This instrument is the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Higher Education Continuity Guarantee) Guidelines 2024.

This instrument commences the day after this instrument is registered.

3 Authority

This instrument is made under section 238-10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

4 Schedules

Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendments

Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Guidelines 2022

1 Part 8 (heading)

Repeal the heading, substitute:

Part 8—Grants to promote equality of opportunity in higher education, and to assure and enhance the quality of Australia’s higher education sector—Higher Education Continuity Guarantee

2 After Part 8 (heading)

Insert:

Division 1—Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Quality

3 Subsection 60(1)

After “Higher Education Continuity Guarantee”, insert “ – Quality”.

4 Subsection 60(2)

After “Higher Education Continuity Guarantee”, insert “ – Quality”.

5 Section 62

After “Higher Education Continuity Guarantee”, insert “ – Quality”.

6 After section 63

Insert:

Division 2—Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Equity

63A Program objectives

(1) The Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Equity is specified as a program for the purpose of promoting equality of opportunity in higher education, under item 1 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act.

(2) The objective of the Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Equity is to provide grants to assist higher education providers with attracting and providing support to the following cohorts of students to participate and succeed in higher education (equity cohorts):

(a) students from low socio-economic backgrounds;

(b) students from regional and remote areas of Australia;

(d) Indigenous persons; and

(e) students with disability.

63B Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility

(1) Bodies corporate that have entered into a funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act for 2024 and 2025, are specified as a body corporate eligible for a grant under this program.

(2) A Table A provider must have entered into a funding agreement under section 30-25 of Part 2-2 of the Act for 2024 and 2025, to be eligible for a grant under this program.

(3) A Table A provider, or a body corporate referred to in subsection (1), must have developed an ‘Equity Plan’ as described under the relevant funding agreement referred to in subsections (1) and (2).

63C Grants to be made in respect of projects

Grants under the Higher Education Continuity Guarantee – Equity are made in respect of projects.

63D Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined

The Minister will determine the grant amount for a higher education provider in writing under paragraph 41-30(b) of the Act.

63E Conditions that apply to grants

(1) A grant to a higher education provider under the program must be used to achieve the program objective as set out in subsection 63A(2).

(2) Grants under the program must be used to support and fund initiatives that support equity cohorts.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), the initiatives that support equity cohorts include but are not limited to:

(a) outreach and pre-access activities aimed at attracting equity cohorts to enrol and participate in higher education;

(b) initiatives that promote access and participation by equity cohorts;

(d) providing support to equity cohorts to assist with the cost of higher education, such as providing scholarships or bursaries, assistance with accommodation or other living expenses;

(e) providing emergency cost-of-living support to equity cohorts so that those students are able to continue to participate in higher education;

(f) providing student belonging services and engagement services and support, including services that assist equity cohorts in areas such as career planning, employability and job readiness;

(g) exploring innovative delivery models that would benefit equity cohorts;

(h) initiatives that address barriers to student success to promote completion of higher education courses by equity cohorts and assist those students in completing their higher education courses on-time;

(i) initiatives that support students in equity cohorts in accessing work-integrated learning;

(j) initiatives that support equity cohorts in their transition from higher education to employment;

(k) capital works, including construction or upgrades to capital and infrastructure, if the construction or upgrade is for the purpose of improving access and outcomes for equity cohorts;

(l) transport services specifically designed to assist equity cohorts;

(m) capital, infrastructure and equipment related initiatives that improve the provider’s capacity to provide online, remote or other innovative learning environments; and

(n) initiatives to improve curriculum development to make courses of study more inclusive.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (2), an initiative is not an initiative that supports equity cohorts if the initiative has been funded using grant amounts received by the grant recipient under Part 2-3 of the Act.

(5) The grant recipient must seek approval from the Department if the recipient is seeking to use grant funds for initiatives that support equity cohorts that are not listed in subsection (3).

(6) Grant funds for a project under the program must be fully expended by the grant recipient on the initiatives as consistent with subsection (2) and (3), by the end of the following calendar year after the last grant payment for the project was made.

(7) The grant recipient must provide reports to the Department, if required by conditions imposed under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act.

Note: The Minister has the power under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act, to impose further conditions on grants, including conditions on reporting.