Commonwealth Prac Payment

To be eligible for the Commonwealth Prac Payment, you must:

Meet all of the following criteria:

And either:

Eligible courses

Entry-to-practice bachelor or master degrees in midwifery, nursing, social work and teaching that are accredited/approved by the relevant professional standards body are eligible for the CPP.

The CPP-eligible courses are listed below against the eligible programs, as well as the maximum number of weeks you can receive the payment. 

Eligible placements

Eligible placements are mandatory placements that are either: 

• a placement scheduled for an average 30 hours or more per week for the duration of the placement; or
• a continuity of care placement undertaken as part of a course in a midwifery program, which ensures students are available during placement by preventing them from maintaining paid work.

How long will I receive the CPP?

The Australian Government limits the number of weeks you can access CPP for your program. This limit is based on the minimum period of placement required to receive accreditation from the relevant accrediting body for your program. 

When you apply for any given course, UQ will determine how many weeks of CPP will be paid:

• This will be based on the number of CPP eligible weeks for your placement (until you have exhausted your maximum CPP entitlement for the program). 
• UQ may limit the number of CPP weeks allocated for a placement to ensure CPP payments can be spread across all mandatory placements in your program.

What happens if I need to repeat a course?

• If you fail a placement course and are required to retake or repeat it, you will not be eligible for additional weeks of CPP.
• If you're repeating a course, you can choose to apply for the CPP so long as you haven't exhausted your maximum CPP entitlement.

Eligible Commonwealth Income Support Payments

To meet this criteria, you must be receiving an Eligible Commonwealth Income Support Payment (ISP). If you're receiving more than one eligible ISP, you must provide details for the payment you receive the most income from.

CPP is considered assessable income for taxation and social security purposes, and may impact your regular income support payment.

• You must report your CPP payments to Services Australia in line with your current obligation to report other types of income and financial assistance.
• It's your responsibility to assess and manage the potential impacts of CPP on any Income Support Payment or financial assistance you receive from other sources.

The eligible Income Support Payments are listed below. This is a complete list and no other or similar ISPs or benefits are eligible.

'Need to work' and income criteria 

If you aren’t receiving an Eligible Commonwealth Income Support Payment (ISP), you will need to meet the 'Need to work' and income criteria set by the Australian Government. These criteria determine whether you:

• normally need to work on average more than 15 hours per week to support yourself during your studies; and
• will be unable to do so because of mandatory placement requirements.

4-week evidentiary period

Your application must include evidence of your income before tax and your work hours over a continuous 4-week study period. This must be the earlier of either: 

• the 4 ‘study period weeks’ before applying for the CPP 
• the 4 ‘study period weeks’ before starting the placement. 

Please note that 'study period weeks’: 

• can include teaching weeks, mid-semester break, revision period and examination period (excluding Summer Semester) 
• cannot include inter-semester breaks (i.e. between 24 November 2025 to 23 February 2026) and any weeks in which you were undertaking another mandatory placement 
• you may find it helpful to use the 2026 Academic Calendar as a reference. 

For Semester 1, 2026: 

• If you are applying before 25 March, your evidentiary period must be the last 4 ‘study period weeks’ of Semester 2, 2025  (i.e. prior to 23 November 2025) 
• If you are applying after 25 March, your evidentiary period must be 4 continuous ‘study period weeks’ in Semester 1, 2026 (i.e. from 23 February 2026)