Financial support

To be eligible for financial support under the QualifySA program, an applicant must:

• be a South Australian resident
• be a citizen of Australia or New Zealand or hold a permanent resident of Australia visa
• have an offer to study an approved birth to 5 early childhood teaching qualification recognised by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). Launch a PDF of the list.

Students studying a research master’s degree are not eligible for this financial support program.

Eligible master’s degree students must not already have an early childhood career qualification recognised by ACECQA.

Graduate diploma students must possess an existing primary or secondary degree that is not recognised by ACECQA as an approved early childhood education and care qualification.

The amount of financial support offered under QualifySA is higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals through the Aboriginal Pathways stream of the QualifySA program.

To be eligible for the Aboriginal Pathways stream, students must meet all other QualifySA eligibility requirements and identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.

Applicants for Aboriginal Pathways will need to provide one of the following at the time of application:

• a confirmation of Aboriginality
• a letter of support from an Aboriginal Community member
• a statutory declaration signed and confirmed by an Aboriginal Community member.

The following financial support is available under QualifySA:

• up to $25,000 for recipients studying a birth to 5 bachelor's degree
• up to $17,000 for recipients studying a birth to 5 master's degree
• up to $14,500 for recipients studying a birth to 5 graduate diploma.

Under the Aboriginal Pathways stream of QualifySA, the following financial support is available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students:

• up to $34,000 for recipients studying a bachelor's degree
• up to $24,000 for recipients studying a master's degree
• up to $20,500 for recipients studying a birth to 5 graduate diploma.

The schedule of milestone payments is listed below.

The funding provided may be used by recipients to offset living expenses while they study and work. Expenses may include, but are not limited to, course fees, study materials, accommodation costs, living costs, registration fees, teaching resources or professional development.

Living in regional and remote areas can create barriers to accessing higher education. Students living in outer regional or remote areas of South Australia may be eligible for the additional Grow Your Own (GYO) allowance available under QualifySA.

The GYO allowance provides up to an additional $10,000 over the course of a recipient's studies to help them pursue their education, and to build a career in their local region. This funding is in addition to the base financial support offered through QualifySA.

To be eligible for the GYO allowance, students must:

• be recipients of financial support through QualifySA
• reside in, and intend to work within, a South Australian location classified as very remote, remote, or outer regional according to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard – Remoteness Area classification.

Eligibility for the GYO allowance will be determined by the administrator based on recipients’ residential address. GYO payments will cease if a financial support recipient receiving the GYO allowance relocates to an area that is not classified as very remote, remote or outer regional.

Financial support through QualifySA includes employment retention payments.

Once financial support recipients have completed their course and commenced employment in the South Australian early childhood sector, they will receive their first employment retention payment.

Employment needs to begin within 6 months of course completion, whether in a fixed term or ongoing role.

Financial support recipients are then required to maintain continuous eligible early childhood employment for two years in order to receive the second employment retention payment.

To receive the employment retention payments, recipients must be employed in a teacher or educator role specifically working with 3-year-old children within a preschool program at an eligible education setting. An eligible education setting means one of the following South Australian early childhood education and care service types:

• long day care services providing a preschool program
• sessional preschool provided by government preschools
• sessional preschool provided by non-government preschools.

It is the funding recipient's responsibility to find eligible employment in South Australia to meet the program milestones. The OECD does not guarantee employment in the early childhood sector.

The tables below show the financial support payment milestones for different qualifications. Recipients will receive the payments they are eligible for after they provide the evidence needed for each milestone. The evidence needed is described in the financial support agreement and is checked by the administrator.

Payments may be adjusted based on recognition of prior learning (RPL) by the recipient’s institution and associated reductions in course load or duration.

• Applicants should have already been accepted into an eligible course, and all funding is contingent on the student submitting satisfactory evidence of enrolment and study completion for each year of their study.
• For the purposes of the funding application, a part-time student must be studying a minimum 0.5 load. This is half of what is considered to be a full-time load by the applicant’s institution. To calculate this, applicants will need to confirm the number of units or points their institution deems as full-time and halve that number.
• Applicants must be scheduled to complete their qualification by 31 December 2032.
• Applicants should intend to work in a South Australian early childhood service specifically working with 3-year-old children upon completion of their qualification. Early childhood services include long day care services providing a preschool program, and non-government and government run sessional preschools.
• Applicants should assess their financial situation, as they are responsible for additional expenses beyond the awarded amount.
• Funding amounts are pre-tax and recipients are encouraged to seek independent advice on potential impacts on taxation and government benefit schemes.
• If a financial support recipient’s study extends beyond the standard duration of time for expected completion due to circumstances such as studying part-time, not passing subjects, withdrawing, or other considerations (such as completing a 3-year course over 5 years), the timing of the scheduled payments will be adjusted.
• Financial support recipients will be required to contractually commit to working in a preschool program as a teacher in South Australia’s early childhood sector after course completion for a minimum of 2 years.
• Financial support recipients receive payments per academic year, adjusted for recognition of prior learning (RPL), other reductions in course duration, or completed subjects/units of study prior to being approved to receive financial support.
• Eligibility for employment retention payments extends to both fixed-term and ongoing roles in the South Australian early childhood sector.
• Financial support recipients must promptly report changes in circumstances to the administrator. This includes, but is not limited to, changes in location, study status, course details, employment status and employment details.
• Adjustments to the timings of milestone payments will be made for financial support recipients that take parental leave while involved in the QualifySA program. Recipients must notify the administrator of periods of parental leave to be taken.
• Financial support is disbursed based on milestone conditions to be met by the recipient. If a financial support recipient fails to meet the prescribed milestones, they will not receive payment. The financial support recipient may also be required to repay some funding. Although, in particular circumstances, the OECD may consider waiving repayment obligations, subject to individual evaluation and supporting documentation.

There are steps that need to be taken before an applicant applies for QualifySA.

Step 1: Review eligibility requirements

Potential applicants should review these guidelines closely to find out important information and check that they’re eligible to apply. This includes ensuring that the early childhood qualification they’ve been accepted to study makes them eligible for QualifySA financial support.

Step 2: Gather evidence to support the application

When applying for QualifySA, applicants will need to provide:

• proof of enrolment or a letter of offer to study from their institution
• proof of address (driver's license or other proof)
• proof of Aboriginality (if they are applying for the Aboriginal Pathways stream of QualifySA).

If you’re eligible for QualifySA and you’ve gathered the evidence needed to support your application, you can apply online for QualifySA financial support for preschool educators.

Applications for this program are assessed by an external administrator, in accordance with the eligibility criteria. Recommendations on whether applications should be approved are made to the OECD.

If the program receives more applications than it can accommodate, preference will be given to specific cohorts such as:

• applicants living in regional and remote areas
• those working in metropolitan early childhood services with a significant number of vulnerable or disadvantaged children
• applicants who have not yet benefited from financial support or incentives provided by the OECD or another funding source.

Applicants will receive a response from QualifySA’s program administrator, BUSY at Work, about the outcome of their application. If the applicant is successful, they will be notified that they have been pre-approved for financial support.

If the successful applicant hasn’t done so already, they should enrol in their course with the confidence that their financial support is pre-approved.

BUSY at Work will then invite successful applicants to an online information session to guide people through the program and discuss expectations.

After the census date, successful applicants should send proof of their enrolment to BUSY at Work.

Funding agreements are then entered into between the successful applicant and the OECD. This funding agreement is legally binding and outlines the recipient’s rights and responsibilities.

These funding agreements are entered into at two points during the year, following the census periods. These agreements can take time to prepare and be processed. The first payment to the recipient is made following execution of the funding agreement.

Sample QualifySA agreements can be downloaded using the links below.

SAMPLE -  Financial support agreement

SAMPLE - Employer agreement

For every year of study, financial support recipients will be required to send evidence of their enrolment after the census period to BUSY at Work in order to continue to receive milestone payments. Once recipients are qualified and working in the sector, they are required to send employment details to BUSY at Work in order to receive the employment retention payment.

For questions about the program, please contact the program administrator BUSY at Work.

Email: sascholarships@busyatwork.com.au

Phone: 1300 050 509

To provide feedback on the program, or to raise concerns, please contact the Workforce Policy and Innovation team within the Office for Early Childhood Development directly at OECD.ECWorkforceSupport@sa.gov.au

To be eligible for financial support under the QualifySA program, an applicant must:

• be a South Australian resident
• be a citizen of Australia or New Zealand or hold a permanent resident of Australia visa.

Applicants must also:

• Be accepted to undertake a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50121/CHC50125) at one of the following:
  • TAFE SA
  • A not-for-profit Registered Training Organisation with a Funded Activities Agreement with Skills SA, currently:
    • Limestone Coast Training
    • Institute of Training and Further Education

OR

• Be a Flying Start Pathways participant studying a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50121/CHC50125) at a Registered Training Organisation with a Funded Activities Agreement with Skills SA (speak with your Key Connector to check your eligibility).

OR

• Be a participant of a Flying Start Workforce Grant program funded Registered Training Organisation, studying a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50121/CHC50125) (potentially eligible students will be informed by their RTO if they meet this requirement).

Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people have alternative eligibility provisions, see Aboriginal Pathways.

Applicants undertaking a traineeship who meet the above requirements are eligible for the program, where they also have an approved contract of training and proof of enrolment with an eligible course provider.

The following financial support is available under QualifySA:

• up to $6,000 for recipients undertaking a diploma
• up to $13,000 for recipients in the Aboriginal Pathways stream undertaking a diploma or certificate III

The schedule of milestone payments are listed in the financial support payment milestones section of these guidelines.

The funding provided may be used by recipients to offset living expenses while they study and work. Expenses may include, but are not limited to, course fees, study materials, accommodation costs, living costs, registration fees, teaching resources or professional development.

Living in regional and remote areas can create barriers to accessing higher education. Students living in outer regional or remote areas of South Australia may be eligible for the additional Grow Your Own (GYO) allowance available under QualifySA.

The GYO allowance provides up to an additional $10,000 over the course of a recipient's studies to help them pursue their education, and to build a career in their local region. This funding is in addition to the base financial support offered through QualifySA.

To be eligible for the GYO allowance, students must:

• be recipients of financial support through QualifySA
• reside in, and intend to work within, a South Australian location classified as very remote, remote, or outer regional according to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard – Remoteness Area classification.

Eligibility for the GYO allowance will be determined by the administrator based on recipients’ residential address. GYO payments will cease if a financial support recipient receiving the GYO allowance relocates to an area that is not classified as very remote, remote or outer regional.

An additional $1,000 is available under QualifySA for the employer of the financial support recipient, who is currently working in the South Australian early childhood sector (except for Aboriginal pathway trainees, see Employer Aboriginal pathways trainee support payment).

This funding can be used by the employer for various purposes such as partially covering the cost of backfilling during a financial support recipient’s placement, supporting professional learning, allowing the recipient to undertake studies without work duties, facilitating planning time, or upskilling another individual.

To access the employer payment, applicants must consult with their employer before applying and include their employer's details in the application. Eligible employers will be contacted by the program administrator, BUSY At Work about how to receive the funding.

Financial support through QualifySA includes an employment retention payment.

Following course completion, the financial support recipient needs to commence employment in the South Australian early childhood sector.

Employment needs to begin within 6 months of course completion, whether in a fixed term or ongoing role.

Financial support recipients are then required to maintain continuous eligible early childhood employment for two years in order to receive the employment retention payment.

To receive the employment retention payment, recipients must be employed in a teacher or educator role specifically working with 3-year-old children within a preschool program at an eligible education setting. An eligible education setting means one of the following South Australian early childhood education and care service types:

• long day care services providing a preschool program
• sessional preschool provided by government preschools
• sessional preschool provided by non-government preschools.

It is the financial support recipient's responsibility to find eligible employment in South Australia to meet the program milestones. The OECD does not guarantee employment in the early childhood sector.

The table below show the financial support payment milestones. Recipients will receive the payments they are eligible for after they provide the evidence needed for each milestone. The evidence needed is described in the financial support agreement and is checked by the administrator.

*Aboriginal students who do not have a current South Australian working with children check and other related clearances will receive an additional supplement of $200 to cover the application costs.

• Applicants can apply for QualifySA in addition to Fee Free TAFE, though priority may be given to those who are unable to access tuition support through other government initiatives.
• Applicants should have already been accepted into an eligible course, and all funding is contingent on the student submitting satisfactory evidence they have completed study requirements and remain enrolled.
• For the purposes of the funding application, a part-time student must be studying a minimum 0.5 load. This is half of what is considered to be a full-time load by the applicant’s institution. To calculate this, applicants will need to confirm the number of units or points their institution deems as full-time and halve that number.
• Applicants must complete their qualification by 31 December 2028.
• Applicants should intend to work in a South Australian early childhood service specifically working with 3-year-old children upon completion of their qualification. Early childhood services include long day care services providing a preschool program, and non-government and government run sessional preschools.
• Applicants should assess their financial situation, as they are responsible for additional expenses beyond the awarded amount.
• Funding amounts are pre-tax and recipients are encouraged to seek independent advice on potential impacts on taxation and government benefit schemes.
• If a financial support recipient’s study extends beyond the standard duration of time for expected completion due to circumstances such as studying part-time, not passing subjects, withdrawing, or other considerations, the timing of the scheduled payments will be adjusted.
• Financial support recipients will be required to contractually commit to working in a preschool program in South Australia’s early childhood sector after course completion for a minimum of 2 years.
• Financial support recipients receive payments per academic year, adjusted for recognition of prior learning (RPL), other reductions in course duration, or completed subjects/units of study prior to being approved to receive financial support.
• Eligibility for employment retention payments extends to both fixed-term and ongoing roles in the South Australian early childhood sector.
• Financial support recipients must promptly report changes in circumstances to the administrator. This includes, but is not limited to, changes in location, study status, course details, employment status and employment details.
• Adjustments to the timings of milestone payments will be made for financial support recipients that take parental leave while involved in the QualifySA program. Recipients must notify the administrator of periods of parental leave to be taken.
• Financial support is disbursed based on milestone conditions to be met by the recipient. If a financial support recipient fails to meet the prescribed milestones, they will not receive payment. The financial support recipient may also be required to repay some funding. Although, in particular circumstances, the OECD may consider waiving repayment obligations, subject to individual evaluation and supporting documentation.

There are steps that need to be taken before an applicant applies for QualifySA.

Step 1: Review eligibility requirements

Potential applicants should review these guidelines closely to find out important information and check that they’re eligible to apply. This includes ensuring that the early childhood qualification they’ve been accepted to study makes them eligible for QualifySA financial support.

Potential applicants should speak to their employer about applying for the employer support payment if they are studying to be a preschool educator and are currently working in the South Australian early childhood sector.

Step 2: Gather evidence to support the application

When applying for QualifySA, applicants will need to provide proof of:

• enrolment or a letter of offer to study from their institution
• address (driver's license or other proof)
• Aboriginality (if applying for the Aboriginal Pathways stream of QualifySA)
• Training contract and Training plan (for applicants undertaking a traineeship); and
• enrolment in the Flying Start Pathways program (if required).

If you’re eligible for QualifySA and you’ve gathered the evidence needed to support your application, you can apply online for QualifySA financial support for preschool educators.

Applications for this program are assessed by an external administrator, in accordance with the eligibility criteria. Recommendations on whether applications should be approved are made to the OECD.

If the program receives more applications than it can accommodate, preference will be given to specific cohorts such as:

• applicants living in regional and remote areas
• those working in metropolitan early childhood services with a significant number of vulnerable or disadvantaged children
• applicants who have not yet benefited from financial support or incentives provided by the OECD or another funding source.

Applicants will receive a response from QualifySA’s program administrator, BUSY at Work, about the outcome of their application. If the applicant is successful, they will be notified that they have been pre-approved for financial support.

If the successful applicant hasn’t done so already, they should enrol in their course with the confidence that their financial support is pre-approved.

BUSY at Work will then invite successful applicants to an online information session to guide people through the program and discuss expectations.

After the census date, successful applicants should send proof of their enrolment to BUSY at Work.

Funding agreements are then entered into between the successful applicant and the OECD. This funding agreement is legally binding and outlines the recipient’s rights and responsibilities.

These funding agreements are entered into at two points during the year, following the census periods. These agreements can take time to prepare and be processed. The first payment to the recipient is made following execution of the funding agreement.

Sample QualifySA agreements can be downloaded using the links below.

Sample Financial Support Agreement

Sample Employer agreement

For every year of study, financial support recipients will be required to send evidence of their enrolment after the census period to BUSY at Work in order to continue to receive milestone payments. Once recipients are qualified and working in the sector, they are required to send employment details to BUSY at Work in order to receive the employment retention payment.

For questions about the program, please contact the program administrator BUSY at Work.

Email: sascholarships@busyatwork.com.au

Phone: 1300 050 509

To provide feedback on the program, or to raise concerns, please contact the Workforce Policy and Innovation team within the Office for Early Childhood Development directly at OECD.ECWorkforceSupport@sa.gov.au