South West Local Learning and Employment Network (LLEN) is renewing calls to increase support for rural and regional students taking on higher education.

Chief executive officer Toni Jenkins said country students were still at a disadvantage and feared the federal government push for university deregulation would make it worse.

“With the current debate about deregulating universities, we still have not got equality when it comes to access to post compulsory education in the south-west,” she said.

Ms Jenkins said South West LLEN was continuing to campaign for a policy targeted at making university more affordable for country students.

“After years of campaigning, it feels like our voice is falling on deaf ears,” she said.

“Changes are needed at a policy level. We know independent youth allowance is prohibitive and not working.”

Ms Jenkins estimates it cost country students $25,000 in out-of-pocket living expenses to move to the city. “Middle Australia doesn’t have access to that kind of cash,” she said. 

University offers were released this month and Ms Jenkins said many country students were either not entering their preferred course or were deferring their studies to work so they could afford it.

This backs up the latest Deferrring a University Offer in Victoria report, which recommends more support should be given to rural and regional students in the first 12 to 18 months of their transition to higher education.

“It’s great that some young people can go and achieve their dreams, but in the south-west we have double the number who cannot go to the course of their choice,” she said.

Ms Jenkins said the federal government’s proposed university deregulation would be another blow for regional students. 

“The more attractive courses will be more expensive and that means a double whammy for us,” she said. 

“It will dissuade people from aiming for their course of choice and it will put more pressure on them to look at low-cost courses.”