Pre-service Teacher Placement Grant Program

Overview

Daily grant payments are available to pre-service teachers (PSTs) completing a teaching placement as part of their initial teacher education (ITE) degree in an eligible regional, remote or specialist Victorian government school.

PSTs can speak to a university coordinator about their next teaching placement and the opportunity to complete a placement at an eligible school. Note that PSTs participating in the Teach Rural and Placements Plus programs may also apply for the Pre-service teacher Placement Grant (PPG) program.

Grant payments

Grant payments for 2026 vary based on the below eligible areas:

• $150 per day for mainstream campuses in small rural towns and remote communities
• $100 per day for mainstream campuses in medium rural towns
• $200 per day for specialist school campuses in small rural towns and remote communities
• $150 per day for specialist school campuses in medium rural towns
• $100 per day for specialist school campuses in metropolitan areas.

Eligible areas

All Victorian initial teacher education providers are provided with a list of eligible schools. PSTs should discuss their intent to participate in the PPG program with their placement coordinator who can support them to find a suitable host school.

For the purpose of determining the eligibility of schools for this program, the size and remoteness of school communities is determined using the Australian Government’s Modified Monash Model. This model classifies locations into 7 categories from MM1 (Metropolitan areas) to MM7 (Very remote communities) based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) geographical remoteness, road distance between towns, and town size.

Victorian government schools located in medium rural towns (MM4), small rural towns (MM5) and remote communities (MM6) are eligible for paid placements. All Victorian government specialist school campuses are eligible for paid placements.

Detailed information on the Modified Monash Model can be found on the Australian Government Department of Health website: Modified Monash Model.

Pre-service teacher eligibility

To be eligible to receive a grant, you must:

• be enrolled in a primary or secondary school initial teacher education (ITE) degree that is accredited by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT), or by an equivalent Australian State or Territory regulatory authority and recognised by the VIT
• be undertaking a teaching placement in an eligible Victorian government school
• be completing a teaching placement between 28 January 2026 and 31 December 2026
• have a valid Victorian Working with Children Check
• be a domestic student*

* For the purpose of this program, the definition of a domestic student is defined in the Program Guidelines under Resources.

The Pre-service Teacher Placement Grant (PPG) program will continue in the 2027 and 2028 school years. Further information regarding program arrangements is currently being finalised and will be announced soon.

Schools hosting a pre-service teacher grant placement

If your school is hosting a PST who has applied for the PPG program, the standard teaching placement requirements apply.

On the final day of completion of the teaching placement, the school contact will receive an email with a link to the program portal to verify, vary or reject the application details. After the school contact has verified the teaching placement, the PST will be eligible to claim and be paid their second grant payment.

For more information on your role as a host school, please see the FAQs under Resources.

Contact

For overall program queries about eligibility and program policy, rules and processes contact PPGprogram@education.vic.gov.au.

For queries regarding technical issues contact ppg@grants.vic.gov.au.