Anything that makes access to youth allowance easier will be good, says gap-year student Bailan McDonald.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Those applying for assistance currently need to prove independence for 18 months.
Mr McDonald said the Coalition’s pledge to reduce the criteria to 14 months would make a big difference.
Mr McDonald is one of many deferring university offers for financial reasons and knows how difficult it can be for rural and regional students to afford university.
The 19-year-old from Koroit deferred his degree this year and is now working to qualify for youth allowance in 2017.
“It’s a lot harder for us than metropolitan students,” Mr McDonald said. “I’ll already be studying and living in Ballarat before I can apply.”
