University students have been promised action to help with their cost of living, as the government prepares to release the first wave of reforms to the sector.
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Education Minister Jason Clare will release the Australian Universities Accord interim report in a speech to the National Press Club.
Mr Clare said the cost of transport and housing was a barrier to many people gaining a tertiary education.
"I want to make sure that you don't have to live within a 10km radius of the CBD to get a crack at going to university," he said on Tuesday.
"The evidence shows that postcode is a massive barrier for young people getting that chance.
"Whether it means moving from the regions to the cities, or whether it's the long commute to get to university or needing to move into the city to rent, we need to break down that barrier."
As a step towards easing pressure, the Albanese government has announced the establishment of regional and suburban university study hubs at a cost of $66.9 million.
It was the first priority identified in the interim report, which the minister will address in more depth on Wednesday.
The Department of Education will run an independent process to determine where the hubs are located.
They will be in areas without a significant university campus and where the percentage of the population with tertiary qualifications is low.
The hubs will provide computers, internet and study spaces, as well as in-person academic skills support for students.
Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said the opportunity to attend higher education must be available to everyone, regardless of where they live.
"That is what these hubs in the outer suburbs and the regions will help with," she said.
"Australia continues to grapple with major skill shortages across the entire economy, which is one compelling reason why we need to draw on the talents and skills of all Australians."
National Union of Students president Bailey Riley said the hubs were a positive step, but more financial relief was needed.
Ms Riley said the student payment rate needed to be lifted, and degrees made more affordable.
"We have students facing cost-of-living pressures and dropping to part-time study," she said.
The final report of the Universities Accord will be released by the end of the year.
Australian Associated Press
