The Australian Government has committed to delivering a one-off boost of 20,000 commencing Commonwealth Supported Places, 10,000 places (EFTSL) to commence from 2023 and a further 10,000 to commence from 2024. The additional places will address skill shortages and give more students from under-represented backgrounds the opportunity to attain a higher education qualification.
The additional places will provide more opportunities for Australians to enrol to study in areas of national priority and skills need such as including nursing, teaching, engineering and technology.
These places will be provided for sub-bachelor and bachelor level courses focussed on increasing participation of students from low SES backgrounds; students from inner regional, outer regional, remote and very remote areas; students who are first in family to study at university; First Nations students and students with a disability.
Eligible providers
The following higher education providers are eligible to apply for an allocation of these CSPs:
- Australian universities as registered by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), including those listed at Table A and B of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA); or
- University colleges as registered by TEQSA; or
- Institutes of higher education as registered by TEQSA and for the purposes of subparagraph 30-1(1)(b)(i) of HESA listed in the Commonwealth Grant Scheme Guidelines 2020 for the purpose of receiving an allocation of CGS funding to increase the number of persons undertaking Education and Nursing courses of study (Chapter 3 – National Priorities (10)(a))
Applications
Applications for places will open on 17 August 2022 and close on 19 September 2022.
Applications must be submitted to CGS@education.gov.au. Information on the selection criteria and allocation process can be found in the program guidelines.
20,000 additional CSPs – FAQs for providers
For FAQs for providers regarding the 20,000 places measure and the application process please visit: https://www.dese.gov.au/higher-education-funding/resources/20000-additional-csps-faqs-providers
