The Abbott government will not give up its push for university deregulation despite its controversial reforms being defeated in the Senate.
Education Minister Christopher Pyne has already vowed to introduce revamped legislation to parliament on Wednesday, which he hopes senators will consider during the Christmas break.
"Round one is over, round two begins," Mr Pyne told a Universities Australia gathering on Tuesday, moments after the bill was rejected.
Labor heralded it as a sweet victory for students and pledged to continue resisting any plans that could result in the cost of university degrees skyrocketing to $100,000.
A raft of last-minute sweeteners from Mr Pyne was not enough to convince the six crossbenchers he needed to pass the bill.
PUP Senate leader Glenn Lazarus said he would not saddle his children with debt and dismissed the government's fresh amendments as window dressing for "a revolting proposal".
"No amount of texting, chocolates and red roses from Christopher Pyne is going to change my mind or the mind of my fellow colleague, Senator Dio Wang," he told the chamber.
The government wanted a vote on the legislation this week, despite protests from independent senator Nick Xenophon, who wanted more time to consider the package.
He voted against the bill, as did fellow independent Jacqui Lambie, who likened Mr Pyne's haste to a "dodgy used car salesman trying to flog a lemon in Sydney's western suburbs".
The latest amendments - including one to provide $100 million to regional universities and those with a high number of poor students - will form the basis of the new package.
The indexation of student loans will also be kept at the CPI rate, and interest will be paused for new parents.
Those last two changes won over Family First senator Bob Day and independent senator John Madigan, who criticised the Senate for not even allowing the proposals to be debated.
Motoring Enthusiast senator Ricky Muir was also wooed, while Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm has long supported the changes.
Universities Australia warned the amendments fell short when it came to improving fairness and affordability.
The Greens declared it a win for students, while Labor leader Bill Shorten promised he would fight to ensure all young Australians could get an education.
"Labor believes going to university should depend on hard work and good marks, not your parents' bank account," he said in a statement.
The legislation was defeated 33 votes to 31.
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