Paramedicine Prac Payment
- Applications pending
- Applications will reopen on 1 Jul 2025 and close at 11:59pm 30 Jun 2026
- Available to:
Commencing Students; Continuing Students - Value: $331.65 per week, benchmarked to the single Austudy rate and indexed 1 January 2026
- Duration: Single payment, paid upfront in the week prior to placement (where possible)
This payment is available through the support of the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. It is available to eligible students studying paramedicine that are undertaking a mandatory placement between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026. It is designed to assist students manage the costs associated with undertaking the placement.
Am I Eligible?
To be eligible for this payment you must:
- be a domestic student
- be enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
- be completing a Bachelor of Paramedicine
- 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 Paramedicine Prac Payment 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).
You may also be able to access the VFFF Payment if there are exceptional circumstances
To be eligible for the VFFF Payment 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 VFFF funds for, the incomplete portion of the payment must be repaid, to the University.
Information provided as part of this application, will be shared with the Department of Education, for program development purposes.
Please be advised that the VFFF Payment 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
- The Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation Payment is valued at $331.65 per week (benchmarked to the single Austudy rate and indexed 1 January 2026) and will be paid for the duration of the practicum.
- 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.
- The scholarship is payable in cash (EFT) to the personal bank account that you have registered with Charles Sturt University.
- The University reserves the right to recoup scholarship payments if your circumstances change and you no longer meet the eligibility criteria.
- The University reserves the right to recoup scholarship payments if you withdraw from your course without completing the practicum that you have received VFFF funds for.
- The Scholarships Office will be responsible for the assessment, allocation and administration of this grant.
Exceptional Circumstances
Students who do not meet the eligibility requirements for this payment due to circumstances beyond their control, may apply under the Exceptional Circumstances provisions of this payment. Applications for Exceptional Circumstances must be approved by VFFF and may include circumstances such as medical / health related issues, disability or unforeseen 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 will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and must be submitted at least five weeks prior to the planned placement.
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 VFFF and/or Department of Education with any information relating to your application and your study with Charles Sturt University, for program development purposes
- the scholarship office making contact with you, where required, to ensure you remain eligible
- 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 VFFF 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 Paramedicine Prac Placement 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
VFFF 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 VFFF 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
** VFFF recipients are responsible for managing potential impacts of VFFF 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 VFFF and/or Department of Education for program development purposes, if requested.
The information collected will be used by authorised University staff to assess eligibility and administer the scholarship 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 VFFF and/or 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 VFF and/or 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 VFFF program?
The VFFF program provides financial support to domestic students undertaking mandatory placements in the Bachelor of Paramedicine. It helps cover the living costs during these placements.
When does the program commence?
The VFFF Program commences on 1 July 2025 and will run until 30 June 2026.
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 2026, for the duration of their placement.
Who is eligible for the Paramedicine Prac Payment?
To be eligible, you must be:
- a domestic student enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
- completing a Bachelor of Paramedicine
- undertaking mandatory placements averaging 30 hours or more per week
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 VFFF 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?
VFFF 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 VFFF 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
VFFF recipients are responsible for managing potential impacts of VFFF 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 VFFF 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.
- Bachelor of Paramedicine: maximum weeks - ??
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 VFFF payment for the failed subject, however this will count towards your total weeks of VFFF 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 VFFF funds for, you must repay to the University, any VFFF funds received, for the portion of the practicum that was not completed. Payments for previously completed placements will not have to be repaid.
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 VFFF?
Yes, VFFF is available to full-time and part-time students; however the student must be able to meet the eligibility for placement and payment.
For various reasons, I have to complete my placement part-time. Can I still access the VFFF?
There are specific guidelines around the Exceptional Circumstances provision of the VFFF. You will need to submit an exceptional circumstances application and it will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
What if I have exceptional circumstances that affect my eligibility?
If you have exceptional circumstances, such as illness or disability, you can apply for consideration. The scholarships team will assess your situation and will seek approval from the VFFF.
If I meet all the eligibility criteria, am I guaranteed to receive a scholarship or grant?
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 or the funding for this scholarship is withdrawn.
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 scholarship payments. Please notify us as soon as possible by emailing ask@csu.edu.au with any updates that could affect your original scholarship application.
Definitions
- Active Student: A student who is enrolled in subject/s in the current/commencing session. This excludes students on approved Leave of Absence.
- Carer: For Charles Sturt University’s purposes, a carer is defined as a person of any age, who without being paid (excluding Centrelink), cares for another person who needs ongoing support because of a long-term medical condition, a mental illness, a disability, frailty or the need for palliative care. A carer may or may not be a family member and may or may not live with the person. Volunteers under the auspices of a voluntary organisation are not included. Scholarship recipients may be in receipt of a Centrelink Carer Allowance or Carer Payment.
- Census Date: The date at which you can withdraw from a subject or course without financial penalty.
- Commencing Student: A student enrolled in and undertaking subjects in their first session of study.
- Commonwealth Supported Place: A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is a subsidised higher education enrolment. The Australian Government subsidises a CSP by paying part of the fees for the place directly to the University.
- Commonwealth Supported Student: A student enrolled in a CSP is referred to as a ‘Commonwealth supported student’. Students only pay the ‘student contribution’ amount, set by the university, for their units of study. (As defined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003).
- Conditional Offer: An offer of a scholarship which is made based on you continuing to meet the eligibility requirements as at session Census Date.
- Continuing Student: A student enrolled in, and undertaking, subjects in their second and subsequent sessions of study.
- Domestic Student (Student): Means a student with a permanent home address in Australia who is:
- An Australian citizen
- A New Zealand citizen
- A diplomatic or consular representative of New Zealand, a member of the staff of such a representative or the spouse or dependent relative of such a representative; or
- A student with an Australian permanent visa.
- Financial Need: A person is considered to be in financial need if they are in receipt of an eligible means-tested Centrelink benefit or in financial hardship. Refer to Eligible benefits in these guidelines.
- Financial Hardship: A person is considered to be in financial hardship when they find it difficult to provide for themselves, their family or dependents basic necessities such as food, accommodation, clothing, medical treatment and education.
- Full Fee paying: If you're a domestic student in a full-fee-paying place, it means your place receives no financial contribution from the government and you are required to pay the full cost of the course.
- Full-time: A full-time student is one who is enrolled to undertake an amount of study of at least three quarters (or 75%) of an equivalent full-time study load (EFTSL). At Charles Sturt University, this equates to being enrolled in three or more (8 point) subjects, or 24 subject points or more per session.
- Grade Point Average: A grade point is the numerical value assigned to a final grade to allow calculation of a Grade Point Average (GPA). GPA is the average of all final grades obtained by a student for courses within an academic program.
- Indigenous: for the purposes of these Guidelines, means a person who is of Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent; identifies as an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; and is accepted as an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in the community in which he/she lives or has lived.
- Integrated Program: Students are co-enrolled and study at both TAFE and Charles Sturt University. Under this type of arrangement, specific courses are identified and a formal agreement is signed.
- Internal Student: An internal student is a student that is studying the majority of subjects for any given session of the course as an on campus student. For example, if a student is enrolled in four subjects for a session, then three or more subjects must be studied internally (on campus). If a student is enrolled in three subjects for a session, then two or more subjects must be studied internally (on campus). The status as an internal student can change for each session of study.
- Leave of Absence: Official approval to be absent from your study, whilst still maintaining the status of enrolled student.
- Online Student: A student enrolled in 75% or more of subjects in a given session studying online.
- Part-time: A part-time student is one who is enrolled in one or two (8 point) subjects per session, which equates to 8 or 16 subject points per session.
- Postgraduate: A person who has obtained a degree from a university and is pursuing studies for a more advanced qualification.
- Pro Rata: a proportional distribution of the total amount to ensure equal allocation.
- Regional, Remote or Very Remote Area:The Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness Areas (ASGC-RA) is a geographical system developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics to classify different living zones in Australia. Classifications are postcode based and are identified as ‘Remote’, ‘Very Remote’, ‘Major Cities’, ‘Inner Regional’ and ‘Outer Regional’. To find your classification, you can view the following map.
- Special Circumstances: Circumstances which are beyond the student’s control and which a reasonable person would consider is not due to the student’s action or inaction, either direct or indirect, and for which the student is not responsible. This situation must be unusual, uncommon or abnormal.
- Undergraduate: Undergraduate students who are enrolled and are studying for approved undergraduate qualifications at eligible higher education providers. Approved undergraduate qualifications include Bachelor Degree, Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma and Diploma courses of study. Enabling courses do not qualify.
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.
Applications opening soon
Applications will open on 1 Jul 2025