{"id":57733,"date":"2026-07-24T11:27:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T11:27:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/57733\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T11:27:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T11:27:25","slug":"new-338-weekly-payment-expanded-to-more-aussie-students-hard-to-believe-it-didnt-exist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/57733\/","title":{"rendered":"New $338 weekly payment expanded to more Aussie students: ‘Hard to believe it didn’t exist’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Students in a raft of practical tertiary courses will be able to receive a $338 weekly cash boost when carrying out work placements under a new change being made by the federal government. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will announce the policy today by expanding a recently introduced payment to assist students<\/a> in healthcare and teaching courses. <\/p>\n

The Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) scheme, introduced in July last year, will be expanded to include 10 new areas of study in the health professions. In an address to party members at Labor’s party conference kicking off today, the PM will announce much greater eligibility for the $338.60 per week payments from next year. <\/p>\n

It comes after independent MPs Helen Haines and David Pocock backed a petition to expand the payments as advocates warned some students can face “placement poverty” during the time consuming practical components of their degrees. <\/p>\n

RELATED <\/p>\n

Third year uni student Audrey Keillor is studying medical radiation science and still has more than 40 weeks of placements to complete before graduation. <\/p>\n

For her first placement, the 20-year-old student who is based in Wagga Wagga in NSW was sent to a private clinic in Queensland. <\/p>\n

“I drove up there, I had to pay for my own accomodation \u2026 I calculated it ended up being nearly a five grand expense,” she told Yahoo Finance last month. <\/p>\n

“I am completely self-funded, so when I do placements, especially now that they’re six weeks, I tend to find a job where I can. <\/p>\n

“The financial pressure has certainly impacted my wellbeing.” <\/p>\n

The change will come too late to help her, but will assist thousands of others training to join the healthcare sector from next year. <\/p>\n

\"Third<\/a> Third year student Audrey Keillor is self funded and says time consuming pracs can bleed her dry. \u00b7 Supplied New $338 payments to be made more widely available <\/p>\n

From July 2027, the payments will be extended for physiotherapy, clinical psychology, speech pathology, paramedics, audiology, pharmacy and podiatry. <\/p>\n

Previously, the payments were only available to those studying to be nurses and midwives, teachers and social workers. <\/p>\n

“We are investing right across our world-class health system, and we are backing the extraordinary people who work in it,” the prime minister will tell the conference today. <\/p>\n

“This is one of those reforms where it is hard to believe that it didn’t already exist.” <\/p>\n

Treasurer Jim Chalmers speaking to ABC radio this morning said the increase of the scheme, which was previously costed in the budget at $427.4 million over four years, is about helping with the cost of living for students. <\/p>\n

“It’s been a really successful and important policy and that’s why we’re extending it,” he said. <\/p>\n

“This will help people who would otherwise have to give up shifts to do these prac placements.” <\/p>\n

with AAP <\/p>\n

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