Students at the University of Tasmania are offering their money to cover up to three years of tuition fees for students with limited English skills.
The announcement comes after a raft of research showed a lack of resources for students and the need for more support for those with limited proficiency.
It comes after the government announced a $1 billion boost to funding for tertiary education, which was criticised for being too small.
The government said more than $6 billion would go towards providing $20 million of funding for universities and colleges, while the remaining $4 billion would be used to create new apprenticeships and support students in higher education.
“This is a great day for the students, for the Tasmanian community and for the state as a whole,” Education Minister Chris Hipkins said.
“Tasmania is a proud state with a strong economy, one of the lowest unemployment rates in Australia and our highest graduation rates.”
Tens of thousands of Australians are graduating each year, and tens of thousands more will be able to get a good-paying job in the coming years.
“That is why we are bringing forward this ambitious investment in education, and ensuring the state has the best universities and the best colleges in the country.”
The government has committed to creating an extra $1.5 billion in funding over five years to provide a total of $40 billion for tertiaries.
Students with limited skills are not the only group to be offered help.
“We know that students with English as a second language are a particularly vulnerable population to be in school without an English language teacher,” Education Department Minister Ian Simpkins said in a statement.
The $1,000 scholarship is available for Tasmanians aged 14 to 21 who are enrolled in an Australian postgraduate degree program.
The students are required to have an English proficiency score of 70 per cent, but it is not a requirement.
Currently, a person with a score of 60 per cent or better is considered proficient.
“The Department of Education will be working with the Tasmanians in the community to determine what the most appropriate level of funding is for those students who are eligible to receive the assistance,” the statement said.
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