Commonwealth Prac Payment
From 1 July 2025, the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Prac Payment will be available for eligible Swinburne students during their mandatory placements.
From 1 July 2025, the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) will be available for eligible teaching and nursing students within Swinburne to support them during their mandatory placements. The CPP will help ease the financial burden often felt by students on unpaid placements.
Swinburne, along with other universities and the Department of Education, are currently finalising the program guidelines. Details will be shared once available.
More information can be found on the Australian Government Higher Education website.
Key information
Who is eligible for the payment?
Domestic Vocational Education (VET), Higher Education (HE) Undergraduate and Postgraduate students enrolled in specific teaching, nursing and social work courses on a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). Learn more about full eligibility criteria.
How much is it?
Eligible students can receive $331.65 per week, whilst undertaking their placement. The payment is benchmarked to the single Austudy rate.
When does it start?
The Guidelines are in effect from 1 July 2025 with payments expected to commence from late July 2025.
How to apply
The process is slightly different for Diploma of Nursing students, and all bachelor and master’s degree students.
Swinburne will assess your application, and (if eligible) manage payments of the CPP to you.
Before you start your application please:
- Check you meet the eligibility criteria
- Have documents to help us assess your application
- If you get Centrelink support: Upload a recent payment summary or income statement.
- If you don’t receive Centrelink: You’ll need to show you need to work and meet the income test. You can use:
- Payslips
- Work rosters
- Employment contracts
- ATO or Services Australia statements
- Note: Your documents must show you worked 15+ hours a week for 4 continuous weeks before your placement, and earned under $1,500/week before tax.
If you have exceptional circumstances that you’d like us to consider as part of your application (e.g. medical or personal), please provide some documentation and/or a short written statement as part of your application.
The CPP Application form can only be submitted by students who are in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) for an eligible course, and are enrolled in a placement unit.
How to apply:
- Check your eligibility, and also what key documents you need to provide in your application
- Log into My Swinburne
- Complete the CPP Application form under the 'forms' tile
- Attach your required documents
- Submit your application
More information
The Department of Education’s Commonwealth Prac Payment webpage has more information relating to the payment, eligibility, tax reporting requirements.
The application process is managed via the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR). DEWR will assess your application, and (if eligible) manage payments of the CPP to you. On the Your Career webpage you can find out:
- What information they need
- The Your Career portal to submit your application
- The overall process
More information:
On the Your Career webpage, you can also check your eligibility, see their list of Frequently Asked Questions, and also find other resources to help you with your application and your placement.
Frequently asked questions
To be eligible, you must:
- be a domestic student enrolled in the Diploma of Nursing, or a bachelor or master degree in teaching, nursing, midwifery, or social work
- be in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
- be undertaking a mandatory placement that averages at least 30 hours per week and either:
- receive a Commonwealth income support payment (e.g. Austudy, ABSTUDY, Youth Allowance), or
- meet a ‘Need to Work Test’ and an ‘Income Test’. You can find out more about the this government requirement on the Department of Education’s Commonwealth Prac Payment webpage
Students need to be studying one of the following courses below, and also meet the individual eligibility requirements in order to receive a Commonowealth Prac Payment:
Higher Education (Undergraduate and Postgraduate) Nursing and Education students, studying at Hawthorn, Wantirna or via Swinburne Online:
- Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching)
- Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary)
- Bachelor of Education (Primary)
- Bachelor of Nursing
- Master of Teaching (Primary)
- Masters of Teaching (secondary)
Vocational Education and Training (VET):
- Diploma of Nursing
Unfortunately based on the eligibility set out for the Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP), International students are not eligible to receive a CPP.
Students should aim to apply at least four (4) weeks before the start date of your placement. This allows your application to be processed, and payments to be ready to be made when you start.
You will still be able to complete your placement as planned, however you will not receive a Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP).
The eligibility criteria has been set by the Australian Government.
Applying for a CPP
For bachelors and masters students, Swinburne aim to review all applications within seven (7) business days. At peak periods this may be a bit longer.
For Diploma of Nursing students, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations can confirm their lead time for all applications.
You will still be able to complete your placement as planned, however you will not receive a Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP).
The eligibility criteria has been set by the Australian Government.
Bachelor’s and master’s students:
If you have exceptional circumstances that you believe should have been considered with your application, please contact the Swinburne Scholarship team via scholarship@swinburne.edu.au
Diploma of Nursing students:
If you have exceptional circumstances that you believe should have been considered with your application, please visit the Your Career webpage for more information.
How to receive payments
Assuming your application has been approved, and all paperwork confirmed prior to the start of your placement, students can expect to receive a weekly payment from their placement commencement date for the duration of the placement.
For bachelor’s and master’s degree students, your payment will be made by Swinburne.
For Diploma of Nursing students, your payment will be made by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
All students who receive a CPP are responsible for ensuring that they comply with any tax and reporting obligations set out by the Australian Tax Office (ATO).
Refer to the advice on the Department of Education webpage regarding reporting requirements.
We recommend that you lodge your CPP application either before or while you are undertaking your placement.
Applications submitted after the placement has finished may not be eligible for backpayment.
Placement hours, and changes to your placement
If your CPP application is successful, you will receive payment for duration of the placement period where your hours are on average, 30 hours per week.
Diploma of Nursing students: Please ensure that you update your placement information in Your Career.
Bachelor’s and master’s students studying at Hawthorn or Wantirna campus:
Please email your placement team and also scholarship@swinburne.edu.au to let them know, and then complete the Change of Circumstances form on My Swinburne.
Swinburne Online students:
You will need to update your ‘Acceptance of Placement form’ (AOPF) by calling the Swinburne Online Student Advisors on 1300 937 765.
All students should note that you may not receive the CPP for the weeks of placement that drop below the required average hours.
Please email your placement team and also scholarship@swinburne.edu.au to let them know. In addition:
- Diploma of Nursing students: Please ensure that you update your placement information in Your Career.
- Bachelor’s and master’s degree students studying at Hawthorn or Wantirna campus: Please complete the Change of Circumstances form on My Swinburne.
- Swinburne Online students: You will need to update your ‘Acceptance of Placement form’ (AOPF) by calling the Swinburne Online Student Advisors on 1300 937 765.
All students should note that you may not receive the CPP for the weeks of placement that drop below the required average hours.
Please email your placement team and also scholarship@swinburne.edu.au to let them know. In addition:
- Diploma of Nursing students: Please ensure that you update your placement information in Your Career.
- Bachelor’s and master’s degree students studying at Hawthorn or Wantirna campus: Please complete the Change of Circumstances form on My Swinburne.
- Swinburne Online students: You will need to update your ‘Acceptance of Placement form’ (AOPF) by calling the Swinburne Online Student Advisors on 1300 937 765.
All students should note that you may not receive the CPP for the weeks of placement that drop below the required average hours.
Where can I find out more information?
If you have any questions about the Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP), please visit
Bachelors and Masters students: The Australian Government’s Commonwealth Prac Payment (Higher Education) webpage
Diploma of Nursing students: The Australian Government’s Your Career webpage
Or for further questions relating to your specific situation, please contact scholarship@swinburne.edu.au.