Making tertiary education more accessible closer to home

For many regional Australians, access to tertiary education has come with a difficult choice: leave home to pursue study or stay and miss out.

But that trade-off is changing, with the Country Universities Centre (CUC) Bass Coast giving students from across the region, including Phillip Island, a new way to access tertiary education.

Located in Wonthaggi, CUC Bass Coast offers a free study and learning space for individuals pursuing degrees, diplomas or tertiary pathway qualifications through any Australian university or tertiary education institution.

The Centre is part of a national network of Regional University Study Hubs supporting more than 15,000 regional and remote students across the country.

Centre Director Sarah Bourke said the Centre provides an additional space beyond work and home, where students feel connected to a local learning community.

"This is particularly important in regional areas, where distance and isolation can affect both access and retention. CUC Bass Coast makes it possible to live, work and study locally," she said.

"Our data shows eighty per cent of our student graduates go on to work in the region, strengthening the capacity of our local workforce, particularly in areas such as health, education and community services," she said.

Local student Kasey, who is studying Marine Science (Oceanography) at Deakin University, recently completed a placement on Phillip Island, working on conservation and sustainability projects.

This included contributing to a long-term environmental project focused on creating a fire-resistant landscape to help protect the island and its wildlife.

Kasey says being able to study locally while accessing opportunities like this has made a huge difference.

"Being close to home and having a local place that offers everything a Uni could is really helpful, especially with the cost of living," she said.

Critical to the regional study hub's ongoing success is the FutureBound Program, which is funded through the Commonwealth Government's Regional Partnerships Program Pool (RPPPP), and delivers a range of practical and engaging activities within local secondary schools.

Leading the FutureBound Program, Widening Participation Officer Jarryd Blair said the program is delivered across all local secondary schools, including Bass Coast College and Newhaven College, to help students explore their future career options and demonstrate that tertiary education is achievable, regardless of postcode or circumstance.

"We offer a range of university taster experiences that help build confidence and connect young people with Student Ambassadors, who are all local students who have attended schools in the region, and can share their firsthand experiences to demonstrate what may be possible for their future," he said.

Central to this is the annual Scholarship Guide, which helps regional secondary students explore the financial support that may be available to them.

In addition to this, the 2026 CUC Bass Coast Student Achievement Award will recognise one Year 12 student from each participating secondary school across Bass Coast and South Gippsland for their dedication, achievement and commitment to learning.

These initiatives celebrate student potential, promote local pathways, and encourage regional learners to live, study and achieve locally.e

"We're working closely with all local schools to look at ways that we can complement existing careers programs," Jarryd said.

For more information about the FutureBound program and for anyone who is considering tertiary education - now or in the future - please give the team a call on 0472 741 451 or visit www.cucbasscoast.edu.au

CUC Bass Coast is a dedicated local study hub that collaborates with schools, tertiary partners and other educational organisations to expand opportunities for students throughout the region.

Students have access to the Centre seven days a week, with high-speed technology, academic mentoring, and a network of like-minded students, creating a strong community learning environment for tertiary students from Phillip Island and across the wider Bass Coast region.