Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) 2022

# Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Bill ## What it does This bill changes the rules for university students who started their courses before 2021 and are now moving on to honours degrees or new qualifications. It also creates special debt forgiveness arrangements for health workers (like doctors and nurses) in rural and remote areas. The changes came into effect the day after the bill received Royal Assent. ## Why it matters Students who started university under the old funding system can now progress to honours degrees without losing their existing discount rates. Health professionals in isolated communities get help managing their university debts, which might encourage them to stay in areas where they're badly needed. ## Key details - **Who it affects**: "Grandfathered" students (those who started before 1 January 2021) who now want to do honours degrees after finishing their first course, plus rural and remote health practitioners with student loans - **The main change**: Students completing an old course and moving straight into a related honours degree keep their original funding terms rather than switching to newer, potentially more expensive arrangements - **Discontinued courses**: If a university stops offering a course, students in it are still treated as grandfathered students rather than losing their protected status

🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament