Older students costing taxpayers

A boom in the number of mature-age students at the University of Tasmania (UTAS) could be costing taxpayers millions of dollars in unpaid HECS debts, according to a report by Matt Smith in the Hobart Mercury.

Conservative estimates suggest seniors using higher education to stimulate their minds are costing taxpayers $7.5 million a year.

The number of mature-age students enrolled at the university has more than doubled in the past five years.

A student studying a course such as nursing, teaching, social sciences, humanities or visual and performing arts would accumulate a debt of about $5,300 a year, or $15,900 at the completion of the course.

If 1,200 of the students were to complete a Band 1 degree, which attracts the second lowest level of debt – the combined debt over a three-year period would be around $19 million.

A spokeswoman for UTAS said because HECS debt was only recovered after a person’s yearly income exceeded $45,000 many of the mature-age students may never repay their debt.

“A person whose income remains below this threshold amount – a retiree or pensioner with limited income – may never need to repay the HECS debt,” she said.

The spokeswoman said a growing number of people were embracing the idea of lifelong learning. Almost 1,500 people over the age of 50 are studying at UTAS.

“People are taking the opportunity to undertake university study at different stages of their lives, whether for the purpose of enhancing their career or for personal interest,” she said.

Over-50s are embarking on a range of undergraduate degrees and doctorate studies for career and personal reasons.

About 200 are completing arts degrees with a variety of majors and 50 are enrolled in fine arts and contemporary arts degrees.

Others are doing language diplomas, nursing and education courses.

UTAS has increased the number of courses that can be studied by distance and introduced units taught in short block periods, in order to better meet the needs of students.

The UTAS spokeswoman said over-50s made up 5.7% of the student population.

There were just 427 people over 50 enrolled at UTAS in 2000 and 719 in 2005.

She said the increased number of seniors seeking higher education at the university had not placed pressure on places for school leavers seeking places and entry requirements were the same for all students.