Eligibility and application

How to apply

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• Criteria 1 - Income support payment

  ISP paid by Centrelink – you'll need to submit a copy of your Centrelink Payment Details or Income Statement, which you can obtain using the Centrelink Online Services ‘request a document’ function.  

  ISP paid by DVA – you'll need to submit a copy of your DVA Payment Summary or General Statement of Pension.  

• Criteria 2 – Need to work and income test

  'Need to work' test:

  • evidence that you’ve worked more than 60 hours over a continuous 4-week period during the normal study period of, either: 
    
    • the 4 weeks immediately prior to your application, or
    • the 4 weeks prior to starting your placement, whichever is earlier. 

  Acceptable documents include payroll prints, time and wages sheets or payslips, a letter from your employer or, for self-employed students, client invoicing and billing information and/or sole trader timesheets.

  Tip: Make sure your documents show the correct period of time to meet this requirement. You may find it helpful to use the UTS 2026 Academic year dates as a reference. This means you may need to submit multiple payslips to cover the full 4 weeks, and you may need to wait until you have received your latest payslip before applying. 
  

  AND

  'Income test':

  • evidence that your gross (pre-tax) income does not exceed $1,536.37* per week on average, during the same period that you are demonstrating in the above 'need to work test’. 

  You may be able to demonstrate your income using the same documents supplied for the above ‘need to work test’.

  • You must also submit evidence of any other income, including scholarships/bursaries, wages/wage subsidies and any other university or Commonwealth and State/Territory government supports which are paid directly to you. This includes payments that you receive outside the 4-week period (e.g. annual/lump sum payments or payments you expect to receive while on placement). Forms of indirect/in-kind support won't be counted. 

  *The CPP income threshold changes each year with indexation

• Exceptional circumstances

  Some students may have exceptional circumstances preventing them from meeting the CPP eligibility criteria related to placement hours or the Need to Work Test or Income Test, but still require support to participate in their placements alongside other students.

  How do I demonstrate exceptional circumstances?

  To apply under exceptional circumstances, you must meet the initial CPP eligibility criteria, then show us that you meet one of the below exceptional circumstances criteria and supply supporting documentation to UTS that clearly shows:  

  • The nature of your circumstances  
  • How they impact your ability to meet CPP criteria  
  • The duration of the circumstances (start and end dates)  
  • A physical signature and contact details of a relevant professional (e.g. doctor, caseworker)  
  • The date the document was issued
  • If the exceptional circumstances are in relation to a family member or someone close to you, you must also demonstrate how you are related to them and how their circumstances affect you.

  If you need to discuss your exceptional circumstances in more detail before applying, please contact cppsupport@uts.edu.au. 

  Exceptional circumstances criteria and acceptable documents

  Exceptional circumstances are situations that significantly affect your ability to be eligible for the CPP, and that are unexpected and/or outside of your control. These circumstances may be temporary or ongoing. 

  You may be eligible to apply for the CPP under the following exceptional circumstances:

  • Disability: if you need reasonable adjustments for work or study (as evidenced by your education/learning adjustments plan or medical documentation) and consequently, cannot participate in mandatory placements for more than 30 hours per week and/or meet the ‘need to work’ test. 
    
    • Acceptable documents include your Individual Education Plan or Placement Reasonable Adjustment Plan, or supporting documents from your health practitioner. These documents need to give general details about your disability or condition and show what kinds of adjustments to work or study you may require.
  • Health and medical: you're unable to meet the ‘need to work’ test during the required 4-week period because of circumstances beyond your control. This includes if illness, disability or caring responsibilities mean you're unable to work more than 15 hours per week on average during your regular study period, despite usually relying on paid employment (of less than $1,536.37 per week (before tax)) during the same period. 
    • Acceptable documents include your Individual Education Plan or Placement Reasonable Adjustment Plan, or supporting documents from your health practitioner. These documents need to give the general details of an illness, or chronic condition which affects your ability to engage with work or study, including the kinds of adjustments you may need as a result of your condition, and including how long these adjustments should apply for.  
    • If you're providing care to someone with a significant relationship to you, then you will also need to supply documents provided by the person receiving the care’s registered health practitioner, treating registered health practitioner, or service.
  • Acute personal or family life event: if you’re unable to meet the ‘need to work’ test during the required 4-week period because of an unexpected or acute situation involving you, your family or someone close to you. This includes if the acute event means you're unable to work more than 15 hours per week on average during your regular study period, despite usually relying on paid employment (of less than $1,536.37 per week (before tax)) during the same period.
    • Acceptable documents may include medical certificates, statutory declarations, death certificate or funeral notice, evidence of mandatory relocation, documentation from family violence support services, evidence from a registered service provider, evidence of residence in an area affected by natural disaster, evidence of compulsory legal proceedings, or your Individual Education Plan. 
  • If you've received a Commonwealth income support payment or worked more than 15 hours per week but cannot provide documentation due to circumstances beyond your control (such as a natural disaster).

  You're not eligible to apply for CPP under exceptional circumstances if: 

  • You’re usually able to meet work or placement requirements.
  • You’re unable to demonstrate that exceptional circumstances apply through relevant supporting documentation. 

  How do I submit my application? 

  • Complete the CPP application form – select the Exceptional circumstances option and then select which eligibility criteria you are unable to meet due to your circumstances.
  • Select which exceptional circumstance criteria applies to you (disability, health and medical, or acute personal or family life event).
  • Tick whether this circumstance is Episodic (this circumstance occurred only once or only intermittently) or Ongoing (this circumstance is current and continuing).
  • Attach all required supporting documents. Make sure any documents you supply meet the above requirements and give enough detail for us to assess your application.   
  • Submit your application by the relevant deadline. 

  Important: Applications without documentation or sufficient evidence will be declined.

  Please allow at least 4 weeks prior to your placement start date to ensure your application can be processed in time.

  UTS will assess your application and share it with the Department of Education with our recommendation on whether approval should be given. The Department should notify UTS about the outcome of the application within 5 working days. Then we’ll let you know the outcome.