Pain on pain: CPI indexation triggers sharp increases to student debts

Foreign university students report

Students come under increasing financial pressure from CPI indexation on their HECS-HELP debts (AAP) Credit: Chris Ison/PA

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More than 3 million Australians are facing steep increases to their higher education debts because of Australia's high rate of inflation. HECS-HELP debts are indexed each year to the consumer price index and this year's indexation rate is 7.1 %, meaning a typical debt of $25,000 increases by $1,775.

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