Pre-service teacher Placement Grant program

Daily grant payments are available to pre-service teachers (PSTs) completing a teaching placement in an eligible remote, rural 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. Please note that PSTs participating in the Teach Rural and Placements Plus programs may also apply for the Pre-service teacher Placement Grant 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 Pre-service teacher Placement Grant program with their placement coordinator who can support them to find a suitable host school.

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 ABS geographical remoteness, road distance between towns, and town size.

Detailed info 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.

How to apply

To apply for a grant when you're studying with a Victorian ITE provider, contact your Placement Coordinator to supply you with a link to the Program Portal. The portal will require you to create an account and provide:

• personal information
• proof of identity
• placement details

If you are studying with a non-Victorian ITE provider, please complete the Expression of Interest short form(opens in a new window). The Department of Education will assess the information supplied in the form and provide you with further advice.

Resources

• Applicant FAQs (PDF, 176KB)
• Host-school FAQs (PDF, 125KB)
• VIT-accredited ITE FAQs (PDF, 166KB)
• Pre-Service Teacher Placement Grant funding guidelines (PDF, 233KB)