Program · Outcome 2: Promote growth in economic productivity and social wellbeing through access to quality higher education, international education, and international quality research
Program 2.1: Core Commonwealth Funding for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
A highly skilled workforce and educated community is important for economic productivity and social wellbeing. The Commonwealth Grant Scheme (CGS) and Needs-based Funding contribute to achieving this objective through: • making a direct contribution to the cost of educating Commonwealth-supported students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees • increasing the number of regional students participating in higher education by providing additional funding to regional universities to meet the higher costs associated with delivery of higher education in regional locations • increasing the number of educationally disadvantaged students participating in higher education by
Department of Education, 2026-27 Portfolio Budget Statements, PDF page 58 reported
$9.2bn
2026-27 Budget estimate
+$1.2bn (+15.5%) on 2025-26 estimated actual
Traced to named suppliers and grant recipients
AusTender and GrantConnect record the agency, not the program, so contracts and grants are shown on the entity page.
Published lines
Each row is one line of the program’s expense table in the 2026-27 Portfolio Budget Statements – Program Expense Line Items, as published.
| Line | Kind | 2025-26 estimated actual |
2026-27 Budget estimate |
Change | Treatment | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Higher Education Support Act 2003 | administered | $8.0bn | $9.2bn | +$1.2bn +15.5% | reported | Table 2.2.1, row 407 |