The Commonwealth Higher Education Support Act 2003 (the Act) sets out three groups of higher education providers:
1. those on Table A – These bodies are all self accrediting bodies. Table A institutions are eligible for all funding under the Act;
2. those on Table B – Table B institutions are also self accrediting bodies. These institutions are *not* eligible for general Commonwealth funded places. They are eligible for Commonwealth research funding and can be allocated national priority student places in fields such as nursing and education; and
3. other higher education providers approved by the Minister. These can be a university, an institution established with the powers to approve its own courses, or a provider whose courses have been accredited by the relevant State or Territory authority. They can be allocated national priority student places in fields such as nursing and education.
Students at all three types of institutions are eligible for FEE-HELP , an income contingent loan to cover charges and fees.
IRU Australia - universities that aim to have the prestige of their Group of Eight bretheren.
Australian Technology Network - technically minded universities that promote themselves as offering more practical courses than the prestigious and trying-to-be-prestigious ones. Two of the Group of Eight were once "technical universities".
