Two things that could boost prospects for bush students

Scholarships and online courses could help transition more regional students into higher education

Regional students could be set to benefit from these two initiatives.

TWO key education announcements in the federal budget could be a major boost for regional students who want to study in regional areas.

The government announced the creation of 50,000 online courses as was as the tertiary access payment, which is a scholarship dedicated to students studying at regional universities.

The short courses will be focused in teaching, health, science, information technology and agriculture for workers and the unemployed.

Vice president of engagement at Southern Cross University, Ben Roche said that these measures would be a boost to regional students.

"Southern Cross has for a long time been incredibly proud of its pathways into study and what this will do … is create new pathways for school leavers into study," he said.

"There are a range of initiatives that create pretty strong incentives for folks finishing year 12 to consider the role that education may play in creating a really strong career and really strong jobs outcome."

Previously announced in June, the tertiary access payment is a one off $5000 dollar payment which students could be granted if they are relocating more than 90 minutes away from their home to access full-time tertiary or higher education study.

Mr Roche said that these initiatives in combination will help remove barriers to education for regional people.

"(It is) only available to people that study in regional locations at regional universities and its encouraging school leavers to consider studying close to home so what they're doing is putting in a requirement that you are studying at a regional institution close to home," he said.

"Like the additional higher education short course places, they just remove some of the current barriers for school leavers to enter education and that is an incredibly positive thing."