STUDENTS WELCOME EXPANSION OF THE COMMONWEALTH PRAC PAYMENT
Cost of living relief for students training in national skills shortage fields

With
Dr Rik Dawson,
APA Gerontological Physiotherapist &
National President,
Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) &
Postdoctoral Researcher
Institute for Musculoskeletal Health,
University of Sydney

Jianqi Li, new graduate physiotherapist
Early Career Representative, Australian Physiotherapy Association

Benjamin Tze Yong Ong, Final-year physiotherapy student,
University of Queensland & APA National Student Representative

Mia Avram
Fourth-year pharmacy student at Monash University &
National President,
National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association (NAPSA)

Divya Lal, Community Pharmacist &
NSW/ACT State Manager,
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA)

SEGMENT
Filmed in Sydney & Brisbane | August 2026

The Australian Government is expanding the Commonwealth Prac Payment to eligible students in 10 additional frontline allied health disciplines, providing financial support during mandatory university placements.

From 1 July 2027, eligible students studying audiology, pharmacy, radiography, clinical psychology, physiotherapy, rehabilitation therapies, occupational therapy, podiatry, speech pathology and paramedicine will be able to access the payment.

The expansion builds on the payment currently available to eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students, and is expected to support around 95,000 students each year, including an additional 21,000 higher education students in frontline allied health courses.

The Government says the initiative will help address workforce shortages by supporting students to complete their studies and enter frontline health professions, particularly in areas such as primary care, hospitals, aged care, disability and regional communities.

Australian Health Journal spoke with representatives of two industry bodies who lobbied for the expansion, Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) & Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).

Source: Adapted from the “Expansion of the Commonwealth Prac Payment Factsheet”, July 2026, Department of Education, Australian Government