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Murdoch freezes fees to help students

Murdoch University will freeze its fees for students enrolling in the second half of this year to protect them from fee rises stemming from Federal Government Budget changes.

It is the first university in WA to make the move, after Deakin University in Victoria said it would freeze all 2014 fees at pre-Budget levels.

Vice-chancellor Richard Higgott said Murdoch had acted quickly after Treasurer Joe Hockey's announcement of a new fee regime that would affect all students starting university after May 14.

"Our move means that no student who commences a bachelor degree at Murdoch in 2014 will be worse off," Professor Higgott said.

"Murdoch has acted speedily to bring about certainty for new students on their fees in 2016 when the Government's 20 per cent funding cut applies."

He said if Murdoch had not decided to absorb the loss of revenue, there would have been a "disproportionate impact" on mature-age learners and others considering mid-year entry.