia by increasing the number of First Nations graduates in the workforce. It will help increase delivery of professional services and support other enterprises requiring university educated workforces. It will also increase the availability of role models in communities for increased aspiration to pursue further education.