The Effect of Study Costs on Decisions to Study at TAFE

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Executive Summary

Initial Survey Results

Full Report

Executive Summary

This report discusses the results of a survey on the influence of TAFE costs for study decisions by current, past, and potential TAFE students. The survey was conducted by the Department of Education, Science and Training between mid-March and the end of April 2004. The survey also sought the views of people who have never considered studying at TAFE on the affordability of TAFE courses.

We surveyed 4760 persons, divided into four groups:

Current TAFE students;
Past TAFE students;
Persons who considered TAFE study, but have not yet enrolled (“Potential students”); and
Persons who have never considered TAFE study (“Non studiers”).

Participants broadly reflected the national population, in terms of characteristics such as gender, age, labour force status, ethnicity and educational attainment.

The survey data is statistically valid for each of the four groups at the 95 per cent confidence level 1 per cent at the national level. It should be noted that as more detailed cross tabulations of responses take place, the accuracy of responses will decline.

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Initial Survey Results

Analysis of the survey data suggests costs are an issue for students in making decisions about whether or not to study at TAFE.

TAFE study costs were amongst the most important factors influencing decisions about whether or not to study at TAFE. Nearly 70 per cent of current or past TAFE students regarded study costs as an “important” or “very important” factor in making TAFE study decisions.

The most significant costs for TAFE students surveyed were course fees, material fees and textbooks – all up-front costs.

The reported cost of course fees ranged from $30 to $7,000 per semester. The average reported cost per semester was $523 for full-time students and $272 for part-time students. Material fees ranged from $20 to $500, averaging $85 per semester for full-time students and $47 per semester for part-time students.

Around 60 per cent of current students’ tuition fees were less than $250 per semester. A further 25 per cent of current students who participated in the survey paid between $250 and $500 per semester. Less than 4 per cent of participants paid over $1000 per semester in tuition fees.

The relative importance of study costs for students varied only slightly according to their sex, age and income (e.g. female students placed slightly more importance on cost than their male counterparts).

Of those considering TAFE study, young people (15–24) placed less importance on cost factors than older people. The importance of costs as a factor in study (for persons considering TAFE study) declined as personal income increased – i.e. it was less important for those whose income was over $50,000 p.a. than for respondents with lower incomes.

The most common sources of funds for TAFE study amongst TAFE student respondents were their own funds, fee concessions, employer funding and parents.

The extent to which fees were an important factor in study decisions for TAFE students varied according to the funding source. Self-funded students commonly viewed the issue as more important than those whose fees were subject to exemption or concessions or whose fees were paid by employers. Regardless of the funding source, over 50 per cent of responses from current and past TAFE students viewed costs as an “important” or “very important” factor in making TAFE study decisions.

The cost of study was more frequently rated as an “important” or “very important” factor by those studying for personal rather than for job related reasons.

The cost of study was more frequently viewed as an “important” or “very important” factor by survey respondents from New South Wales than by respondents from other States.

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