Scholarships worth up to $15,000 per year are on offer to support domestic and international students to study in regional universities.
From today, eligible tertiary education providers can apply for funding to offer up to 480 new scholarships to students to study and live in regional Australia in 2023 through the Destination Australia Program.
Assistant Minister for Education, Senator Anthony Chisholm, said the fourth round of the successful program will focus on recharging the international education sector and will provide more opportunities for students to enrol in areas of identified skills shortages.
"This round of the Destination Australia program will support more students, near and far, to consider studying at one of our many high-quality education providers in regional Australia," Assistant Minister Chisholm said.
"Preference will be given to providers supporting students to study courses aligned with the Australian Government's National Skills Priority List.
"We need more students studying in priority areas like education, health, engineering and technology, and the fourth round of the program will support more domestic and international students to take up these opportunities."
Since its launch in 2020, the Destination Australia program has supported more than 1800 domestic and international scholarship recipients, pumping almost $19.5 million into regional communities across the country each year.
Assistant Minister Chisholm said the fourth round will also focus on boosting participation of groups currently under-represented in tertiary education.
"All Australians, no matter where you come from, deserve access to quality educational opportunities," Assistant Minister Chisholm said.
"That is why scholarships will be prioritised for domestic students studying in areas of skills needs from under-represented groups, including those from a low-socio economic background, first in family, those living with a disability and First Nations people."
Destination Australia scholarships are valued at up to $15,000 per student, per year, and will be available to students undertaking studies ranging from a Certificate IV through to a PhD for up to four years in regional areas.
