Public and Private Tertiary Education in Australia

Both private and public universities can be found in Australia. As of 2006, there are 36 public, two Catholic and one non-profit private universities in Australia. Admissions by Australian citizens to public and Catholic universities in Australia are based on the prospective student's academic achievement. Admission to the private university, Bond University, is dependent on a student's ability to pay tuition fees as well as academic achievement and "one on one" interviews with admission officers (the only university in Australasia to do this for all students). Melbourne University Private was a whole university developed and owned by a public university to operate under this model.
Domestic students are not usually subject to upfront fees at a public university if enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place. As well as receiving substantial government subsidies to the cost of tertiary education, students in CSPs have the option of deferring their financial contributions to their education completely via the Commonwealth Supported Students scheme. Students may also enrol in a non-Commonwealth Supported Place, known as a FULL-FEE place, and must pay all upfront fees, which are typically greater than a standard Commonwealth Supported Students debt, usually undertaken to reduce academic entrance requirements. The national government provides funding for all universities in Australia.