Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP)

You first must be enrolled in an eligible Avondale course and meet the Australian Government eligibility requirements.

Eligible Avondale Courses

Students enrolled in the following Avondale courses may be eligible to apply:

• Bachelor of Teaching (all variations)
• Master of Teaching (Primary/Secondary)
• Bachelor of Nursing

Australian Government eligibility requirements

To be eligible for the Commonwealth Prac Payment, you will need to be:

• an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or New Zealand citizen, studying full time or part time
• enrolled in a unit of study in an eligible Bachelor or Masters course that leads to entry-to-practice in teaching, social work, or nursing
• required by your course to participate in mandatory placements for an average of 30 hours or more per week
• enrolled, or expected to be enrolled, in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) for the unit.

AND EITHER

• Be currently receiving an Eligible Income Support Payment (eg. Austudy, ABSTUDY, Youth Allowance, DVA Education Allowance)

OR

• you have demonstrated a need to work during their normal teaching periods. To meet this requirement, students must provide evidence that they worked more than 60 hours in a continuous four-week period (an average of more than 15 hours per week) either in the four weeks prior to applying for CPP or the four weeks prior to commencing their placement, whichever is earlier, and
• you earnt $1,536.37 or less per week before tax, on average in the same four-week period, including scholarships or similar financial cost of living assistance from the Commonwealth, States and Territories (called the 'Income Test').

Before submitting your application:

• Your placement has been confirmed
• You know your placement start date
• You meet the eligibility requirements
• You have identified the correct teaching period
• You have gathered the required supporting documentation

Important: Applications should only be submitted once placement dates have been confirmed, as placement timing determines which evidence period applies.

If you are applying under the Need to Work and Income Test, you must provide evidence from a continuous four-week study period during the relevant teaching period.

Semester 1 Teaching Periods

Semester 2 Teaching Periods

Which Teaching Period Should I Use?

Use a continuous four-week evidence period from the teaching period associated with your placement.

If your placement begins before the relevant teaching period commences, use evidence from the immediately preceding teaching period.

Examples

Placement starts in February 2026
Use your final eligible study period from 2025.

Placement starts in April 2026
Use Semester 1 & N3/N5 evidence.

Placement starts in July 2026
Use Semester 1 & N3/N5 evidence.

Placement starts in September 2026
Use Semester 2 & N2/N4/N6 evidence.

Placement starts in January or February 2027
Use Semester 2 & N2/N4 2026 evidence.

The supporting documentation required depends on how you meet the eligibility requirements.

Eligible Income Support Payment

Provide evidence of your current eligible Commonwealth Income Support Payment. You can find the Request a Document function in your Centrelink Online Services.

Examples include:

• Centrelink Payment Details
• Centrelink Income Statement
• DVA Payment Documentation

Need to Work and Income Test

Provide documentation demonstrating:

• An average of more than 15 hours of paid work per week during the nominated four-week evidence period; and
• Earnings that do not exceed the applicable CPP income threshold during the same period.

Examples include:

• Payslips
• Employment records
• Other supporting documentation requested by Avondale

Documentation must clearly demonstrate both hours worked and income received during the selected evidence period.

If you complete more than one eligible placement within the same calendar year, you do not need to submit a new CPP application for each placement.

Avondale receives confirmation of completed placements through its placement processes, so you do not need to notify us when a placement has finished. 

If you qualified under the Need to Work and Income Test, you may be required to confirm that you continue to meet the eligibility requirements before a subsequent placement. 

Please contact the CPP Team if your:

• Employment hours change
• Income changes
• Personal circumstances change and may affect your eligibility

If your circumstances have not changed and no additional information has been requested, no action is normally required. 

Please note:

• CPP is taxable income.
• CPP may affect Centrelink or other government benefits.
• Students are responsible for meeting any taxation, reporting and Centrelink obligations.
• Payment rates and income thresholds are reviewed annually by the Australian Government.

Students should consider how the payment may impact their individual circumstances and seek independent advice if required.

Important: Applications should only be submitted once placement dates are confirmed, as placement timing determines which evidence period applies..