Education Minister Anne Tolley says she accepts some people will miss out on training courses because there is not enough money available to fund everyone who applies for courses.
There was a 23% increase in the number of student loans being taken out in the first four months of this year to pay for polytechnic fees.
Ms Tolley told Nine to Noon a projection that 6000 students could be refused opportunities to train, is a reality of the recession that no one is happy with.
She said tertiary institutions must prioritise courses targeting people who have been made redundant and would otherwise have no choice but to go on a benefit.
