The government's new university reforms

The federal government will look to an alternative university reform package acknowledging the Senate won't pass its proposals.

Source: AAP

MID-YEAR BUDGET UNIVERSITY REFORM PACKAGE:

* Freeze on total Commonwealth Grant Scheme per-student funding from January 1, 2018 set at 2017 funding levels.

* Performance targets for universities to work out the growth in their funding for bachelor degrees from 2020.

* Revised HELP loan repayment thresholds - a minimum of $45,000 with a one per cent repayment rate and maximum threshold of $131,989 with 10 per cent.

* A new combined lifetime limit for all HELP and VET assistance of $104,440 for most students and $150,000 for students doing medicine, dentistry and veterinary science from January 2019.