Equal Access to Education

For many rural and regional students in Australia, relocation for university isn't a choice.

Via Edwards always knew she wanted to go to university but, growing up in the rural Victorian town of Cohuna, she wasn’t sure if this dream could become a reality.

Immigrating from the Philippines when she was only ten, she thought her struggles regarding moving and educational access were all behind her.

“I remember moving to Cohuna, and being so excited for school. I started envisioning what my future could look like in Australia.”

Ms Edwards said that when the time came to graduate high school and begin choosing universities, she was startled at the lack of courses offered nearby.

“I knew early on that I wanted to study architecture or building design, but the closest university hub was in Bendigo and they didn’t even offer those courses. I had no choice but to move to Melbourne.”

Ms Edwards knew that this move would take an emotional and financial toll on her, as she would have to support herself in an unfamiliar place.

There can be many reasons why fewer country kids go onto uni, with the financial impact of leaving home and studying a key issue.

Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker has collected data from over 18,000 Australians. The results show that students are struggling significantly more with their finances than those working full-time, and a majority have to fully support themselves.

The data found that the average full-time student earns only $16,310 per year.

The financial stress of attending university is higher with rural and regional students, as they have no choice but to pay accommodation and relocation costs.

With rental prices increasing in all of the major cities, not only is it proving to be difficult to secure a rental, but it is more expensive.

Ms Edwards said she was very lucky to receive an accommodation scholarship for her first year of university.

“I got a discounted price on student accommodation which was so helpful. Without it, there was no way I would be able to afford the rental prices.”

Despite this aid, Ms Edwards said that the scholarship was only for a year, and when it came time to move out, she realised how disadvantaged she was.

“I am grateful to be able to receive Youth Allowance, but that only just covers my rent. I am working part-time and am still only barely able to afford my bills, groceries and have time to complete my studying.”

She said, “I am overwhelmed. I wish I had the option to live with my parents or family. It would make my life so much easier.”

Ms Edwards said that working and studying is a hard balance to manage.

“I need to work to survive, but if I work too much, I am sacrificing my university work and quality.”

The cost of relocating also comes with an emotional price tag.

Ms Edwards said that from a young age, she has always been close with her family.

“My family is my life. I adore them and the thought of being over 3 hours away from them ruined me. I don’t understand how people who had to move further from home coped.”

She recollected that on the first day alone in Melbourne, she had never felt more alone.

“I was in this big city, with no family, no friends, no support network. I had no one to turn to."

She said she was overcome with anxiety and stress, unable to go home as the pandemic began to worsen.

“I didn’t even need to move”, she said. “All of my classes were online, and I was paying all this money to live in a city when I couldn’t even leave my building.”

Regional young people are around 20 percent less likely to go onto further study post-high school.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in May 2021, 48.6% of people aged 25 to 34 years in major cities had a bachelor degree or above, compared with 26.9% in inner regional areas, 21.1% in outer regional areas, and approximately 16.6% in remote and very remote areas.

How will regional hubs help?

While there are many incentives and grants available for regional and rural students moving to major cities, many necessitate a degree in skills shortage areas like education, health, engineering and technology.

Access to any educational goal should be a right given to all Australians.

By introducing more regional campuses around Australia, there is an added incentive for local people to enrol in courses where location and travel is the main deterrent.

The expansion of the centres could also mean the offering of a variety of courses to more campuses. Currently, many courses offered by universities are only accessible in the city campuses.

Regional university centres play a pivotal role in the economic, social and cultural development of the regions they serve around Australia.

In addition to providing jobs, regional universities collaborate with local industries to innovate, fill gaps in regional health care, and help Indigenous students gain access to higher education.

A growing and ageing Australian population necessitates well-prepared young Australians to be able to participate in the future workforce, one in which tertiary education in some form is a prerequisite for successful participation, and where new skills and knowledge will be in constant demand.