Student numbers slide following VET student loan crackdown

The number of students accessing loans under the former VET FEE-HELP (VFH) scheme fell by 30% in 2016, following the federal government crackdown on unscrupulous training providers, according to official figures. The 2016 VET FEE-HELP Statistical Report, released by the Department of Education and Training shows:

A total of 235,236 VFH-eligible students enrolled in 2016, down 24% from 2015

A total of 193,868 students received VFH assistance, down 29% Students borrowed $1.47 billion in VFH loans in 2016, down 50%TAFE Directors Australia CEO Craig Robertson expressed his concerns and said that they were now effectively seeing to remove the bubble and be back to regular rates of participation of those cohorts.