THE Coalition will put up $1 billion for a regional education fund if elected to government.

Nationals leader Warren Truss has also promised to appoint a Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education.

But the Federal Government has slammed the proposal as light on detail.

Mr Truss said the gap in opportunities between city and country students created a "loss of talent".

"Students from regional areas are less likely to finish Year 12, and are significantly under-represented in tertiary education," Mr Truss said.

"What a lost opportunity to build the skills base of country communities."

The fund would pay for "capital investment in regional universities, and initiatives by universities to offer innovative educational opportunities for country students".

It would also provide payments to students relocating to attend university.

A regional education unit would be created within the department of education and the parliamentary secretary would live in a regional area.

A spokeswoman for the Education Minister said the Bradley Review of Higher Education in 2008 had found regional students' access to and participation in higher education fell under the coalition.

"Regional people should judge the Nationals on what they did in government," the spokeswoman said.

Labor had done more for regional students in two-and-a-half years than the coalition had in its 11 years in office, she said.