The Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) is a new Australian Government initiative designed to support eligible students undertaking mandatory practical placements. It aims to reduce financial pressure and help students complete their studies.

The CPP will be available for placements that begin on or after 1 July 2025. It is not available for placements completed before this date.

The maximum number of weeks of CPP that an eligible student may receive is linked to the minimum period of placement required by the relevant accrediting body to achieve entry-to-practice in the eligible discipline.

Starting from 1 July 2025, eligible students will receive a weekly payment whilst undertaking a mandatory placement. The payment will be means-tested to ensure support is targeted to students who need it the most. The amount is benchmarked to the single Austudy rate on 1 January each year.

For placements undertaken in 2025, eligible students will receive AU$331.65 per week.

For placements undertaken in 2026, eligible students will receive AU$338.60 per week.

To be eligible for the Commonwealth Prac Payment, students are required to undertake a minimum of 30 placement hours per week.

If you meet the eligibility criteria and your placement is within the maximum approved placement weeks, you will be eligible to receive the Commonwealth Prac Payment.

No. CPP is capped at the minimum period of placement required to achieve entry-to-practice. Students will not be entitled to the CPP for additional placement weeks required to complete their course.

The CPP currently supports students in entry-to-practice degrees in teaching, nursing, midwifery, and social work due to their high placement demands and workforce needs.

The Government has acknowledged the challenges in other disciplines. CQU will communicate any updates to CPP eligibility if changes occur.

The program is administered by the Department of Education, in collaboration with eligible Higher Education Providers^*.

For students enrolled at a TAFE or Registered Training Organisation (RTO), the CPP will be delivered by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

To be eligible, you must be:

1. A domestic student studying in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). 
2. Completing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in an eligible nursing, midwifery, social work or teaching course. 
3. Either receiving an eligible Centrelink Income Support Payment (ISP) or meet both the Need to Work Test and Income Test. 
4. Undertaking a mandatory placement that meets one of the following criteria: 
   • Placement of at least 30 hours or more per week for the duration of the placement; or  
   • For midwifery students, undertaking a Continuity of Care placement, which has alternate criteria. 

Yes. Part-time students can apply for the CPP if they meet all other eligibility requirements.

No. The CPP is only available to domestic students enrolled in an eligible course.

You may still be eligible if you meet both of the following:

• The Need to Work Test: You must show that you usually work more than 15 hours per week during your studies.
• The Income Test: Your total income over a four-week period must be less than AU$1,536.37 per week (before tax).  

You’ll need to provide supporting documents such as payslips, payroll records, or invoices (if self-employed).

Yes. CPP payments are considered taxable income. You must report them to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Services Australia if you receive other income support.

Yes. If you receive payments such as Youth Allowance, Austudy, or ABSTUDY, you must report your CPP income to Services Australia, as you would with any other income.

Payments will be made via electronic funds transfer (EFT) to your nominated bank account. Please ensure that your banking details are up to date in MyCQU.

The application form is available from MyCQU. Visit the Support view, then Student Forms, and search for 'CPP'.

You will need to apply for the Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) for each placement you are attending. However, if you received a CPP in the previous six months you will not be required to provide any additional evidence, you will just need to apply and confirm your circumstances have not changed. For applications over six months you will need to provide evidence of your eligibility with your application.

Yes, you can save your application and return to complete it later. 

NB. Saving your application is not the same as submitting application. You will need to submit your saved application.

Depending on your situation, you may need to provide one of the following:

• A Centrelink Income Statement  or DVA Payment Summary or General Statement of Pension.

  (Income support payment statements paid by Centrelink can be obtained by using the Centrelink Online Services ‘request document’ functionality)

• Payroll prints, time and wage sheets or payslips, letter from employer or, for self-employed students, client invoicing and billing information and/or sole trader timesheets and evidence of other income or financial supports as applicable Documentation for exceptional circumstances (e.g. medical certificate or education plan).

• Receipts of other support, including scholarships/bursaries, wages/wage subsidies and any other university or Commonwealth and State/Territory Government supports which are paid directly to the student.

  Exceptional Circumstances

  If applying for the CPP based on Exceptional Circumstances, you will need evidence that relates to your particular circumstances and includes the dates affected by these circumstances. Evidence may include (but is not limited to):

  Disability:

• Current individual access/support/learning adjustments plan.

• Medical documentation, including general details of your disability or condition, including impacts on your ability to engage with work or study and the kind of adjustments to work or study that you require to support your disability/condition.

  Health and Medical:

• Current individual access/support/learning adjustments plan.
• A medical certificate, including general details of your illness or chronic condition, impacts on your ability to engage with work or study and the kind of adjustments to work or study that you require to support your disability/condition AND how long these will apply and/or the estimated time in which you will be unable to meet the eligibility requirements.
• Statement or letter of support from a registered health practitioner, including general details of your illness or chronic condition, impacts on your ability to engage with work or study and the kind of adjustments to work or study that you require to support your disability/condition AND how long these will apply and/or the estimated time in which you will be unable to meet the eligibility requirements.

Note for Carers: If you are applying based on your need to provide care to someone with a significant relationship to you, letters of support should be provided by the registered health practitioner, treating registered health practitioner, or service of the person receiving the care.

Acute personal or family life event:

• Statutory declaration.
• Medical certificate or statement/letter of support from a registered health practitioner.
• Death certificate, death or funeral notice - if obtaining this documentation is difficult or not culturally appropriate, you may instead provide a letter from a medical or mental health professional who can attest to the impact your circumstances had on your health or wellbeing.
• Evidence of mandatory relocation.
• Documentation from local governments, State or Territory governments, Australian Government departments or agencies such as evidence of income support payments from Services Australia, ATO statements of income.
• Pay slips from employers or timesheets/invoicing information for sole traders.
• Support from the Indigenous Higher Education Unit of the Higher Education Provider.
• Family violence support service documents, documents issued by a police service, or documents issued by a court as per the Fair Work Ombudsman’s publication, Notice and evidence for family and domestic violence leave.
• Evidence from a registered service provider.
• Evidence of residence in an area affected by natural disaster or emergency.
• Evidence of compulsory legal proceedings or court-imposed requirements or conditions.
• Current individual access/support/learning adjustments plan.

If you meet standard eligibility criteria but are unable to provide supporting documentation as evidence to Criteria 1 or Criteria 2 due to circumstances beyond your control (e.g. natural disaster).

• Statutory declaration.
• Evidence of residence in an area affected by natural disaster or emergency.
• Evidence of mandatory relocation.

You should immediately contact the University via studentscholarships@cqu.edu.au to correct any information on your application. Providing false or misleading information is a serious offence, so please be diligent when submitting your application.

You will be notified via your CQU email about your application outcome.  If your application is approved, your notification email will include a payment schedule and any further steps.

Your CPP application will be placed on hold if your placement details and allocation aren’t available in the Sonia student placement system at the time of processing.

You do not need to contact us when your placement details are released. We will automatically recommence the CPP application process.

To avoid any unnecessary delays in the process, ensure you have enrolled in a placement unit and complete your mandatory checks in Sonia as quickly as possible.

Your CPP application will be placed on hold until after this record is submitted, reviewed and confirmed upon the completion of your mandatory placement period.

You do not need to contact us when you have submitted your record of total clinical and Continuity of Care hours through Sonia. We will automatically recommence the CPP application process.

Under the current process, payment will be made retrospectively to successful applicants. CQU is currently working with the Government on how Continuity of Care should be managed for CPP payments.

Payment processing will occur weekly. The University will seek to process the initial payment instalment from the start of your placement (where possible). If you are applying late (during/after your placement), payment will be made by the end of the month in which you applied for the payment or by the end of the month in which the last relevant week of your placement occurred, whichever is later.

Please ensure that your banking details are up to date in MyCQU to avoid delays in payment schedules.

Exceptional circumstances are circumstances which are:

If you don’t meet the standard eligibility criteria but face significant barriers to completing your placement, you may still be eligible. You’ll need to provide documentation, and your case will be assessed individually.

 If the University determines that your circumstances may meet the criteria, your application and supporting documentation will be submitted to the Department of Education (DoE) for final approval.

The categories for exceptional circumstances are:  

• Disability: where the circumstances of an applicant with a disability are such that they are unable to meet the eligibility requirements of the CPP.
• Health and Medical: where an applicant’s medical condition is such that they are unable to meet the eligibility requirements of the CPP.  
• Acute personal or family life event: where an applicant is experiencing significant personal or family impacts on themselves or someone who has significant relationship to them.

If you need to defer your placement, you will need to submit a form for change of circumstances. This form is needed for any change of circumstances relating to your prac placement.

The CPP Change of Circumstances form is available from MyCQU. Visit the Support view, then Student Forms, and search for 'CPP'. This helps avoid any issues like overpayments.

You can usually keep the payment you've already received, as long as you complete the placement later.  If CPP has already been paid for all of the allocated placement weeks, no additional payments will be made when recommencing the placement after a deferral.

If you change to a different course that’s also eligible for the Commonwealth Prac Payment (like moving from teaching to nursing), you need to let us know that your circumstances have changed and submit a new CPP application form for the new course. 

Step 1

Submit a form for any change of circumstances relating to your current prac placement. The CPP Change of Circumstances form is available from MyCQU. Visit the Support view, then Student Forms, and search for 'CPP'. This helps avoid any issues like overpayments.

Step 2

Submit a new CPP application for the new course once you have been admitted and enrolled into the CPP eligible course.

If you withdraw from your course before completing your placement and have already received the Commonwealth Prac Payment, you will need to repay the portion of CPP for any uncompleted weeks of placement.

If you complete your placement prior to withdrawing, you will not be required to repay the amount of CPP received.

You will need to submit a form for any change of circumstances relating to your prac placement, as soon as possible to avoid any overpayments.

The CPP Change of Circumstances Form is available from MyCQU. Visit the  Support  view, then Student Forms, and search for 'CPP'.

If anything changes during your studies that might affect your eligibility, you will need to submit a form for any change of circumstances relating to your prac placement. 

The CPP Change of Circumstances form is available from MyCQU. Visit the Support view, then Student Forms, and search for 'CPP'. This helps avoid any issues like overpayments.

You can also call us on 13 27 86 between 7:30 am - 6:00 pm AEST, Monday to Friday, or email studentscholarships@cqu.edu.au.

If you applied for the CPP based on receiving an eligible Income Support Payment and this changes before or during your placement, you need to advise the University as soon as possible as this may affect your eligibility and/or payment for the CPP.  You need to complete a CPP Change of Circumstances Form.  This is available from MyCQU, Support view, then Student Forms, and search for ‘CPP.’

If your eligibility changes after you have applied, but before you have received payment, your payment may be cancelled or reduced to the number of weeks you are deemed to be eligible to receive the CPP.

If your eligibility changes after you have been paid the CPP, or if it isn’t feasible to cancel your payment in time, you may be required to repay the portion of CPP for any weeks you are deemed to be ineligible.

If your eligibility changes after you complete a placement that you received the CPP for, no action is required.

NB. If you no longer receive an eligible Income Support Payment but meet eligibility for the CPP under the ‘Need to work’ and ‘Income test’ criteria, or have ‘Exceptional circumstances’, you may still be eligible for the CPP. In this case you may be asked to apply/reapply on this basis.

If you applied for the CPP based on meeting the ‘Need to work’ and ‘Income test’ criteria and your eligibility changes before or during  your placement, you need to advise the University as soon as this may affect your eligibility and/or payment for the CPP. You need to complete a CPP Change of Circumstances Form.  This is available from MyCQU, Support view, then Student Forms, and search for ‘CPP.’

If your eligibility changes after you have applied, but before you have received payment, your payment may be cancelled or reduced to the number of weeks you are deemed to be eligible to receive the CPP.

If your eligibility changes after you have been paid the CPP, or if it isn’t feasible to cancel your payment in time, you may be required to repay the portion of CPP for any weeks you are deemed to be ineligible.

If your eligibility changes after you complete a placement that you received the CPP for, no action is required.

NB. If you no longer meet the ‘Need to work’ and ‘Income test’ criteria but meet eligibility for the CPP based on receiving an eligible Income Support Payment, or have ‘Exceptional circumstances’, you may still be eligible for the CPP. In this case you may be asked to apply/reapply on this basis.

If you receive an income support payment from Services Australia, you must tell them you’re going to receive the CPP. You should do this as soon as you know the dates of your placement.

You will also need to report the CPP to the Australian Taxation Office as part of your annual tax return. 

If you change to a different eligible discipline (e.g. from Teaching to Social Work) or transfer to a different eligible Higher Education Provider, TAFE or RTO (e.g. from Provider A to Provider B), your Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) entitlement resets. This means you may be eligible to receive the full CPP support amount for placements required in your new degree at your new provider, regardless of how much you received in your previous program.

If you have applied for the CPP and your placement is deferred prior to receiving payment, you need to advise the University of your new placement dates as soon as possible, by completing a CPP Change of Circumstances Form. This form is available from MyCQU, Support view, then Student Forms, and search for ‘CPP.’

If your placement is deferred after receiving payment, you may retain the CPP until you complete the deferred placement, so long as your placement is deferred within the same calendar year.

If your placement hours change and you will no longer meet the minimum (30+ per week) hours of placement, or if your placement duration (number of weeks on placement) changes, you will need to advise the University as soon as possible by completing a CPP Change of Circumstances Form.  This form is available from MyCQU, Support view, then Student Forms, and search for ‘CPP.’ This will avoid any issues like overpayment.

If you have applied for the CPP and your placement is cancelled prior to receiving payment, you need to advise the University of the cancellation as soon as possible by completing a CPP Change of Circumstances Form.  This form is  available from MyCQU, Support view, then Student Forms, and search for ‘CPP.’

If your placement is cancelled after receiving payment, you will need to repay the portion of CPP for any uncompleted weeks of placement.

If you applied for the CPP based on having ‘Exceptional  Circumstances’ and your circumstances change before or during your placement, you  need to advise the University as soon as possible, as this may affect your eligibility and/or payment for the CPP.  You need to complete a CPP Change of Circumstances Form.  This is available from MyCQU, Support view, then Student Forms, and search for ‘CPP.’

If your eligibility changes after you have applied, but before you have received payment, your payment may be cancelled or reduced to the number of weeks you are deemed to be eligible to receive the CPP.

If your eligibility changes after you have been paid the CPP, or if it isn’t feasible to cancel your payment in time, you may be required to repay the portion of CPP for any weeks you are deemed to be ineligible.

If your eligibility for Exceptional Circumstances changes after you complete a placement that you received the CPP for, no action is required.

NB. If you no longer meet the ‘Exceptional Circumstances’ criteria but meet eligibility for the CPP based on receiving an eligible Income Support Payment or meeting the ‘Need to Work’ and ‘Income Test’ criteria, you may still be eligible for the CPP. In this case you may be asked to apply/reapply on this basis.

Complaints can be lodged by visiting CQUniversity’s Official Complaints.

If the complaint is in relation to the CPP program or policy settings, you can lodge a complaint directly to the Department of Education (see the complaints factsheet ). If applicants or recipients do not agree with the way the Department has handled a complaint, they may complain to the Commonwealth Ombudsman.

Yes. Your information will be handled in line with the Privacy Act 1988 and Australian privacy principles and may only be shared with relevant agencies or for legal reasons.

For more information, refer to CQUniversity’s Privacy Policy.

As the University is delivering the CPP on behalf of the Department of Education (the Department), under the Australian Government, the University will need to provide data and reporting to these entities; this may include applicants’ personal information, program and placement information and the content of applications and supporting documentation.

The Department may share the information about applicants with other Commonwealth entities for purposes including government administration, research or service delivery, according to Australian laws. The Department may also share the information about applicants with providers and State and Territory Governments for the purposes of administration of the CPP program.

The Australian Government may use and disclose information about applicants and recipients under this program in any other Australian Government business or function.

For further information on personal information from the Australian Government, visit: What is personal information?

Yes. The CPP is funded by the Australian Government. Your application information will be shared at a summary level with the Department of Education for both successful and unsuccessful applications. If you apply under exceptional circumstances, your full application and supporting documents will be provided to the Department of Education for assessment against the CPP exceptional circumstances criteria.

The Department of Education (the Department) will evaluate the CPP Program to measure how well the outcomes and objectives have been achieved. The Department may use information from applications and reports for this purpose. The Department may also interview applicants and participants or ask for more information to help determine an understanding of how the payment impacted applicants and recipients and to evaluate how effective the program was in achieving its outcomes.