Fees and financial support

Course fees

Leadership professional learning 

Many of our leadership professional learning offerings are significantly subsidised for Victorian government school participants. 

Victorian government schools pay a non-refundable co-contribution through the Schools Targeted Funding Portal before the participant attends a course.

Catholic and Independent school participants may attend our leadership professional learning at the full cost.  

Fees must be paid within 7 days of registering to confirm enrolment.  

Find out more about expressing interest in leadership professional learning for non-government participants. 
 

Refunds

We encourage all prospective participants to carefully consider the commitment required to attend our courses before enrolling. There is a high demand for our courses and late withdrawals could mean people miss out.

​If you do need to withdraw from a course, you must give us notice in writing before the orientation or course starts for a refund of the course fees:

• at least 21 days for a full refund
• between 14 and 20 days for a 50% refund.

If you withdraw with less than 14 days' notice, we cannot refund your fees.
 

Subsidies

Teaching Excellence Program

Subsidies will be provided to the schools of Teaching Excellence Program (TEP) participants to enable full engagement with the professional learning.

This includes the provision of funding for Casual Relief Teaching (CRT) to enable the release of a teacher to participate in the TEP, by providing a teacher replacement for the duration of the professional learning. As well as additional support for regional and rural participants, to allow for travel and accommodation.

The subsidy will be delivered via the Student Resource Package (SRP) and there is therefore no additional action for schools to take.

Accommodation subsidy

To support remote and regional schools to participate in our courses, we offer an accommodation subsidy for Victorian government schools that are more than 100 kilometres from the workshop venue.

The subsidy contributes to the cost of accommodation, breakfast, travel (public transport) and parking. Fuel is not an approved expense.

It is the school or participant's responsibility to book and pay for accommodation and travel, and then claim the subsidy after attending the course.

A school can claim up to $150 for each day the participant(s) attends professional learning

​​To claim the subsidy, the school must:

• provide all related tax invoices and receipts
• claim within 6 months of attending the course.

The subsidy is paid to the school, not the individual participant.

Note: this subsidy does not apply to accommodation in the residential components of our courses - this cost is covered by the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership (Academy). However, schools can apply for the subsidy if the participant has to travel and/or needs accommodation the night before the first day of a residential component. If a participant shares accommodation with a participant from another school, they can only claim for a share of the subsidy.

Apply for accommodation subsidy

Small school subsidy

For Victorian government school participants that come from schools that have less than 100 students, we offer a small school subsidy.

The subsidy covers the costs of employing a Casual Relief Teacher (CRT).

It is the school’s responsibility to book and pay for the CRT, and then claim the subsidy after the participant attends the course.

Small schools can claim both the accommodation subsidy and the small school subsidy.

Apply for small school subsidy

Aboriginal pathways subsidy

The Department of Education Aboriginal Employment Plan communicates our commitment to employ, retain and develop Aboriginal staff in corporate and school roles.

The Academy has an Aboriginal pathways subsidy, which is available to all Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees, educators and leaders in the Department of Education in Victorian government schools participating in Academy professional learning.   

The Aboriginal pathways subsidy is worth up to $5,000 and can be applied to fees for any Academy professional learning, as well as being used to offset the cost of accommodation, travel and CRT cover.  

It is the school or participant's responsibility to book and pay for accommodation and travel, and then claim the subsidy after attending the course.

A school can claim up to $150 for each day the participant(s) attends professional learning

​​To claim the subsidy, the school must:

• provide all related tax invoices and receipts
• claim within 6 months of attending the course.

The subsidy is paid to the school, not the individual participant.

We welcome expressions of interest from Aboriginal staff directly, or from their managers or school leadership. 

For more information contact Emma Nikolin at emma.nikolin@education.vic.gov.au or 03 7022 5788.

How to claim accommodation and small schools subsidies

Schools can submit their claim for the accommodation, small school and Aboriginal pathways subsidies via the Schools Targeted Funding Portal (requires education credentials).

Follow the instructions in the guides and checklists under Schools Targeted Funding Documents, Audience: School.

Initiative Agreements are raised monthly. You need to check the portal for notification of the approved agreement, then submit your claim. We will review your submission and pay the subsidy within 3 months.

Note: you must have paid the course fees before you can submit a claim for the subsidies.

If you have any questions, contact us on 03 8199 2900 or academy.reimbursements@education.vic.gov.au