Media releases

Federation University Australia has once again been commended for its proud heritage of welcoming students who are the first in their family to attend university. 

For the fifth year in a row, Federation has been rated the number one university in Australia for First-Generation Student Enrolments by the Good Universities Guide 2023. 

With 55 per cent of students being the first in their family to attend university, inclusion and access to higher education is a key priority for Federation, which was last night honoured with an award for excellence in this category. 

As Victoria’s premier regional university, Federation is focused on transforming lives and enhancing communities through education, creating jobs and driving economic growth in our regions.  

The University is building on this strength through its co-op education model, where an extended period of real work experience will be embedded into all programs from 2025. 

Overall, Federation University Australia was rated first in the following categories: 

Number one in Australia for First-Generation student enrolments. 

Number one in Victoria for Social Equity   

Number one in Victoria for undergraduate Starting Salary 

The Good Universities Guide ratings recognise the outstanding performance of individual universities each year. 

Quotes attributable to Federation University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Duncan Bentley 

“Access and inclusion are critically important for our young people to achieve their goals.” 

“We’re enormously proud to be the number one university in Australia for first-generation student enrolments and number one in Victoria for social equity.” 

“This year we supported students with a record number of scholarships, empowering them to succeed in their studies and thrive in their local communities.”