The aim of the Australian University Student Finances Survey
2012 is to provide an evidence-based understanding of the
financial circumstances of the student population in Australia
(both international and domestic) through the collection of
quantitative data on: access to income support and
scholarships, income from paid employment and the impact of
paid work on study, study and living costs and student debt. Its
audience is policy makers at the national and institutional level,
equity practitioners, researchers and those who work with and
support university students – as well as students themselves. It
is a survey of some long standing, having been conducted about
every five years since the mid-1970s. For the 2012 survey,
some key changes were made to methodology to reflect
changes in the national policy context and in the student cohort
since the survey was last conducted in 2006. In particular,
international students have been included in the 2012 survey.
Postgraduates were included for the first time in 2006. The
2012 survey was also conducted online rather than paper,
reflecting more contemporary practice in survey administration.
While the changes mean that some time series information is
lost, attention was paid to ensure the main points of
comparison with previous years‟ data was maintained. The
inclusion of international students now provides a more
comprehensive picture of the whole student body.