About 1,500 more Australians will be able to take up fee-free Uni-Ready courses next year, with Education Minister Jason Clare saying the move is part of “breaking down that invisible barrier that stops a lot of people getting to uni.”
The Government is expanding the preparatory programs—designed to give students the skills and confidence to start a university degree—after the Universities Accord recommended a significant boost in funding. Clare said the expansion is essential because “the Universities Accord says that by 2050, 80 per cent of the workforce will need a tertiary qualification,” adding that “the only way to hit that target is to help more people go to TAFE and university.”
To meet this goal, the Government will invest an extra $1 billion over the next decade to widen access to the short bridging courses. Total investment in fee-free Uni-Ready places is expected to reach $173 million in 2026, enabling nearly 25,000 people to enrol that year. By 2030, participation is forecast to rise to about 30,000.
Clare said the free courses “give you the skills you need to succeed when you get to university,” describing them as transformative opportunities rather than mere training programs. “It’s not just a free course. It changes lives,” he said.
The push to lift enrolments aligns with the Government’s target of increasing the number of students taking these preparatory programs by 40 per cent by 2030 and doubling the figure by 2040.
At the same time, the Government is increasing the number of university places overall. The Australian Tertiary Education Commission will allocate an additional 9,500 commencing domestic places to universities next year, meaning more Australians will begin a degree than ever before.
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