Arts degrees will remain at a cost of $50,000 until at least 2028, as the new head of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (Atec), Barney Glover, confirmed he will not recommend interim measures to reduce fees under the Job-ready Graduates (JRG) scheme, despite labeling the program a failure.
Background of the Job-ready Graduates Scheme
The JRG scheme, introduced by the Morrison government, slashed fees for science and mathematics courses to encourage enrollment in STEM subjects, while significantly increasing costs for arts and humanities degrees. Critics argue this has led to a decline in enrollments from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in arts subjects, warning of a segregated higher education system.
Data from Innovative Research Universities, released in February, found that the JRG scheme resulted in a $1.2 billion reduction in Commonwealth funding in 2024 compared to pre-JRG settings. Base funding for universities was $813 million lower in 2024, despite increased student contributions.
Glover's Stance and Timeline
Glover told Guardian Australia he would provide advice on degree funding to the government in the second half of next year. He acknowledged the frustration of those seeking immediate action, stating, "Our mandate is to get compelling evidence for change at a time when governments, not just here in Australia, but around the world, are under pressure in terms of investment in education." He had previously told The Australian in May, "It's clear the JRG reforms have failed."
The timeline has raised concerns. Western Sydney University vice-chancellor George Williams said, "The longer it takes to fix Job-ready Graduates, the longer it is that students will be paying unfair fees and taking on unreasonable debt. This needs to be fixed urgently so every Australian has the opportunity to further their education."
Political and Sector Reactions
Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi called for immediate action, saying, "We should be making uni fee-free, just like it was for the prime minister. Instead we've got Labor dragging their heels on the easiest of reforms."
Nearly 20% fewer lower socioeconomic students are studying law under the JRG scheme, according to reports, prompting calls to scrap the Morrison-era program.
International Student Numbers and Diversification
Glover, who will also allocate international student numbers to universities next year, warned that the international student boom is over. He noted that numbers are flatlining due to government caps, but believes this will end instability in the sector. "Universities at the moment should be carefully planning on stability in international education, rather than growth, and they certainly need to be looking at diversification," he said.
Between 2014 and 2019, international student numbers in Australia grew by about 10% annually. This fell dramatically from 2020 to 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic, before rising 27% in 2023. Recent years have seen a small decline across some universities, though NSW institutions increased intake by 7.5% between 2024 and 2025.
Reliance on International Students
A report by the WA auditor general, Caroline Spencer, released in May, highlighted concerns about universities' reliance on international students. She stated that all universities in Western Australia sat in the medium to high-risk exposure categories for reliance on overseas revenue. "This dependence is increasingly problematic given recent federal government migration policies aimed at managing international student numbers, which restricted the flow of international students into Western Australia in 2025," Spencer wrote.
