"Many graduates and current students view HECS debt as cheap, interest-free loans, however, with these indexation levels, it's a view that's clearly flawed in this new reality," she said.
Ms Hill's study found 59 per cent of respondents reported student debt had impacted their ability to buy a home, with 51 per cent still repaying debt in their 40s. "It already felt like a lot to pay off when I'm expecting to be in not-super-well-paying jobs, and it feels like it's going to be around forever now.Debt deterring students from future studya Greens proposal to freeze indexation and raise the threshold at which compulsory repayments beginBusiness graduate and first home buyer Tyler Thurston wrote to the inquiry, highlighting the impact of growing debt on his ability to complete further study.
"I am concerned that young people, and in fact all Australians, will be reconsidering their desire to seek further education to the benefit of our national capability due to the increasing costs of maintaining a student loan."A team of federal crossbenchers has appealed for the government to urgently intervene to stop the indexation.
"It's important to remember that HELP loans are not required to be repaid until a person reaches the income repayment threshold.