There have never been so many education and training options available to school leavers! This is great news because employment opportunities are better for people who do further study after school. This is shown by ABS statistics which state that the unemployment rate for with higher education qualifications (3%) was half the rate for those without such qualifications (6%).

Education and training not only improves your chances of gaining long term employment it also means you are likely to earn more money than those who don’t go onto further study or training.

Unemployment rate by highest educational qualification (%)

* Estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution.

At first glance, the cost of further study may seem overwhelming. You need take into account course fees, text books, transport and living expenses but there are many services out there that can support you. These may include student concessions, scholarships or assistance with money to help take the load off course fees and living expenses.

The Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) assists eligible students to pay their tuition costs. If you are a Commonwealth supported student you can pay your student contribution by taking out a HECS-HELP loan. If you enrol in a full fee-paying course, you may have access to a FEE-HELP loan. To find out more about this assistance visit the Going to Uni website.