FAQs
Get answers to your questions about the School Counsellor Sponsorship Programs.
Approved teachers who have completed a three-year sequence of Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) approved psychology studies with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 5.5, in the last five years, can apply for the School Counsellor in Training program.
Approved teachers who have completed a minimum of two years of APAC approved psychology studies, with a minimum GPA of 5.5, in the last five years, can apply for the Psychology Sponsorship program. Once you have finished your third year of psychology studies and a review of your academic transcript confirms you have maintained the required minimum GPA, you will be eligible to apply to Charles Sturt University to complete the fourth and fifth year of studies required to become a school counsellor. It is at this point that you will also transition into the School Counsellor in Training program.
The department doesn’t endorse any individual program of study and accepts any program of study which is approved by APAC.
Visit the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) website for a list of approved sequences of study. You will also find a list of approved sequences of study on the Psychology Board of Australia website.
With a change in the training program offered from 2021, we are providing the same flexible opportunity of remote learning to all school counsellors in training. The School Counsellor in Training program is a two-year university program which provides participants with the fourth and fifth year of studies required to become a school counsellor as well as in-school experience through practical placements.
By providing the honours and the masters programs, you will have the opportunity to apply for provisional registration as a psychologist.
The academic program is delivered by Charles Sturt University via distance education.
No, you are only eligible to apply for the School Counsellor in Training program if you will have completed your three-year sequence of APAC approved psychology studies by the end of Semester 2, 2020.
You are eligible to apply for the Psychology Sponsorship program if you have completed your first two years of APAC approved psychology studies by the end of 2020, and only have third year undergraduate psychology studies remaining to be completed by the end of 2021.
For the School Counsellor in Training program, yes you can, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria and will complete your three-year sequence of psychology studies prior to the end of the 2020 calendar year.
For the Psychology Sponsorship program, you must have completed two years of a three-year sequence of psychology studies within the last five years, received no less than a 5.5 GPA in your studies and agree to complete your third year of psychology studies by the end of Semester 2, 2021. Alternatively, if you are completing your two-year sequence of approved psychology studies in Semester 2, 2020, you must provide your academic results to date and evidence of enrolment for Semester 2, 2020.
Applications must be submitted using the writable pdf form. During the application period, an 'Apply now' button will be available on the School Counsellor Sponsorship Programs web page. Outside the application period, you will be able to sign up to receive an email notifying you when applications open.
Hand written, photocopied or scanned applications will not be accepted.
We encourage applicants to commence and submit their applications as early as possible during the application period.
No. The deadline for accepting online applications is 11:59pm on Friday, 21 August 2020. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.
Once you submit your application, a confirmation email will automatically be sent to the email address you provided during the application process. Please keep a copy of that email for your records.
If you did not receive a confirmation email and have checked your junk folder, please email the department's Employment Programs Team via sponsoredtraining@det.nsw.edu.au.
Yes. As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a supporting statement from your principal along with one other supporting statement from a supervisor or colleague.
As well as your principal, you should ask a supervisor or colleague who can comment on your capabilities as a teacher and future school counsellor. You are encouraged to ask a current school counsellor to support your application.
The selection process involves a review of your application including your supporting statement, your academic record to date, principal and referee statements and the school education areas that you have nominated. Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to attend an online interview.
Yes. Both successful and unsuccessful applicants are notified of the outcome via email once the selection process is completed. If you change your contact details after the closing date, please email your updated contact details to the Employment Programs Team via sponsoredtraining@det.nsw.edu.au.
If you would like feedback on your application, contact the Employment Programs Team via sponsoredtraining@det.nsw.edu.au. Provision of feedback may not be readily available immediately after the selection process due to deadlines following recruitment. The Employment Programs Team will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.
Successful applicants are required to sign a Deed of Agreement with the department, committing them to:
- successfully complete the required studies and training
- accept appointment as a permanent full-time school counsellor to a NSW public school in an agreed location on completion of the required studies and training
- remain in the permanent full-time school counsellor position they are appointed to on completion of the required studies for a minimum period of two years.
For the Psychology Sponsorship program, all tuition fees related to completing your third year psychology studies that form your three-year sequence of psychology are paid for by the department, along with university-based accommodation expenses to attend compulsory university residential sessions and examinations where overnight accommodation is necessary.
For the School Counsellor in Training program, all tuition fees related to the program are paid for by the department. School counsellors in training also receive a teacher salary.
There is no provision for salary under the Psychology Sponsorship program. Provision of a salary occurs once the sponsored teacher transitions to the School Counsellor in Training program.
On successful completion of the School Counsellor in Training program and the completion of the required fourth and fifth year of studies, sponsorship recipients will be awarded a Master of Professional Psychology (School Counselling), and be appointed to a full-time permanent school counsellor position in a NSW public school in an agreed location.
Yes. On completion of the School Counsellor in Training program and appointment to a permanent position, sponsorship recipients may be eligible for a wide range of incentives and benefits. The benefits vary from school to school. Use the benefits calculator to find out about the benefits and incentives that are available to teachers at individual schools.
The high-demand metropolitan locations include: Bankstown, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Granville, Liverpool, Mount Druitt, Parramatta, Penrith and Windsor.
The high-demand rural locations include: Albury, Armidale, Batemans Bay, Bathurst, Bourke, Broken Hill, Central Coast, Clarence/Coffs Harbour, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Griffith, Maitland, Moree, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Orange, Port Macquarie, Queanbeyan, Shellharbour, Tamworth, Taree, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong.
To view the schools located in each geographic area of workforce need please view the Staffing Areas spreadsheet (354 KB).
Sponsorships will be offered to successful applicants in December 2020, for entry into the program from the start of Term 1, 2021.
You must have completed your initial three-year sequence of psychology studies within the last five years.
If the date of conferral on your academic transcript is more than five years ago, you will most likely be required to complete further studies.
You should refer your enquiry to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) to identify if you are required to complete further studies to support your initial three years of psychology studies.
Should further studies be required you will not be eligible to apply for the School Counsellor in Training program however, may be eligible to apply for the Psychology Sponsorship program.
Charles Sturt University requires a minimum GPA of 5.5 as per their calculation method. If you are unsure if you have obtained a 5.5 GPA for your psychology studies you may wish to refer to CSU’s GPA calculator page.
The Psychology Board of Australia announced last year that the 4+2 psychology registration pathway is being retired and replaced by the 5+1 pathway, which comprises of a fifth year of psychology study and a 1-year supervised internship.
School counsellors who wish to apply for general registration through the 4+2 pathway, must have completed the four-year sequence of psychology study and submitted an application to commence a 4+2 internship to the Psychology Board of Australia by 30 June 2022.
Anyone who completes the School Counsellor in Training program by the end of 2021 will not be effected by this change, however participants entering the School Counsellor in Training program from 2021 will be required to complete their training under the new model.
Applicants entering the Psychology Sponsorship program from 2021 onwards will continue to be supported to gain the remaining academic requirements under the 5+1 registration pathway.
Further information about the Psychology Board of Australia registration requirements can be found on their website.
Visit the NSW Department of Education website to find out more.
Once you have submitted your application for the School Counsellor in Training program you will be invited to also apply for the Master of Professional Psychology (School Counselling) through Charles Sturt University.
You will only be offered a place in the Master of Professional Psychology (School Counselling) if you are successful in being offered a sponsorship.
School Counsellors in Training will be paid their current teacher salary. Teachers in executive positions do not receive executive salary while on sponsorship but revert to the appropriate teacher salary.
You should be aware that when the NSW Department of Education provides its employees with benefits there may be a Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) implication.
Where NSW Department of Education incurs FBT for benefits provided to its employees, the Commonwealth requires certain benefits to be disclosed on the individual employee’s payment summary (formerly group certificate). This is known as a Reportable Fringe Benefit Amount (RFBA). RFBA will be applied to Psychology Sponsorship program recipients for the period they are completing their third-year level psychology subjects. It does not apply to the School Counsellor in Training component of the School Counsellor Sponsorship Programs.
You will not have an income tax or FBT liability when you have an RFBA on your payment summary. However the amount is used to access eligibility for other Commonwealth benefits and obligations, for example the Medicare levy.
You are advised to contact an accountant regarding the FBT implications. For further information a fact sheet, which will provide details on likely impacts and thresholds, is available from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). FBT publications are available on the ATO website.
If you have not found the answers to your questions in the above FAQs, contact the Employment Programs Team via sponsoredtraining@det.nsw.edu.au or phone 1300 300 634.