Students accepted by the universities and approved by the Manpower authorities for entry into "reserved" faculties—medicine, dentistry, science, engineering, agriculture, veterinary science—are exempt from direction to any other form of national service including conscription into the armed forces. The occupation of the "reserved" undergraduate is that of "student." It is his form of national service.

The number of "reserved" first year students is arrived at after consultation between the scientific and professional advisory committees of the Manpower Directorate and the universities concerned. Reservation after the first year continues if the student's work is satisfactory. In addition to the "reserved" faculties some students are reserved in all stages in the "unreserved" faculties of arts, law, commerce and architecture.

Financial Assistance Eliminates Wastage

A scheme of financial assistance to students was introduced with the establishment of the Commission. This has enabled highly qualified but un-financial students to undertake university courses which would otherwise be closed to them. Much wastage of talent has been eliminated by this measure which gave assistance to 1,600 students in the first year of its operation. All reserved students in any faculty are eligible for financial assistance. Recently the Government approved the extension of the scheme to women students taking the Diploma of Social Studies and to students in certain technical colleges.

Assistance is given under a means test. Students whose parents are not in a financial position to give any help receive the maximum assistance of £104 per annum (if living with parents) or £143 per annum (if not' living with parents) together, in each case, with payment of university fees, and £10 towards the purchase of instruments.

To entitle the student to the maximum assistance, he and his parents must not, together, have an adjusted income for the last financial year of more than £-250 per annum. The adjusted income is found by taking the full taxable income and deducting £50 in respect of each dependent child under 16, other than the student. No deduction is allowed for income tax, insurance premiums, etc. The amount of assistance is reduced by £5 4s. for every £10 by which the adjusted income exceeds £250.

Students receiving assistance are required to sign an undertaking to continue their studies until graduation and to be available for national service, if required, for not more than three years afterwards.

Similar Rehab. System

Under the Rehabilitation Training Committee the Government has also set up a scheme to deal with the training of discharged ex-service personnel. The scheme is much the same as New Zealand's enabling approved discharged service men and women to undertake full time university courses.

Although the University Commission was set up under the National Security Regulations which lapse six months after the termination of hostilities, the National Union of Australian University Students is hopeful that the Federal Government will continue the scheme of assistance into the peace.

—For the information in this article ire are indebted to the National Union of Australian University Students.