Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP)

The Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) is available to eligible students who are undertaking mandatory placements from 1 July 2025. Applications are open to domestic students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), completing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a course that leads to entry-to-practice in teaching, social work or nursing.  The midwifery courses at CSU are currently ineligible for this program.  The payment is designed to help students manage the costs associated with undertaking mandatory placements.  A payment of $331.65 per week, benchmarked to the single Austudy rate and indexed 1 January each year, is available to eligible students for the duration of eligible placements.

Am I Eligible?

To be eligible for this payment you must:

1. be a domestic student
2. be enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
3. be completing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a course of study that leads to entry-to-practice in teaching, social work or nursing
4. complete mandatory placements that are on average 30 hours or more per week for the duration of the placement 
   
   AND EITHER
   
   a) be on a Commonwealth Income Support Payment (for example ABSTUDY, Austudy, Youth Allowance or DVA Education Allowance) - see FAQs for full list of eligible payments
   
   OR
   
   b) meet means-testing criteria based on:
   
   i) a "need to work test" showing that you need to work during your normal studies by demonstrating you worked on average, more than 15 hours per week during session, either in the four weeks prior to applying for CPP or the four weeks prior to commencing your placement, whichever is earlier,
   AND
   ii) you did not earn more than $1,500 per week (pre-tax) during the same period (including the average weekly sum of any payments made for any internal or external scholarships, or other income payments).

Eligible courses include:

Teaching

• Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary)
• Bachelor of Education (K-12)
• Bachelor of Education (Secondary)
• Bachelor of Education (TAS)
• Bachelor of Teaching (Primary)
• Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary)
• Master of Teaching (Primary)
• Master of Teaching (Secondary)
• Bachelor of Education (Birth to Five Years)

Social Work

• Bachelor of Social Work
• Bachelor of Social Work (Honors)
• Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

Nursing *

• Bachelor of Nursing

* CSU midwifery courses are not eligible for this payment.

You may also be able to access the CPP if there are exceptional circumstances.  Please see the guidelines for further details.

To be eligible for the CPP for subsequent placements in a calendar year, you must submit a new application and confirm that your circumstances have not changed and you remain eligible for the subsequent payment.

If a student does not successfully complete the placement that they have received payment for, they may retain the amount already received, however, further payments may be withheld until they have undertaken an equivalent eligible placement.

If a student withdraws from their course before completing a placement that they have received CPP funds for, they must repay to the University, the amount equivalent to the portion of the practicum that was not completed.

Information provided as part of this application and/or other information relating to your studies at Charles Sturt University, may be shared with the Department of Education, if requested.

Please be advised that the CPP is considered assessable income for taxation and social security purposes and may impact the rate at which a person receives a social security payment. It is the responsibility of the student to report any payments to the relevant departments, including, but not limited to, the Australian Taxation Office, Department of Veteran Affairs and/or Services Australia.

Guidelines

1. The Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) is valued at $331.65 per week (benchmarked to the single Austudy rate and indexed 1 January each year) and will be paid for the duration of the practicum.
2. Students will receive the payment in advance where possible, however applications that are not submitted a minimum of four weeks prior to the commencement of the placement, cannot be guaranteed to receive payment prior to placement.  In such cases, payments will be made as soon as practical following the commencement of the placement.
3. The payment is payable in cash (EFT) to the personal bank account that you have registered with Charles Sturt University.
4. The University reserves the right to recoup payments if your circumstances change and you no longer meet the eligibility criteria.
5. The University reserves the right to recoup payments if you withdraw from your course without completing the practicum that you have received CPP funds for.
6. The Scholarships Office will be responsible for the assessment, allocation and administration of this grant, except in the case of exceptional circumstances applications which meet the exceptional circumstances criteria.  In such cases, the final decision will be made by the Department of Education.

Exceptional Circumstances

Students who do not meet the eligibility requirements for this payment due to exceptional circumstances beyond their control, may apply under the Exceptional Circumstances provisions of this payment.  Applications for exceptional circumstances must meet the Exceptional Circumstances criteria and must be approved by the Department of Education.  This may include circumstances such as medical / health related issues, disability or current unforeseen crisis or emergency events.  An applicant wishing to apply under this provision will need to make an application including:

• a statement explaining their exceptional circumstances
• supporting documentation such as:
  • medical certificates
  • statutory declarations
  • Individual Education Plan (IEP) / Study Access Plan
  • other relevant evidence

Applications for Exceptional Circumstances are made using the standard application form by completing the relevant fields.  They will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and must be submitted at least five weeks prior to the planned placement.  Applications submitted after this deadline may not be successful, or may have payment delayed.

Terms and Conditions

By accepting the payment offer, you agree to:

• fulfil all requirements as set out in these guidelines;
• consent to Charles Sturt University accessing your student records for the purposes of assessing and administering the payment
• consent to Charles Sturt University providing the Department of Education with any information relating to your application or study with Charles Sturt University, if requested, for auditing purposes
• the scholarship office or the Department of Education, making contact with you, where required.
• provide any change of individual circumstances in writing to the Scholarships Office scholarships@csu.edu.au;
• provide information and participate in surveys for promotional purposes and review of this payment
• repay any CPP funds received, for the portion of the practicum that was not completed, if you withdraw from the course
• complete at your own expense, any failed or deferred practicum that you already received CPP funds for
• accept the terms and conditions of this payment.
  
  The University reserves the right to undertake audits of individual student’s records to ensure adherence to these guidelines.

Policy

CPP is considered assessable income for taxation and social security purposes and may impact the rate at which a person receives a social security payment. Recipients are required to declare the amounts of CPP they receive to:

• The Australian Taxation Office as part of annual tax returns (recipients should seek their own taxation advice)
• Services Australia, to assess their ongoing rates of social security payment or other allowance, if applicable
• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Any other department or agency which requires the student to declare their income
  
  
  ** CPP recipients are responsible for managing potential impacts of CPP on any Commonwealth Income Support Payments (ISP) or financial assistance from other sources

Please seek independent taxation advice regarding your personal circumstance where required or visit Is your scholarship taxable?

Charles Sturt University will treat any information provided by the applicant within the terms of relevant privacy legislation. See Charles Sturt privacy policy for further information.

Due to privacy laws, any discussion of a payment application or discussion relating to a recipient, will only take place with the payment applicant/recipient, except for the requirement to provide documents to the Department of Education for auditing purposes, if requested.

The information collected will be used by authorised University staff to assess eligibility and administer the program. The information may also be used for assessment purposes for other scholarships, grants and equity programs across the University. Recipient names and email addresses may be made available to departments within the University for marketing and research purposes. No details will be used externally for any reason without the recipient’s consent, except the requirement to provide details to the Department of Education, if requested. Students should be aware that they provide information of their own free will.

Personal and health information provided by the applicant will not be made available to any person within the University or external organisation for any other purpose without the applicant’s consent, except where it may be a legal requirement of the University to provide information, or where the information is required to be provided to the Department of Education.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Having trouble applying?

If you're experiencing issues with your application, try these troubleshooting steps:

• Use Google Chrome as your browser (or switch to another browser if you're already using Chrome).
• Clear your Chrome cache.
• Ensure you only have one scholarship application open at a time.
• Try using a different device.
• If there's heavy traffic, wait a few hours and try again—errors can occur if many students are applying simultaneously.
• If the problem persists, feel free to contact Student Central for further assistance.

What is the Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) program?

The CPP program provides financial support to domestic students undertaking mandatory placements in nursing, teaching, or social work.  It helps cover the living costs during these placements.

When does the program commence?

The CPP Program commences on 1 July 2025 and is available to eligible students who are completing a mandatory placement from 1 July 2025.  Under no circumstances are students eligible for this payment for any placement that occurred prior to 1 July 2025. If applying retrospectively, students have up to a maximum of six months to apply for the payment, after the commencement of their placement.

How much financial support can I receive?

Eligible students can receive $331.65 per week, benchmarked to the single Austudy rate and indexed at 1 January each year, for the duration of their placement.

Who is eligible for the CPP?

To be eligible, you must be:

• a domestic student enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
• completing a Bachelors or Masters degree in nursing, teaching or social work
• undertaking mandatory placements averaging 30 hours or more per week

What if my placement / intensive isn't covered by this payment?

We have other scholarships and grants available to assist with the cost associated with placements or intensives.  Please consider applying for our Professional Placement Equity Grant or our Intensive School Equity Grant.

How do I notify the scholarships team of my upcoming placement?

Your placement details must be registered and approved in InPlace, to be eligible.

Are there any income requirements?

Yes, you must either be receiving a Commonwealth Income Support Payment (ISP) or demonstrate a need to work by showing you worked, on average, more than 15 hours per week in the four weeks prior to applying for or commencing your placement. Your average gross income must not exceed $1,500 per week.

What supporting documents are required with my application?

Examples of acceptable documentation include, but are not limited to:

• Centrelink Income Statement (instructions for obtaining this document) or Department of Veteran Affairs card / income statement
  OR
  payslips covering your last four weeks of work, during session
• Any other relevant documentation that supports your application.

The following payments are considered to be ISPs for the purposes for CPP eligibility:

Centrelink ISP:
Age Pension
Austudy
Carer Payment
Disability Support Pension
JobSeeker Payment
Parenting Payment
Special Benefit
Farm Household Allowance
Youth Allowance

DVA payments:
Age Pension
Income Support Supplement
Service Pension
Veteran Payment
Education Allowance

ABSTUDY
ABSTUDY Living Allowance

How much time do I have to submit additional documents or information if requested by the Scholarship Office?

If your application is marked as incomplete and additional information or documents are requested, you have 48 hours from the time you receive the notification to provide the required materials, unless you notify us of a delay.

Do I need to inform Centrelink or the Australian Taxation Office about my payment?

CPP is considered assessable income for taxation and social security purposes and may impact the rate at which a person receives a social security payment. Recipients are required to declare the amounts of CPP they receive to:

• The Australian Taxation Office as part of annual tax returns (recipients should seek their own taxation advice)
• Services Australia, to assess their ongoing rates of social security payment or other allowance, if applicable
• Department of Veterans Affairs, if applicable
• Any other department or agency which requires to student to declare their income

CPP recipients are responsible for managing potential impacts of CPP on any Commonwealth Income Support Payments (ISP) or financial assistance from other sources

Please seek independent taxation advice regarding your personal circumstance where required or visit Is your scholarship taxable?

What is the maximum number of weeks of CPP I can receive under this program?

The payment amount is based on the number of weeks of each individual placement, with a maximum number of weeks determined by the accrediting body for your discipline.

• Nursing: maximum weeks - 20
• Teaching (Bachelor): maximum weeks - 16
• Teaching (Masters): maximum weeks - 12
• Social Work: maximum weeks - 26

How is the total number of weeks attended, calculated?

A week is calculated as seven days, and commences on the first day of your placement.  You will need to meet the requirement to complete an average of 30 hours per week for the duration of your placement.

What happens if I take a Leave of Absence, defer my placement or fail to complete my placement that I have been paid for?

If you do not complete your placement that you have received payment for, you may retain the amount already received, however, further payments will be withheld until you undertake an equivalent eligible placement.

What happens if I fail my placement?

If you fail your placement, you may retain the amount already received.  If you wish to, you may apply again for the CPP payment for the failed subject, however this will count towards your total weeks of CPP available for your course and affect your eligibility for payments at the end of your course, once you exhaust your maximum allocation.

If I withdraw from my course, do I need to repay the funds I have received?

If you withdraw from your course before completing a placement that you have received CPP funds for, you must repay to the University, the amount equivalent to the portion of the practicum that was not completed. You will not have to repaid any money for the previously completed placements.

Am I eligible if my placement is not in Australia?

Providing you meet the other criteria for this scholarship, and you placement is approved in InPlace, you will be eligible, regardless of where you placement takes place.

How often do I need to confirm my eligibility?

You need to confirm your eligibility at the beginning of each placement and provide updated evidence if there are any changes in your circumstances.

Can part-time students access CPP?

Yes, CPP is available to full-time and part-time students; however the student must be able to meet the eligibility for placement and payment.

Is Paramedicine part of CPP?

No, Paramedicine is not part of CPP, however a similar program is available for Paramedicine students.  Please see the scholarships webpage for full details of the Paramedicine Prac Payment, available to Paramedicine students undertaking mandatory placements between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026.

For various reasons, I have to complete my placement part-time.  Can I still access the CPP?

There are specific guidelines around the Exceptional Circumstances provision of the CPP.  Please refer to the government website for full details: https://www.education.gov.au/commonwealth-prac-payment-cpp

What if I have exceptional circumstances that affect my eligibility?

If you have exceptional circumstances, such as illness or disability, you can apply for exceptional circumstances consideration.  The scholarships team will assess your situation and will seek approval from the Department of Education where applicable.

If I meet all the eligibility criteria, am I guaranteed to receive a the payment?

As this is a Commonwealth Government payment, all eligible applicants will be granted the payment.  The University reserves the right to withhold or withdraw payments under certain circumstances where the student is unable to continue to meet the eligibility criteria.

Can I save my application and complete it later?

Yes, you can save your application and return to complete it later, if you log back in and submit it before the closing date.

What should I do if I didn’t receive the email confirmation?

Your email receipt may take up to 24 hours to arrive.

• Have you checked your spam or junk mail folder?
• Did you enter the correct email address?

If you still haven't received the receipt after 24 hours, please email ask@csu.edu.au with your application number, name, and student ID.

What if I already have another scholarship or grant?

If you are receiving another scholarship or grant, you must advise the scholarship office in your application.  Other scholarship payments will be considered income for assessment purposes.

When will I be notified of the outcome of my application?

An email notification will be sent to you to  advise the outcome of your application.

If I’m successful, when and how will I receive my payment?

Where possible, you will be paid upfront, the week prior to the commencement of your placement.  Where applications were not received in time to process these payments prior to commencement, you will be paid as soon as possible following the commencement of your placement.  Payments will be made by direct transfer to your nominated bank account.

How do I register my bank details with Charles Sturt University?

You can register your bank details with Charles Sturt University through the online administration portal.

What should I do if my circumstances change after submitting my application?

If your circumstances change, it may impact your payments. Please notify us as soon as possible by emailing ask@csu.edu.au with any updates that could affect your original application.

How to Apply

Forms and Documents

Application

Complete an online application form on the portal below.

Applications will be assessed in accordance with the eligibility criteria and supporting documentation.

Applications with incorrect or no requested supporting documentation will be assessed on what is provided.

You may be assessed as eligible but not receive an offer due to quota restrictions.

There are no interviews required.

Conditional Offer

• Eligible students will be made a conditional offer of scholarship which is conditional on meeting the eligibility criteria at Census date.
• Students who have not met the eligibility criteria at Census date will have their conditional offer withdrawn.

Outcome

All applicants will be informed in writing of the outcome of their application.

Acceptance

Successful applicants are required to accept their scholarship offer.

Offers not accepted by the offer expiry date will be withdrawn.