Summary

Amends the: Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: redesign the Commonwealth Grant Scheme (CGS) funding clusters and the Commonwealth contribution amounts (CCAs); provide that higher education providers continue to receive the same amount of CGS funding for 'grandfathered students' enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) where the current maximum student contributions amounts (SCAs) will apply for units those students enrol in after 1 January 2021; change the way grants are paid to higher education providers for CSPs; remove the broad exclusion of 'work experience in industry' units of study from CGS funding; change the maximum SCAs for a place in a unit of study to reflect the changes to funding clusters and CCAs; ensure that 'grandfathered students' do not have to pay the higher maximum SCA for a unit of study they enrol in after 1 January 2021 where the SCA for that unit would otherwise increase; provide legislative authority for the National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund and allow for the transition arrangements required to implement the Indigenous, Regional and Low Socio-Economic Status Attainment Fund; introduce student protection and provider integrity requirements; reduce, for units of study with a census date on or after 1 January 2021, the loan fee for students obtaining a FEE-HELP loan for an undergraduate court of study at a non-Table B Provider from 25 per cent to 20 per cent; and make minor technical amendments; Higher Education Support Amendment (2009 Budget Measures) Act 2009 to remove saving arrangements for education and nursing students; Education Legislation Amendment (Provider Integrity and Other Measures) Act 2017 to extend quality and accountability requirements to all higher education providers (including universities); and Social Security Act 1991 to reduce from six to three the number of months a student living away from home must be receiving eligible student support payments before being eligible to receive Fare Allowance for a return journey home.