CHANGES to Youth Allowance application criteria will allow south-west students to begin university sooner.
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From January 1, 2017 those applying for independent financial assistance may only wait 14 months instead of 18 months to qualify.
As a result, year-12 students who graduate this year could qualify as an independent by early 2018.
Member for Wannon Dan Tehan said without these changes, the region’s youth were disadvantaged and had to wait up to two years if they studied away from home.
In an interview with The Standard, Mr Tehan said he was “100 per cent committed” to improving access to tertiary education for rural and regional students.
Changes to the criteria were announced as part of an $83 million reform pledged by the coalition this year.
Mr Tehan said the promise was “still on track” and something he would continue to work towards.
“This is absolutely vital,” he said. “It will reduce the time required to qualify as an independent. It’s one of the most important things that we’ve been pushing for.”
Warrnambool graduate Sam Alexander said the 18-month gap was the reason some students didn’t continue studying. “Eighteen months plays into two years and people think, ‘do I really want to go back?” he said.
Brauer College year 12 coordinator and father Paul McFadden said at present, even two-income earning households were finding university out of reach.
Students who do not qualify based on their parents income have to earn a specific amount in 18 months to be considered independent.
“My wife and I both work and we often look at each other and think ‘how the hell are we going to do this? It’s even harder for single parents and for those kids with no family.”
South West Local Learning and Employment chief executive officer Toni Jenkins said the cost was ‘extraordinarily prohibitive’ to most families.
Ms Jenkins said access to education wasn’t equal between rural and metropolitan youth.
“Many young people do not aspire to complete year 12 or equivalent as they know they cannot continue with their education,” she said. “They know their family financial situation and often save their parents the pain by just not nominating to go.”
Ms Jenkins said families weren’t going to “shame themselves” and say ‘I can’t afford to educate my kids.”