Commonwealth Grant Scheme (CGS)

On 19 October 2020, the Australian Parliament passed legislation for the Job-ready Graduates Package (the package) of reforms to higher education. Changes proposed in this package affect student contributions and provide additional support for students in regional and remote Australia. The majority of these changes will commence on 1 January 2021.

We encourage both current and new students who will be studying from 1 January 2021 to talk to their current or intended higher education provider to confirm how these changes may affect their individual circumstances. Further information can be found on the Job-ready Graduates Package page.

More information on the additional support for students in regional and remote areas, including the new Tertiary Access Payment and the guaranteed Commonwealth Supported places for Indigenous students can be found on the More opportunities for regional students page.

Through the Commonwealth Grant Scheme (CGS), the Australian Government subsidises tuition costs for higher education students across a wide range of discipline areas and qualification levels. Since the beginning of 2012, public universities have been able to decide how many domestic students they enrol in bachelor level courses (excluding medicine). However, the level of funding for 'Commonwealth supported places' (CSPs) is limited  at a level determined by the Minister for Education.

For 'designated' courses of study the Government provides funding to public universities for an agreed number of CSPs in a given year. All other providers (non-Table A providers) are funded for CSPs based on allocations by the Government.

Each higher education provider that receives CGS funding has entered into a funding agreement with the Commonwealth. These funding agreements are available here:

• Higher education providers' 2024-2025 Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding agreements
• Non-University Higher Education Providers' 2021-2022 Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding agreements
• Higher education providers' 2021-2023 funding agreements
• Non-University Higher Education Providers' 2021 Commonwealth Grant Scheme short course funding agreements
• Non-University Higher Education Providers' 2020 Commonwealth Grant Scheme short course funding agreements
• Higher education providers' 2018 - 2020 Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding agreements
• Higher education providers' 2017 Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding agreements
• Higher education providers' 2014-2016 Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding agreements
• Higher education providers' 2013 Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding agreements