But students who fail would be able to apply for special consideration, and if the student transfers to another course, their record will not be carried with them.
While a La Trobe University spokesperson said the university welcomed initiatives which gave students opportunities and support, they were concerned this change would penalise regional and remote, low socioeconomic status (SES), and indigenous students more than others.
“We are concerned ... that the proposed changes may penalise students who struggle with the transition to university study or who change their mind about their choice of degree yet do not fit the criteria for ‘special circumstances’,” the spokesperson said.
“Some of the proposed changes may deter students who are not entirely sure what they want to study, as there is a risk they may lose their access to government support should they perform poorly in as little as one semester of study.
“This is particularly the case for students who want to transfer degrees where one poor semester can limit their ability to transfer to another degree on a Commonwealth supported place.
“We can see this potentially penalising students from regional/remote, low SES, indigenous and first-in-family backgrounds more than others.”
The spokesperson said La Trobe University had established processes in place to support students who were struggling.
“These include transparent admissions processes that enable students to aspire and succeed; support programs including peer mentoring and wellbeing support; proactive monitoring of student progression and any required support, and processes to ensure that students are not penalised academically or financially if they are significantly impacted by life events leading to them failing a subject,” the spokesperson said.
But a federal departmental spokesperson said universities would retain "common sense" powers to ensure students were not penalised by the proposed legislation.
“The measures in the Job-ready Graduates legislation will require universities ensure that all students are academically suitable for their course and that students are engaged with the course and maintaining a reasonable completion rate,” the spokesperson said.
“This will ensure universities are supporting students to succeed in their degree.
“The low-completion measure will ensure students do not accumulate large debts without having a degree to show for it.
“Universities will have the power to use their common sense if a student’s studies have been impacted by factors outside their control, like ill-health, or a bereavement.”
The spokesperson also said the Job-ready Graduates legislation would provide regional and rural universities with $400 million worth of initiatives, including more funding and travel allowances for students.
The package also includes price changes for university subjects, which will see humanities subjects skyrocket in cost, while IT and agricultural degrees become more affordable.
The spokesperson said the government had published the draft legislation for consultation and would listen to the feedback.
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