Supporting your pathway to registration

Interns will be eligible for the following under the Program:

• An intern stipend* of $5,000, with an increased amount available for eligible priority interns.

• A supervision stipend* of up to $6,000, where external supervision is required.

• A travel/relocation stipend* of up to $2,141 for eligible interns.

• Support to find an internship, where required.

• Support to find external supervision (primary), where required.

• Two years of free APS Membership.

• Reimbursement for one sitting of the National Psychology Exam.

• Access to 170+ hours of free, high-quality continuing professional development (CPD; including  the National Psychology Exam: Planning and Preparation course).

• Access to the APS Professional Advisory Service, which provides guidance and support when working through professional, ethical or practice-related questions.

• Access to exclusive APS resources and a dedicated Community of Practice channel through the PsyCommunity networking platform.

*All stipends will be paid by the APS in instalments based on the intern meeting the required practice and supervision hour milestones.

To be eligible for the Program, you must:

• Be eligible for, or hold, provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia (Ahpra).

• Be enrolled in or have successfully completed an APAC-accredited five year psychology qualification. For applicants who have completed overseas qualifications, have had your qualifications assessed by Ahpra, and hold provisional registration and eligibility for the 5+1 internship pathway.

• Have secured, or be willing to secure, an eligible internship placement and a supervisor who meets Psychology Board of Australia’s requirements.

• Meet the citizenship, residency or other eligibility requirements under the Program guidelines.

• Commence your internship within the Program timeframe. Internship placements must commence on or after 1 July 2026, with all internship activities completed by 30 June 2029.

The Program is designed to support access, inclusion and diversity across the psychology workforce. You may be eligible for priority under the Program and additional support if you meet one or more of the following criteria.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

You identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.

Culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

You come from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. This may include people who:

• Were born overseas or have one or more parents or grandparents born overseas in countries the Australian Bureau of Statistics classify as other than ‘main English-speaking countries’.

• Have a first language other than English.

• Identify with a cultural background different from the dominant Anglo-Australian culture.

• Are from a migrant, refugee or humanitarian entrant background.

You may also self-describe your cultural background, language or lived experience if you feel the categories above do not fully reflect your identity/circumstances.

Regional, rural and remote locations

You live in and/or undertake your internship placement in a regional, rural or remote area classified as MMM 3 - MMM 7.

The classifications include:

• MMM 3: Large rural town

• MMM 4: Medium rural town

• MMM 5: Small rural town

• MMM 6: Remote community

• MMM 7: Very remote community

Please use the Health Workforce Locator to check the MMM classification of your home or internship location.

Your employer may have additional requirements before you can commence an internship. These may include:

• Mandatory vaccinations

• Working with Children Checks

• Working with Vulnerable People checks

• Criminal history checks

• Other organisation-specific requirements

Check with your prospective employer as early as possible to understand their requirements and allow sufficient time for any applications or checks to be processed.

Step 1: Check your eligibility

Review the eligibility criteria and Frequently Asked Questions before applying.

Step 2: Apply online

Complete and submit the online application form.

You will receive an acknowledgement email confirming that your application has been received.

Step 3: Application assessment

The APS 5+1 Pathway to Registration Program Team (APS Program Team) will assess your application. You will receive an email notifying you of the outcome within four weeks.

Step 4: Progress your application

If your application is successful, a member of the APS Program Team will contact you to discuss the next steps and progress your participation in the program.

No, the APS 5+1 Pathway to Registration Program is fully funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing as part of the Addressing Critical Psychology Shortages – Supporting Provisional Psychologists to Practice extension. Eligible interns, employers and supervisors can access the Program at no cost.

Yes. Students enrolled in a Master of Professional Psychology can apply up to six months before completing their degree. Your eligibility is contingent on successful completion of your degree and having provisional registration with Ahpra. As the program ends on 30 June 2029, all internship activities must be completed by this date.

Yes. Referring to the Psychology Board of Australia’s Recency of Practice requirements, you will be eligible as long as you have completed your Master's qualification within the last five years and commence your internship on or after 1 July 2026.

You will need to have your overseas qualifications assessed by Ahpra for the purpose of registration.

For more information, please see Ahpra’s information for overseas applicants.

If your approved internship commenced on or after 1 July 2026 and meets the Program eligibility requirements, you are eligible to apply.

Internships undertaken before 1 July 2026 are not eligible under the Program.

Yes. The APS works with a range of employers and can provide guidance and support to help you find a suitable internship opportunity that aligns with the requirements of the 5+1 pathway. Opportunities will depend on availability, location, employer requirements and areas of interest.

Yes. If you require primary supervision, the APS will connect you with participating Board-approved supervisors, subject to availability. Board-approved supervisors are experienced psychologists who have completed the required Board-approved training to provide competency-based supervision.

If you encounter difficulties that will impact the progression of your internship and therefore stipend release, please contact the APS 5+1 Program Team. The team can discuss the potential impact on stipends and where appropriate consider which supports and resources may be available to you.

The supervision stipend contributes towards the cost of supervision. Supervision fees are set by individual supervisors, so depending on the fees charged, you may need to contribute towards any remaining costs.

You can use the Australian Government’s Health Workforce Locator to check the MMM classification of your home or internship location.

Please contact the Australian Taxation Office to determine the tax implications of receiving stipends under this Program.

As the Program ends on 30 June 2029, all internship activities must be completed by this date.