The Federal Government is defending a push to scrap financial support for university students, who continually fail their courses, arguing it will stop the system being rorted.

Some students have accumulated hundreds-of-thousands of dollars in HECS debt and never graduate.

They’ll now lose support if they fail more than half of their first year subjects.

Speaking with Gareth Parker on Mornings, Education Minister Dan Tehan says safeguards are in place for those in exceptional circumstances.