{"id":31797,"date":"2026-08-05T09:35:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T01:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/?post_type=media-release&p=31797"},"modified":"2026-08-05T09:35:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T01:35:25","slug":"part-time-uni-students-need-more-support-acses-research-reveals","status":"publish","type":"media-release","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/media-release\/part-time-uni-students-need-more-support-acses-research-reveals\/","title":{"rendered":"Part-time uni students need more support, ACSES research reveals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Expanded access to Government financial support, additional public transport subsidies and more flexible assessment deadlines are among 12 recommendations in a new report<\/a> from the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Succes (ACSES<\/a>) on the challenges facing part-time students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on interviews with nearly 1000 students from diverse backgrounds at 35 Australian universities, the report highlights the extent to which part-time students are juggling competing responsibilities, such as caring and work commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It calls for special consideration policies including listing work and caring commitments as acceptable reasons for an assignment extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other recommendations for universities and governments include Federally funded Youth Allowance, Austudy, and Tertiary Access Payments for part-time students and tax exemptions for scholarships and PhD stipends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Study author Associate Professor Kelly Linden, of Charles Sturt University, said the research showed part-time students needed more flexibility and support to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe participants demonstrated that, although they are incredibly dedicated to their studies, university cannot always be their number one priority,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith part-time students making up 35 per cent of all domestic Australian university students, it\u2019s time to start designing our universities for this growing cohort which is no longer a small minority on our campuses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report also calls for student load policies to be simplified so anyone studying 75 per cent of the Equivalent Full-Time Student Load across a calendar year has the same benefits as a full-time student.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Associate Professor Linden said the report also highlighted the need for increased support for full-time students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll students should have access to no-questions-asked extensions,\u201d Associate Professor Linden said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStates provide free public transport to the football, yet part-time, on-campus students pay full fare to travel to university, and this is inequitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cState Governments should provide discounted public transport for all students studying on-campus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ACSES Research and Policy Program Director Professor Ian Li<\/a> said the report was a timely reminder of the increasingly complex demands facing part-time students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis research shows part-time students on average have lower rates of success and retention than full-time students and are more likely to belong to an equity group,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt highlights the need for universities and State and Federal Governments to review their policies to ensure all students have adequate time to access high-quality learning and teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ACSES RECOMMENDATIONS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Universities to:<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n