Universities across Australia have been provided with a new framework to deliver free university pathway programs following the launch of national policy recommendations developed by the University of Newcastle. The resources, including a best-practice guidebook, were unveiled today at the University’s Central Coast Campus to support the federal government’s target of an 80 per cent tertiary-qualified workforce by 2050.

The Australian Government commissioned the University of Newcastle in 2025 to lead the National Fee-Free Uni Ready Project. The resulting framework was developed in partnership with the Australian Tertiary Education Commission and 13 other universities to standardise bridging courses that provide foundational academic skills at no cost to the student.

Federal Minister for Education, Jason Clare said the bridging courses are a critical component in reaching long-term workforce participation goals.

“The Universities Accord says that by 2050, 80 per cent of the workforce will need a tertiary qualification. The only way to hit that target is to help more people go to TAFE and university,” Jason said.

“These free bridging courses give you the skills you need to succeed when you get to university. This is about breaking down the barriers that stop people from attending.”

The initiative is expected to increase student participation in pathway programs by 40 per cent by 2030, with an estimated 30,000 students enrolled annually nationwide by the end of the decade.

University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor, Alex Zelinsky said the institution was sharing insights from 50 years of delivering pathway programs, which have supported more than 70,000 students.

“People from all walks of life can succeed at university when the right settings are in place,” Alex said.

“Sharing what we have learnt to contribute to a national approach that expands opportunity is an important part of our work.”

The practical impact of the fee-free model is highlighted by students like Carley Pringle, a Kamilaroi woman currently in her third year of a Bachelor of Criminology and Psychological Science. Carley entered higher education through Yapug, a program delivered with The Wollotuka Institute, after a fee-free high school pathway removed the financial risk of attempting university.

“Because it was fee-free, I felt like I had nothing to lose. I could try, and if I failed, it wasn’t that big financial pressure hanging over me,” Carley said.

“Doing the pathway set me up better for my degree. I got to learn how uni actually works before jumping straight into an undergraduate course.”

Carley noted that the program has also influenced her family’s perspective on education, with her sister now studying nuclear medicine radiation. The government expects the expansion of these programs to double total enrolments by 2040 as more institutions adopt the evidence-based approach outlined in the new national guidebook.

IMAGE | National blueprint for fee-free university bridging courses launched