Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a new population policy on Wednesday which aims to ease pressure on Australia's capital cities, while growing smaller cities.

Warrnambool campus director Alistair McCosh said incentives, including new tertiary scholarships, would benefit students while growing the campus and the region.

The new scholarships aim to attract Australian and international students to study in regional areas. They're worth $15,000 will be available to more than 1000 domestic and international students annually. 

Mr McCosh said any incentives that recognised the need to attract students to regional campuses and communities was positive.

"If you look at the numbers, three per cent (of international students) come to regional area and 97 per cent to the large metros," Mr McCosh said. "We have capacity but we've just got to get them here. Once we get them here we really support them.

"Any financial incentive for students to come and study in Warrnambool is welcomed."

Mr McCosh said both international and domestic students had financial burdens.

"If they don't have funding to support it, they may not study at all or they take on extra part-time work that then impacts on their study. So if we can see some students who are really in financial need secure those scholarships that's a real bonus."

Another new policy incentive will give international students studying at regional universities access to an additional year in Australia on a post-study work visa.

"A lot of international students have fed that through to us and saying how can you support us in helping to extend our visa arrangement." Mr McCosh said. 

"They ultimately want to get work and by getting work they stand a chance to secure ongoing full-time work  and have the chance to live and work in our region post their degree.

"A lot of them do want to stay to get the experience. It might be for five years or it might be lifelong," he said. 

"We've got international students that have been living here for a decade because they love it and they get good employment.

"Any of those opportunities is really welcomed from our point of view, it just helps grow the campus." 

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.