The HECS system is widely recognised in Australia for providing education opportunities to all students, but it has inherent flaws that require fixing.

Postgraduate students in specialised and critical fields like medicine and dentistry are particularly affected by the current lifetime limit on HECS-HELP loans. The 2023 lifetime limit for such students is $162,336, which is far below the cost of postgraduate studies, which for Dentistry for example, can amount to a total of $280,000 over 4 years. As a result, many students in these fields have to rely on their families for financial support as there are limited scholarships and bursaries available, and bank loans are almost impossible to obtain for full-time students with no solid income or security.

It's unfair and inconsistent that students in dentistry or medicine have a limit on the loans they can access, while undergraduates in any other profession such as accounting, teaching, music or computer science, have their entire tuition covered by HECS-HELP.

These lifetime limits on HELP loans were implemented to encourage informed decision-making and limit student debt. However, this system disproportionately affects motivated and high-achieving students in fields such as dentistry and medicine. These students have already demonstrated exceptional academic ability and commitment to their chosen profession, yet they are burdened with significant financial barriers. Ultimately, these students will contribute positively to society, giving back to the Australian community, and not to mention they will eventually become high tax payers. 

In addition, the number of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP), in which the government sponsors approximately 85% of the course fees, are limited. At Sydney University, for instance, there are only around 10-20 CSP positions per year, leaving roughly 100 students paying full fees. This situation perpetuates a demographic imbalance in these professions, favouring those who have the financial means to pursue postgraduate studies and limiting access for those without family financial support.

So, to become a dentist or doctor in Australia it basically comes down to either; tick all the boxes to get into a limited CSP position, or have the means to pay the difference for a full-fee position. This is obviously discriminatory and means that there are significantly less dentists from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, which impacts public health, and furthers a class divide in society. 

We urge you to take action and abolish or increase the lifetime limit for postgraduate students studying in critical fields such as medicine and dentistry. By doing so, you will ensure that all students, regardless of their financial background, have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and contribute to our society.