With the Australian Government’s support and Curtin’s range of courses, your career goals in health are more attainable than ever.
Imagine switching to new career in health or advancing your current career, while saving a substantial amount on course fees.
The Australian Government’s Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) program makes that possible, with subsidised places available in various Curtin health postgraduate courses now available. And for some courses, you don’t even need a background in health to apply!
If a career change or advancement in health is in your future, applying for a CSP is an excellent choice.
What is a Commonwealth Supported Place?
A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is an Australian Government subsidy that covers part of the course fees for eligible students. The government pays their portion direct to the university. Students then pay the remainder of the course fee (student contribution amount) – which can be deferred through a HECS-HELP loan.
To be eligible, you must be a domestic student (an Australian citizen, permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen) and start your course in 2024. Luckily, many Curtin postgraduate health courses have July intakes – so apply to Curtin now.
Why CSPs for postgraduate courses in health?
In 2023, the government announced a one-off boost to the number of CSPs, to help address Australia’s urgent need for skilled healthcare professionals. As a result, more than 5,300 extra places became available for nursing and various health profession courses.
Although domestic undergraduate students automatically receive a CSP for their course, there are a limited number of CSPs available for postgraduate health courses in selected fields.
To see if a postgraduate course offers a CSP at Curtin, find your course, then check the ‘Fees and charges’ section on the course page.
What are the benefits of a CSP for a postgraduate health course?
The benefits of gaining a CSP include:
- significant savings: You’ll save 64–81% on tuition fees in health courses including nursing, midwifery and public health, substantially reducing the burden of your student HECS debt
- comprehensive support: The CSP covers the duration of your study, so you course fees will subsidised whether you’re studying full-time or part-time
- gaining in-demand skills: Only areas of national priority are subsidised for postgraduate health study, so you can be confident you’ll graduate with the skills that are in high demand with rewarding career opportunities.
How do I get a CSP for a postgraduate health course at Curtin?
In addition to being an Australian citizen, permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen, you must also live in Australia for the duration of your study; however, a Australian citizens may have the flexibility to complete part of their degree while living overseas (if the course permits).
When you apply for a course that offers CSPs, your eligibility for an CSP will be automatically assessed. But, because the number of CSPs for postgraduate health courses is limited, applications are competitive and are ranked – so, the stronger your application, the higher your chance of getting a CSP.
If you don’t receive a CSP, you’ll be notified in your Letter of Offer from Curtin. If you are successful, accept your place in the course and you’ll automatically get your CSP!
Curtin health postgraduate courses with CSPs
Curtin’s postgraduate courses in health are designed to help you progress your current career in health, and many are designed to help those who are working in a different career to switch to a career in nursing, midwifery, public health, social work or other health professions.
How do I apply for a CSP in a Curtin postgraduate health course?
Applying for a CSP in health is straightforward. At Curtin, our application process for CSPs is no different to our normal application process:
- Find your course and view the admission criteria on the course page. Note any additional criteria, such as a Working with Children Check, that may be required for fieldwork placements.
- Visit our admissions page for instructions, document information and application deadlines.
- Gather all the necessary documents and submit your application.
Remember, these opportunities are for the upcoming July intakes, so you’ll need to apply soon to be in the running for a CSP.
Can I get a CSP if I want to start a postgraduate health course in 2025?
Only a selected number of CSPs are available each year for postgraduate study. And, the number of places available are different for each university and course.
The government’s increased funding for CSPs in 2023 and 2024 gave a one-off increase in the number of subsidised postgraduate courses on offer. The availability of CSPs for these courses in 2025 and beyond is uncertain (at the time of publishing, CSPs for 2025 haven’t been announced).
So, if you’re considering postgrad study in health, apply now to start in July, and take your next step for a rewarding career that will make a difference!
To learn more about Curtin’s postgraduate health courses, download our Health Sciences postgraduate course guide.
