The ACT's two biggest universities will receive a total of $6.3 million in the next budget, the federal government has said.
The government has pledged $485.5 million in funding for 20,000 university and VET course places starting from 2023.
The ANU will receive funding for 237 additional places and the University of Canberra for 108.
They are two of 42 higher education providers who have been promised money.
The federal government said they continue to negotiate funding for VET places with states and territories, pledging $550 million in Wednesday's budget.
They have promised to fund 180,000 fee-free TAFE and vocational education places.
The country is struggling with job shortages in critical industries such as healthcare, education and the care economy.
Nationwide, there will be funding for 4036 extra places in education, including 1469 for early education teachers, 2600 in nursing, 2275 in information technology and 1738 in engineering.
The government said there would be 2740 extra spots in health professions like pharmacy and health science.
They said the additional places were for under-represented students.
Education Minister Jason Clare said the university funding was "life-changing".
"This means more teachers, nurses and engineers and it means more Australians from poor families and rural and remote Australia doing these jobs. That's life-changing," he said.
Skills and Training Minister Brendan O'Connor said fee-free VET training places would address skill shortages.
Opposition skills and training spokeswoman Sussan Ley has previously said the Labor policy was misguided.
"According to the Productivity Commission, Labor's free TAFE policy would not increase quality of outcomes for students," she told The Australian.
"There is also no evidence that the quality of delivery is higher at public TAFEs than private RTOs."
