Commonwealth Prac Payment

Financial Support While You’re on Placement?

From July 2025, students studying eligible undergraduate or postgraduate degrees in the teaching, nursing, midwifery, and social work fields that lead to professional registration may be eligible for a new financial support initiative called the Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP). This payment is designed to help eligible students manage their expenses during mandatory placements, allowing them to focus on gaining valuable practical experience.

KEY FACTS

What are the Eligibility Criteria?

Kindly ensure that you meet the following requirements before submitting your application.

• You are a domestic student (i.e. Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen, or Australian permanent resident) undertaking a mandatory practicum placement. International students are not eligible for the CPP.
• You are enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP).
• You are enrolled in an eligible degree: You need to be studying an “entry-to-practice” Bachelor or Master’s degree in one of these fields: nursing, midwifery, teaching, or social work. Refer to the "Eligible Programs" table below for a full list of the eligible degrees.
• Your placement is mandatory (i.e. compulsory for your program requirements) and is
  1. 30 hours or more per week on average OR
  2. a continuity of care placement (midwifery).
• You can demonstrate financial need through one of the two following criteria:
  1. You are on a Commonwealth income support payment (for example ABSTUDY, Austudy, Youth Allowance or DVA Education Allowance) OR
  2. You meet the following means-testing criteria:
     • You meet the need to work test (worked on average more than 15 hours a week over 4 weeks), AND
     • You do not earn or receive in grants or scholarships more than $1500 (pre-tax) per week.

You will be required to attach evidence to support your application. The following types of documents may be required:

• Payslips, timesheets, payroll summaries, or wage records from your employer.
• If you are self-employed, invoices and work logs may be accepted.
• Any scholarship or stipend income must also be reported.
• All documents must clearly show your name, dates, hours worked, and gross income.

How much can I receive?

• Eligible students can be paid up to $331.65 per week while they’re undertaking a placement, benchmarked against the single Austudy rate.

How can I apply?

• A means test will apply for this payment, and applications are open from 1 July 2025.
• You must apply for the CPP via InPlace, UniSA's placement system.
• You’ll receive a notification in InPlace when the application process opens, after 1 July 2025.

When will I be paid?

• CPP payments are made either during the week of placement or after the placement is completed.
• There will be no advance payments – you must have commenced or completed your eligible placement week before receiving the corresponding payment.
• Payments are typically made on a fortnightly basis, depending on your placement schedule and university processing times.

Receiving other payments?

• The CPP will be offered in addition to any support already provided by any other States and Territories.
• Can I receive the CPP if I’m in receipt of UniSA grants and or scholarships? Yes, unless your scholarship or grant conditions prevent you from being in receipt of other grants or scholarships, you are eligible to be considered for the CPP.

Placements prior to July 1, 2025

This is the latest information we have from Department of Education regarding placements before 1st of July 2025:

• The CPP is only available for placement weeks that occur on or after 1 July 2025.
• If your placement starts before this date, you will not receive CPP for any time completed before 1 July.
• However, if your placement continues beyond 1 July, you may be eligible for payment from 1 July onwards, provided:
• The placement is full-time (30+ hours in that week), and
• You meet all other eligibility criteria, as above.

Example: If your placement begins on 30 June 2025 and runs for 2 weeks, only the days from 1 July onwards will count toward CPP eligibility. Hours completed on 30 June will not be counted/eligible.

Eligible Programs

Next steps

The Australian Government is currently working with the higher education sector to implement the CPP. UniSA is actively working with the Department of Education to help shape guidelines to ensure clear information is provided to eligible students.

Want more information?

More information about the program can be found in the government’s web pages: Commonwealth Prac Payment and Frequently Asked Questions

Not eligible?

If you are not eligible for this payment, please consider other placement grants UniSA offers. For more information please go to the Placement Grants page.

Error and Omissions Excepted (E&OE) – based on Government Guidelines 16/4/2025.