Crippling student debt is a thing in Australia too, like the US and unlike the rest of the civilised world (e.g. Europe)

[thienvietcom]

Education has become extremely unaffordable in this country, especially at postgraduate level where CSP are very rare, and a master's degree can cost $80k at a good university.

Even Bachelor's degrees are increasingly less affordable, although most of them are supported.

And let's not forget the hundreds of thousands of migrants who who came here to study and stayed, and have amassed six figure $$$,$$$ debts.

Of course, it's still much better than the US, but why compare Australia to the US? Why not to Sweden, Norway, France, Germany or almost any European country?

Like affordable healthcare eroded significantly and devastatingly, so did affordable education.

 

[davekool182]

@thienvietcom CSP (post-grad stipends) are not highly rare in Australia.

Prior to my PhD, I had to do well in honors and then come up with a good doctoral topic.

It seemed merit based and wasn't a difficult application to complete, on top of that you can teach for additional income and it isn't taxed (the stipend isn't taxable income).

Without the stipend I could have continued but wouldn't have, the understanding is you're better off working if you get rejected.

No different to a job application really, I don't understand why you think that everyone should be able to do post-graduate studies? Do you think unis have unlimited resources? or do you think it should all just be free?

 

[xpower]

@davekool182 Not all postgrad study is research. Coursework masters are super expensive too

 

[davekool182]

@xpower Most of those are for international students or people doing short sideways moves.

I don't have any strong feelings about them being subsidized.

 

[relicuk]

@davekool182 i agree that masters or post-grad stuff really shouldn't be subsidized, or at least, not as subsidized as undergrad stuff.

I would imagine that postgrad or masters work is something that would have business sponsorship (such as paid training for a job), or via research grants, rather than be funded out of the pocket of an individual.

 

[davekool182]

@relicuk PhD is typically paid by a Govt/Commonwealth stipend (scholarship) for about 3 years (it was somewhere near 40k when I was doing it). Normally a PhD candidate can then do teaching via the uni too, can bump them to 60k (no tax).

The govt / unis need future academics for teaching/research so it's a pretty fair system imo. It's not an unlimited system so getting a stipend is based on your previous marks and proposed project.

 

[tipsasetra]

@thienvietcom Easy solution. It’s you think it’s unaffordable don’t do it. A University education is not a right. Too many people doing pointless degrees anyway that don’t have jobs at the end of them

 

[resjudicata]

@tipsasetra Yep

Plus if you wish to study any subject at all purely out of personal interest you can do so for free online or at a library. A degree is a certificate for employers that's all. Any learning/knowledge is available for free to a person who is genuinely committed.

 

[bluesky2023]

@thienvietcom I just finished a masters. Every person on the course apart international students had a CSP place.

 

[southbay1234]

@bluesky2023 Back when i did my masters, 90% were Chinese or South Asian student, openly talking about PR pathways. The locals are doing this as it is partly paid for by work or through tax deductions.

 

[xpower]

@marethos Yep, tax on young people to subsidise boomers

 

[marethos]

@xpower Now you’re talking. Do you have some spare time to be a premier or something? /s

 

[kwanoss02]

@thienvietcom Yeah it’s still a lot of money but most Australians don’t realise how good they have it. My student debt from the UK is over $100k for a standard degree and isn’t interest free

 

[alaydealways]

@thienvietcom Why is the gist of this thread - give me give me?

Pick an education that will increase your earning power, then go earn and pay your dues.

If you don't want to pay uni fees, don't go to uni.

 

[brandon29501]

@thienvietcom It's not crippling because we don't have to pay it back unless we earn over a certain amount, and owing more doesn't mean you need to pay more each year.

In the US you have to start paying it back 6 months after you graduate regardless of if you have a job or not and at like an 8% interest rate. It's not comparable.

 

[justwokeup]

@thienvietcom Education is free up to Year 12.
Makes you a fully capable individual who can contribute to society in many jobs.

University degrees are often a waste of time and resources, not sure why taxpayers should be funding it.

I had one friend who went from engineering to teaching to arts and still dropped out.
Ended up doing a trade and became a draughtsman later which could be argued is a much smarter way to learn.

 

[jamilton]

@thienvietcom I was broke af. Chose a degree for 30k HECS debt, studied in my own time and took out a fulltime job. Paid off the student loan within 5 years. Pick something you can see through at a reasonable price, I'm not subsidizing you for your whole degree.

 

[marcocardenas82]

@thienvietcom This is getting ridiculous. Now you want postgraduate education to be free?

There's just no limit to your greed!

 

[anonymous162900]

@thienvietcom I don't get why people are still going to uni.

I did the dance 15 years ago, saw that uni wasn't for me and went into the workforce.

Saw a bunch of mates go through uni, get nothing, and proceed to just get jobs and careers that had nothing to do with their field of study.

I have 3 friends who actually used their qualifications, but those were all higher tier jobs (architect, vet, etc).

Meanwhile, most of the people I know who went into trade are making mad bank, and are going to continue to do so.

Our country is running low on good tradespeople, why are we still funnelling folk into a course they don't need and can't afford?

 

[paulscholes]

@thienvietcom Multi year adult education costs money. Would you rather it be free for all?

Doing so would be unfair to the lower class.