Early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers can get a subsidy to support early childhood teachers (ECTs) and educators in training to complete the practicum components of their degree.
On this page:
This opportunity is open. Applications close 19 September 2025.
About the subsidy
The paid practicum subsidy allows providers to give staff paid leave while undertaking practicums.
Practicums help teachers and educators in training gain practical, work-place experience in an early childhood educational setting. They are mandatory for most ECEC qualifications.
We pay the subsidy to providers. Providers must pass funding on to staff through paid leave.
The subsidy aims to help services:
- support staff to complete ECEC qualifications
- provide paid leave to staff completing practicums.
Who can get the subsidy?
Child Care Subsidy (CCS) approved providers can apply on behalf of staff completing:
- a diploma-level qualification such as a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
- a degree-level qualification such as a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Care
- a post-graduate ECT qualification such as a Graduate Certificate in Education (Early Childhood), a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching or a Master of Early Childhood Education.
Find information about qualifications on ACECQA’s website
These staff must:
- be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or hold a valid work visa
- work at a CCS-approved service
- work full-time, part-time or casual
- have worked more than 40 hours in the last 3 months.
If we receive a high volume of applications, we will prioritise applications for:
- First Nations educators
- educators from regional and remote locations
- educators by provider size (small, then medium, then large providers)
- ECT qualifications (including post-graduate qualifications) over diploma-level qualifications.
What can the subsidy be used for?
You must use the subsidy to give staff paid leave while they undertake their practicum.
The subsidy covers up to 8 weeks of practicum per staff member, per semester.
The practicum must:
- start between 30 June 2025 and 28 June 2026
- be completed by 27 September 2026.
You can apply twice a year for an individual staff member, once each semester. Priority may be given to staff who have not yet been supported by the subsidy.
You will be responsible for covering any costs associated with:
- backfilling staff during their practicum
- staff wages not covered by the grant.
How much is the subsidy?
The subsidy is a flat weekly rate. This is because practicums are typically completed in groups of 5 working days.
The weekly rate is based on current award rates.
| Staff type | 2025-26 | 2024–25 | 2023–24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | $1,203.10 | $1,162.40 | $1,120.04 |
Providers must cover any gap between the subsidy amount and the employee’s full salary during the practicum period.
How to apply
Providers must apply on behalf of eligible staff. A person with management or control (PMC) must complete the application.
Providers should:
- read the grant guidelines before applying
- apply through the grants portal.
If you need help with your application, contact ececgrants@deloitte.com.au. Remember to include your provider CRN.
Educators cannot apply themselves. If you work in the sector and think you would be eligible, talk to your provider about applying.
Key dates
In 2025–26, applications will be processed in two rounds. We will open the second round only if funding is still available after the first round.
Round 1 applications open
14 July 2025
Round 1 applications close
19 September 2025
Round 1 payments expected to be made to successful applicants
November 2025
Round 2 applications open (subject to funding availability)
12 January 2026
Round 2 applications close
13 March 2026
Round 2 payments expected to be made to successful applicants
May 2026
Acquittals
Providers must acquit funding received under the paid practicum subsidy.
What is an acquittal?
An acquittal is the process of reporting how you’ve spent your funding. It helps us confirm you’ve used the funding correctly.
An acquittal is done when:
- you have no remaining funding, or
- you have unused funding to be recovered.
You must acquit all funding that you received under the subsidy, even if your service has:
- closed
- transferred to a new provider
- had its CCS approval cancelled.
We’ll recover any unused funds through the acquittals process. We’ll issue an invoice to recover these funds:
- after you have completed an acquittal, or
- once the acquittal deadline has passed.
What evidence do you need?
You don’t typically need to attach evidence when acquitting funds. However, you must keep appropriate records for 24 months demonstrating correct use of funding in line with the guidelines. We may undertake audit and compliance checks from time to time.
For the paid practicum subsidy, this could include:
- documentation confirming date(s) of practicum placement for named staff at another service
- payroll records indicating the named staff was paid for the week(s) practicum placement was undertaken.
There may be instances where a staff member is required to complete their placement at their place of employment. In this case the evidence can be:
- an email or letter from the higher education institution explaining why the placement is taking place at the same service
- supporting documentation from the service or educator to show why the staff member conducted their placement at the same service.
When is the deadline?
| The financial year you received funding | Acquittal deadline |
|---|---|
| 2023–24 | 31 July 2025 |
| 2024–25 | 31 July 2025 |
| 2025–26 | 14 July 2026 |
How to acquit funds
Acquit your funding through the grants portal.
If you have questions about the acquittals process or need help, contact ECECworkforce@education.gov.au.