This bill is currently before Parliament.
Education & skills
Students taking Society and CultureA university funding group covering specified subjects. subjects would face a maximum charge of $4,124 per unit, down from $15,142.
Dai Le (Independent), who introduced the bill, said the Job-ready Graduates schemeA policy using fees to influence course choices. — a policy using fees to steer course choices — had more than tripled arts and humanities fees. She argued students kept choosing these subjects and instead took on heavier debts. The explanatory memorandum says the bill would cut the maximum Society and CultureA university funding group covering specified subjects. charge from $15,142 to $4,124 per unit.
The Job-ready Graduates schemeA policy using fees to influence course choices. was already charging much more for Society and CultureA university funding group covering specified subjects., arts and humanities subjects than for STEM, on the assumption that higher prices would steer students into job-ready fields. Enrolments did not shift as intended, while students continued to carry the higher costs; after a July 2023 Universities Accord interim report called the fee structure damaging, Dai Le MP introduced this private bill to cut the maximum Society and CultureA university funding group covering specified subjects. contribution from $15,142 to $4,124 for units with census dates from 1 January 2025.
The supplied debate contains no criticism of the bill itself. Dai Le (Independent) criticised the existing fee policy for placing heavier costs on arts students, especially those from disadvantaged groups. Andrew Gee (Independent) said the policy changed very few course choices and produced an unfair student-loan system.
Dai Le MP introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from some crossbench members.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
347 days
Updated 07 Aug 2026.
Meaning
Students taking Society and CultureA university funding group covering specified subjects. subjects would face a maximum charge of $4,124 per unit, down from $15,142.
Students who began their studies under earlier fee rules would also have Society and CultureA university funding group covering specified subjects. moved into the lower-fee group.
Students in affected subjects would receive the change for units with a census dateThe enrolment deadline that fixes a student's fees. — the fee-setting enrolment deadline — on or after 1 January 2025.
Students would not receive the new rules until the day after royal assentFormal approval that turns a bill into law., when the Governor-General formally approves the bill.
The Higher Education Support Amendment (Fair Study and Opportunity) Bill 2025 amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to move subjects listed under ‘Society and Culture’ in table item 1 of ‘Maximum student contribution amounts for a place’ to table item 2. This will reduce the maximum amount that students can be charged by tertiary education institutions from $15,142 to $4,124 per student, per unit. The amendments made by this Schedule apply in relation to units of study with a census date on or after 1 January 2025.Higher Education Support Amendment (Fair Study and Opportunity) explanatory memorandum
2 Section 93‑10 (cell at table item 1, column headed “The amount in respect of a grandfathered student is:”, paragraph (b)) Omit “or Society and Culture”. 3 Section 93‑10 (cell at table item 2, column headed “For a place in a unit of study included in this funding cluster:”) After “Visual and Performing Arts,”, insert “Society and Culture,”. 4 Section 93‑10 (cell at table item 2, column headed “The amount in respect of a non‑grandfathered student is:”, paragraph (a)) After “English,”, insert “Society and Culture,”. 5 Section 93‑10 (cell at table item 2, column headed “The amount in respeHigher Education Support Amendment (Fair Study and Opportunity) introduced text
6 Application provision The amendments of section 93‑10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 made by this Schedule apply in relation to units of study with a census date on or after 1 January 2025.Higher Education Support Amendment (Fair Study and Opportunity) introduced text
2 Commencement (1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms. Commencement information Commencement Date/Details 1. The whole of this Act The day after this Act receives the Royal Assent. Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this Act.Higher Education Support Amendment (Fair Study and Opportunity) introduced text
Context
The Job-ready Graduates schemeA policy using fees to influence course choices. was already charging much more for Society and CultureA university funding group covering specified subjects., arts and humanities subjects than for STEM, on the assumption that higher prices would steer students into job-ready fields. Enrolments did not shift as intended, while students continued to carry the higher costs; after a July 2023 Universities Accord interim report called the fee structure damaging, Dai Le MP introduced this private bill to cut the maximum Society and CultureA university funding group covering specified subjects. contribution from $15,142 to $4,124 for units with census dates from 1 January 2025.
Universities Accord interim report calls the fee structure damaging
The interim report warned that the existing student-contribution settings were damaging and urged an urgent redesign.
Second reading speech ↗Proposed lower fees apply from 1 January 2025
The explanatory memorandum states that the proposed amendments would apply to units of study with census dates on or after this date.
Higher Education Support Amendment (Fair Study and Opportunity) explanatory memorandum ↗Dai Le MP introduces a bill to cut Society and CultureA university funding group covering specified subjects. fees
The private member’s bill was presented in the House of Representatives and proposed moving Society and CultureA university funding group covering specified subjects. subjects into the lower-fee category, reducing the maximum contribution from $15,142 to $4,124 per unit.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Second reading debate says higher fees failed to shift students to STEM
The debate argued that students kept choosing arts and humanities subjects despite fees more than three times higher than before, leaving them with heavier debts without the intended enrolment shift.
Hansard ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Key criticism
The supplied debate contains no criticism of the bill itself. Dai Le (Independent) criticised the existing fee policy for placing heavier costs on arts students, especially those from disadvantaged groups. Andrew Gee (Independent) said the policy changed very few course choices and produced an unfair student-loan system.
Both recorded speakers supported the bill. Gee also said he did not object to lower fees for science, technology, engineering and mathematics students.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Dai Le strongly supports the bill because it would reform the Job-ready Graduates fee system, which she says unfairly burdens arts and humanities students and deepens inequality, particularly for disadvantaged communities.
Read in Hansard ↗Andrew Gee supports the bill because it would make humanities, arts, culture and society studies more affordable and begin correcting the unfair student debt created by the failed Job-ready Graduates Package.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
2 speakers · 2 support
“This bill is about doing exactly that—correcting a deeply flawed system that disproportionately punishes students from disadvantaged communities. Students in Western Sydney and electorates like mine want to study subjects that inspire them; they deserve an education system that supports those dreams fairly.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Now, I certainly don't begrudge students studying STEM courses receiving lower course fees, and neither does the member for Fowler. I do, however, like the member for Fowler, question the effectiveness of the Job-ready Graduates Package. The evidence is that only a very small percentage of students changed their course selections as a result of the scheme being introduced, and it has also resulted in an inequitable and unfair student loans scheme. The Job-ready Graduates Package is a failure. It's a dud, and it needs to be overhauled. This bill is a step in the right direction towards greater fairness for uni students, and I'm very pleased to support it.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
