The Psychology Sponsorship program is the early entry point into the School Counsellor in Training program. Through the Psychology Sponsorship program, approved teachers are supported to complete the third year psychology subjects (up to four subjects) of their three year sequence of Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) accredited psychology studies, over one year.
Psychology Sponsorship recipients will transition into the School Counsellor in Training program upon successful entry into the Master of Psychological Practice (School Psychology) at Charles Sturt University.
Psychology Sponsorship recipients receive:
- payment of compulsory university subject fees directly to your university for accredited third year psychology subjects from commencement of the sponsorship
- reimbursement of university-based accommodation expenses to attend compulsory university residential sessions and examinations where overnight accommodation is necessary
- on successful completion of the three year sequence of APAC accredited psychology studies, and upon successful entry into Charles Sturt University's Master of Psychological Practice (School Psychology), receive a full-time teachers salary (during the 2 year School Counsellor in Training program) and payment of course tuition fees - refer to the School Counsellor in Training Sponsorship page for further benefits.
- a permanent school counsellor position in a NSW public school on completion of the School Counsellor in Training program.
Application Requirements
- be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- hold a current NSW driver's licence
- be an approved teacher with the NSW Department of Education for full-time employment
- have, within the previous five years, completed the first two years of psychology units that form part of an APAC accredited three-year sequence of study, with no less than a Grade Point Average of 5.5 in core level 2 and 3 subjects (introductory psychology subjects do not form part of the GPA calculation), and provide evidence of completion. You must provide your academic results to date and evidence of enrolment for semester 2, 2023 if you will be completing your two-year sequence of study by the end of 2023
- not have more than four remaining psychology units to complete in 2024 and no more than two of those units may be completed in trimester 3, 2024
- be committed to completing a three-year sequence of APAC accredited psychology studies by the end of 2024
- meet Charles Sturt University's entry requirements into the Master of Psychological Practice (School Psychology) program before transitioning into the School Counsellor in Training program
- be willing to accept an appointment as a permanent full-time school counsellor in a NSW public school in an agreed location on completion of a School Counsellor in Training program for a minimum period of two years.
Agreed locations
As part of the application process, you will be asked to select either 'Anywhere in the State' or individual school education areas where you would like to be appointed on completion of your studies.
If you select to be appointed 'Anywhere in the State', you are agreeing to be appointed to a school in one of the following school education areas: Albury, Armidale, Bankstown, Batemans Bay, Bathurst, Blacktown, Bondi, Bourke, Broken Hill, Campbelltown, Central Coast, Clarence/Coffs Harbour, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Fairfield, Granville, Griffith, Hornsby, Lake Macquarie, Lismore, Liverpool, Maitland, Moree, Mount Druitt, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Northern Beaches, Orange, Parramatta, Penrith, Port Jackson, Port Macquarie, Queanbeyan, Ryde, Shellharbour, St George, Sutherland, Tamworth, Taree, Tweed Heads/Ballina, Wagga Wagga, Windsor or Wollongong.
You may choose to select one school education area from the following list of high priority areas of workforce need: Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Bourke, Broken Hill, Deniliquin, Griffith, Moree, Mount Druitt, Orange, Queanbeyan, Tamworth, Taree or Wagga Wagga.
You could also select a minimum of three or more individual school education areas, from either Sydney metropolitan areas of workforce need and/or rural or remote areas of workforce need.
The metropolitan areas of workforce need are: Bankstown, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Granville, Liverpool, Mount Druitt, Parramatta, Penrith, Ryde and Windsor.
The rural or remote areas of workforce need are: Albury, Armidale, Batemans Bay, Bathurst, Bourke, Broken Hill, Clarence/Coffs Harbour, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Griffith, Lake Macquarie, Lismore, Maitland, Moree, Orange, Port Macquarie, Queanbeyan, Shellharbour, Tamworth, Taree and Wagga Wagga.
Priority will be given to candidates who are prepared to work in high priority areas of workforce need.
Further information
Additional program information can be found in the FAQ’s.
Contact the Student Wellbeing Recruitment Team via swr@det.nsw.edu.au or phone 1300 32 32 32 (option 3, 3, 4).