Get paid to study

The Riverina Teaching Hub Program supports local high school leavers and career changers to become a secondary teacher in a NSW public school in the Riverina region.

To be eligible you must:

1. be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
2. be willing to complete an undergraduate or postgraduate teaching degree at UNSW.
3. begin your course in Semester 1, 2024 (February 2024) and complete your degree within within four years (bachelor's degree) or 1.3 years (master's degree) (noting special circumstances may be considered).
4. be willing to complete Riverina Teaching Hub Program requirements, including paid part-time work as an educational paraprofessional one day per week at a participating school.
5. be willing to accept an appointment as a permanent full-time teacher in a NSW public school on completion of your studies, for a minimum of three years, at an agreed location.
6. be willing to complete your studies with UNSW in one of the participating schools in the Riverina
7. meet UNSW entry requirements for an undergraduate or postgraduate teaching degree, and intend on completing:

a) a double degree including a Bachelor of Education with University of New South Wales (UNSW), with the subject specialisation of:

• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - History, Languages (Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish), Indigenous studies
• Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - Business, Economics
• Bachelor of Economics/Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - Economics
• Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - Mathematics

or

b) Master of Teaching (Secondary)

For more information on the specialisation requirements for the Master of Teaching course, please check the UNSW webpage.

8. be wiling to work as an educational paraprofessional one day per week in a participating NSW public school in the Riverina region commencing in February 2024.

Applications for the Riverina Teaching Hub Program are now closed. Please subscribe to the mailing list for future program updates.

Participants will find out if they have been accepted into the program by October 2023, including which school they will be working in as a part-time educational paraprofessional from February 2024.

Participants will commence their studies at UNSW from Semester 1, 2024 (February 2024). All program participants will study as a collective group in the Riverina region, without having to leave their local area to gain a degree.

Upon commencement of the program, participants will also work part-time (one day per week) as an educational paraprofessional in a participating school in the Riverina region.

Upon completion of studies, participants will achieve a nationally recognised teaching qualification. Upon gaining NESA accreditation and approval to teach with the NSW Department of Education, participants will be offered permanent employment as a secondary teacher at a NSW public school within an agreed location.

The Riverina Teaching Hub Program is partnering with UNSW to offer up to 16 places in 2024.

Should you not receive a place in the Riverina Teaching Hub Program, you may be eligible for another scholarship program to be supported in your entry to teaching.

Please visit the Get Paid to Study page on the Teach NSW website for further information about other scholarship opportunities.

The program is aimed at high school students and career changers living in the Riverina region, who are aspiring to become a secondary teacher in a NSW public school.

The program provides participants with an opportunity to study teaching as part of a collective group within their local area. Participants who are located in, or are interested in teaching in, the Riverina region are encouraged to apply.

The program is partnering with NSW public schools across the Riverina region where participants will study and work as educational paraprofessionals.

Participating schools for the 2024 program include:

• Albury High School
• Corowa High School
• Kooringal High School
• Mount Austin High School
• Murray High School

While personal preferences will be taken into consideration, it is expected that program participants are open to the opportunity to train and teach across a range of participating schools in the Riverina region.

Within the application process, you will be given the opportunity to preference at least two participating schools to work within as an educational paraprofessional.

Successful applicants will be required to begin the program in Semester 1, 2024 (February 2024).

The program is intended to be a full-time program. We understand each participant’s journey is different, so completing the program part-time will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and subject to the university being able to support part-time study.

For questions about your specific circumstances, please email teachinghubprogram@det.nsw.edu.au.

The program includes working one day per week as an educational paraprofessional and studying full-time. Participants will need to determine if they can manage the load and balance this with other personal priorities.

Applications for the Riverina Teaching Hub Program are now closed. Please subscribe to the mailing list for future program updates.

You will be required to complete and submit the documents listed below as part of your application:

• Resume and cover letter
• Referees
• Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check: Application and informed consent form (PDF 1.8 MB)
• Proof of identity (PDF 44 KB) including evidence of Australian Citizenship, permanent residence or visa permitting employment in Australia (if not born in Australia).
• If applying for a Master of Teaching (Secondary): official evidence verifying completion of an undergraduate bachelor's degree, with subject specialisation/s.

Applicants with international qualifications may also be required to submit their IELTS test results. Please visit the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) website to find out if this applies to you.

To submit the documents, open your IworkforNSW application and upload in line with the instructions provided, prior to the closing date.

Stage 1. Online application and digital story

A panel within the department will complete an initial assessment of your online written application and digital story.

You are required to submit an application through UNSW for the relevant degree. For more information about entry to UNSW, please access their entry requirements webpage or information on the Portfolio Entry Early Conditional Offer Scheme. For any other information or support on applying, please email the program team at RiverinaHub@unsw.edu.au or contact 0422 457 050.

Stage 2. UNSW assessment

UNSW will assess your qualifications and entry into the selected degree. They will also assess whether you are eligible for recognition of prior learning and advanced standing.

If you are deemed as meeting their requirements, you will receive a conditional offer from the university.

Stage 3. Interview and assessments

If you receive a conditional offer from the university, you will be invited to an interview with the NSW Department of Education and requested to complete further assessments.

The panel will review your entire application and recommend candidates for inclusion in the program.

Stage 4. Probity checks and application into UNSW

Succesful applicants will then be offered a conditional place in the Riverina Teaching Hub Program. At the same time your referees, working with children check and criminal records check will take place.

If you are successful in all four stages, you will be accepted into the program.

There are different application pathways into UNSW for the Riverina Teaching Hub Program depending on your circumstances and whether you are applying to pursue an undergraduate bachelor's program or a postgraduate master's program.

To determine which UNSW application pathway applies to you and to access links to the UNSW application portals, check our handy application guide.

In your UNSW Personal Statement, which is required for applications into the program, ensure you specify you are interested in the Riverina Teaching Hub Program.

The UNSW Riverina Teaching Hub team can also guide you through the process of determining the right pathway for you. You may contact them on fas.educ.riverinahub@unsw.edu.au or 02 9065 2650.

UNSW applications to the master's postgraduate program close on 25 August 2023.

UNSW applications to the bachelor's undergraduate programs open on 2 September and close in November 2023 with the closing date dependent on the application pathway which applies to you.

We highly recommend that you submit your undergraduate UNSW application by September, before the due date.

For more information, visit the UNSW Riverina Teaching Hub website.

The online application system will not allow you to submit your application until all the required fields have been completed. Once you click on the submit button, a confirmation email will automatically be sent to the email address you provided as part of the application process. Please keep a copy of that email for your records.

If you did not receive a confirmation email, please email teachinghubprogram@det.nsw.edu.au.

Yes, both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified of the outcome via email once the selection process has been completed.

If you change your contact details after the closing date, please email your updated contact details to teachinghubprogram@det.nsw.edu.au.

In addition to the Riverina Teaching Hub Program, you may also be eligible to apply for other scholarship programs the department has to offer. If you are offered positions in two scholarship programs, you will be required to select the program that best suits your path.

Please visit the Get Paid to Study page on the Education website for further information about other scholarship opportunities.

Successful applicants are required to sign a Riverina Teaching Hub Program agreement with the department, committing them to:

• accepting appointment as an educational paraprofessional (on a part-time basis) in a NSW public school, for the duration of their teacher education program
• satisfying the department’s recruitment procedures and requirements. During the final year of study, participants are required to apply for conditional accreditation with NESA and then apply for approval to teach through the department’s online application, which will include a teacher suitability assessment and behavioural interview
• meet milestones during the Riverina Teaching Hub Program to demonstrate teaching capabilities
• accepting an appointment as a permanent full-time secondary teacher in a NSW public school in a specified school education area upon completion of studies and remaining employed in a permanent position for a minimum of three years.

The program provides participants with the option to study several degrees with UNSW, including a postgraduate Master of Teaching or an undergraduate double degree which includes a Bachelor of Education.

Please note, only a select number of degrees from UNSW will be offered under the Riverina Teaching Hub Program.

Eligible degrees include:

• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - History, Languages (Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish), Indigenous studies
• Bachelor of Commerce/ Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - Business, Economics
• Bachelor of Economics/ Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - Economics
• Bachelor of Science/ Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - Mathematics
• Master of Teaching (Secondary) - for assistance with selecting your first and/or additional teaching areas under the Master of Teaching program, please check the UNSW website.

Alldegrees are delivered by UNSW using a hybrid delivery model which includes virtual tutorials based from a participating school in the Riverina and face-to-face sessions once per trimester. This enables the program’s cohort to form connections with each other and UNSW lecturers, while removing the travel requirement for participants to attend university campuses outside of the Riverina region.

The double degree, including the Bachelor of Education (Secondary), is four years in duration.

The Master of Teaching (Secondary) is 1.3 years in duration.

There are Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) available for the eligible UNSW degrees. The government subsidises a large portion of the fee for eligible domestic students, significantly reducing the cost to the student. Your eligibility to receive a CSP will be automatically assessed when you apply through UNSW.

The 2023 indicative CSP first year full fees are:

• Bachelor of Education (Secondary): $8,600*
• Master of Teaching (Secondary): $4,750*

Visit the Postgraduate Commonwealth Support page to find out more about the student contribution amounts for Commonwealth Supported Places.

Successful participants will also receive an annual training allowance of up to $7,500 per year whilst studying full-time. The purpose of this payment is to assist with the cost of study including payment of university fees. As this payment is subject to tax. In some instances, the training allowance may not fully cover the total course costs. Support is also available to you through HECS-HELP.

*The student contribution for a Commonwealth Supported Place is an indication only of the amount payable in Year 1 based on a standard full-time load of 48 credit points (1.0 EFTSL). The actual student contribution you will be liable for depends on your individual program of study and the calendar year in which you enrol. Actual fees are calculated upon enrolment. Student contribution amounts are subject to annual review by the University and may increase each year during your studies (subject to caps determined by the Australian Government), effective at the start of each calendar year. The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only other fees and charges are not included.

Educational paraprofessionals play an integral part in the teaching of students. They work under the guidance and supervision of teachers to provide support both inside and outside the classroom.

Educational paraprofessionals assist with teaching and learning, by working closely with teachers in the classroom to support student engagement and participation, improving student learning outcomes.

As an educational paraprofessional, you will always have a supervising teacher with you who will be able to guide and support your practice.

Participants will begin working as educational paraprofessionals one day a week when they commence their studies in Semester 1, 2024 (February 2024).

The annual salary of a full-time educational paraprofessional undertaking teacher education studies is $64,076 (as at January, 2023).

Program participants are paid as educational paraprofessionals pro-rata, commensurate with their part-time status.

For further information, please visit the department's awards and determinations webpage.

During the program, you will be working as an educational paraprofessional in a participating NSW public secondary school in the Riverina region.

We want to encourage local participants to stay and teach within their local community. If you already have a connection to a school, it will be considered as part of the matching process.

Participating schools are carefully selected by the department based on their ability to provide mentoring and teaching opportunities to program participants.

A key outcome the program is seeking is to ensure participants are classroom ready before they begin teaching, which is why it is important participants begin to gain experience as an educational paraprofessional.

This program is an employment-based pathway and includes working as an educational paraprofessional one day per week from Term 1, 2024.

If this program is not suitable for you, please visit the Get Paid to Study page for further information about other scholarship opportunities with the department.

On successful completion of their teacher education studies, participants are appointed to a full-time permanent teaching position in a NSW public school in an agreed location.

Participants will have the opportunity to nominate at least two preferred school education areas in the Riverina region for permanent placement following completion.

In some situations, you may be assigned to a temporary teaching position before being appointed to a permanent role when a substantive vacancy arises.

Upon successful completion of the program and meeting accreditation and approval to teach requirements, participants will be offered permanent employment as a secondary teacher in a NSW public school, based on their preferred school education areas selected in their application.

School education areas in the Riverina region include: Albury, Deniliquin, Griffith and Wagga Wagga. Preference of the participant and participating school will be taken into consideration.

The opportunities offered will be dependent on available permanent teaching positions that match the participant's teaching specialisation and approved subject codes.

In recognition of the need to support aspiring teachers beginning their studies, the department is offering an annual training allowance of $7,500 to successful applicants on entry into the program.

This allowance will support participants while they study and is in addition to the salary earned as a part-time educational paraprofessional.

Future allowances will be payable to participants at the beginning of each full-time year of study, for four years (bachelor's double degree) or 1.3 years (master's degree) until study is completed.

Payments made as part of the Riverina Teaching Hub Program must be declared as assessable income on annual income tax returns. Participants may have tax withheld from their equivalent upfront training support payment. HECS-HELP repayments may also be withheld depending on individual circumstances.

As this study allowance comes with a requirement for you to work, this payment is not tax exempt. For more information, please visit the ATO website.

You are encouraged to seek financial advice for your own personal circumstances.

The annual training allowance of $7,500 per year of full-time study is paid to successful participants on entry into the program. The purpose of this payment is to assist with the cost of study, including paying unversity fees.

As this payment is subject to tax, in some instances, the training allowance may not fully cover your total course costs. Support is also available to you through HECS-HELP.

If you decide to leave the program before completing your studies, you will not be eligible for the $7,500 annual training allowance. You will be required to repay the amount paid to you at the start of the program.