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DEECD Student Teacher Practicum Scheme - Rural and priority schools

Student Teacher Practicum Scheme is an initiative of the Victorian Government's Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) that provides financial incentives to eligible student teachers to undertake practicum placements in Victorian government rural and outer metropolitan schools.

We encourage 4th year single/double degree Education students and Graduate Diploma in Education students, who are undertaking a placement of at least 3 weeks duration in a designated Victorian government school, to apply for funding under the Scheme.

Under the Scheme students who meet the eligibility criteria can claim a one off Living Away from Home Allowance or a Travel Allowance for placements of three weeks or longer, in order to offset out of pocket expenses and loss of income normally associated with a teaching placement in a rural or outer metropolitan school.

The payment of an allowance under the Scheme is not automatic and interested students should ensure that they understand the procedures, eligibility criteria and related priorities. All applications will be assessed for their eligibility by the HR Services Branch and all student teachers will be advised by mail of the outcome of their application.

Funding is limited, so get in early!

What to do next

Step 1: Choose a school

Choose a school from the Priority School List or Rural Schools List - both are downloadable from the eligibility criteria web page.

Step 2: Apply for placement

  1. Complete the Faculty of Education Application for Student Teacher Practicum Scheme (pdf, 44Kb) ensuring that all sections are completed. 
  2. Return the form directly to the Professional Placements Office.

The Professional Placements Office will organise for your application to be assessed and approved by the relevant staff members. As it is hard to predict the availability of staff members, we cannot advise how long it will take for your application to be assessed and an outcome reached. However, all efforts will be made to communicate placements outcomes as soon as the Professional Placements Office has been advised.

Students should wait until the Professional Placements Office contacts them with official advice that their application has been approved before they submit a formal application for the scheme with DEECD.

Step 3. Submit a formal application for the Student Teacher Practicum Scheme with DEECD

Once the Professional Placements Office has confirmed that your application has been approved, pre-service teachers should complete the relevant allowance forms downloadable from the Allowance Applications web page:

  • Living Away From Home Allowance - $900
  • Travel Allowance - $300 if traveling at least 50 minutes one way

Pre-service teachers should complete the UPPER portion of the allowance form and:

  1. Fax to HR Services Branch on (03) 9637 3418 immediately to 'ear mark' your funding for that place
  2. Wait for a letter of confirmation from DEECD.

Step 4. Acquire school principal's confirmation

As soon as you commence your placement pre-service teachers should:

  1. Have the Principal of the school complete the Principal Confirmation section at the bottom of the same allowance form that you have already partly filled in step 3.
  2. Fax the updated form to HR Services Branch on (03) 9637 3418 immediately. Your funds will then be transferred to your account.