Written by Susan Gair, James Cook University
Originally published on The Conversation.
Balancing work and tertiary study is harder now than in 2012: study
Students know completing a university degree gives them a better chance of landing a high-paying job, often after surviving financial hardship while studying. But striking a balance between life, work and study appears to be getting tougher.
Australia has experienced progressive higher education policies, a social inclusion agenda and widened tertiary access. This has resulted in a rise in working-class, mature-aged, first-in-family and Indigenous students attending university. But government income support has not been quite so progressive.
Read more: Has the push to get more disadvantaged students into universities been a success?
In fact, in recent decades, Australian governments have overseen an ongoing reduction in student financial support. Consequences may include increased student dropouts and precarious student mental health, particularly for non-traditional cohorts.
A report on university students’ mental health found “high risk” groups for mental health issues included:
- students from rural/regional areas and low socioeconomic backgrounds
- first-in-family students
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- international students
- and students with a disability.
Another study found female students under 34 with financial stresses and in a subsequent year of their degree were at higher risk than other students. Without support, these students were at risk of severe mental illness.
Recent research funded by the NCSEHE:
Li, I. W., & Carroll, D. 2017. Factors Influencing University Student Satisfaction, Dropout and Academic Performance: An Australian Higher Education Equity Perspective
Grant-Smith, D., and Gillett-Swan, J. 2017. WIL Wellbeing: Exploring impacts of unpaid practicum on student wellbeing.
Nelson, K., Picton, C., McMillan, J., Edwards, D., Devlin, M. & Martin, K. 2017. Understanding the Completion Patterns of Equity Students in Regional Universities.
National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education. 2017. NCSEHE Focus: Successful outcomes for low SES students in Australian higher education.
National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education. 2017. NCSEHE Focus: Successful outcomes for students with disability in Australian higher education.
National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education. 2017. NCSEHE Focus: Successful outcomes for regional and remote students in Australian higher education.
