A pivotal recommendation of the Australian Universities Accord is the provision of financial support for students undertaking compulsory placements. The Australian Government has acted swiftly to implement this recommendation, announcing a means-tested Prac Payment scheme for students in nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work degrees. However, work-based placements are compulsory in many other degrees, including medicine, dentistry, psychology, veterinary science, speech pathology, occupational therapy, pharmacy and physiotherapy. The prevalence of students experiencing placement poverty has been highlighted by several researchers and student activists. The demands of full-time placements mean that students cannot work their usual jobs, and so they often experience extreme financial stress. This literature review explores the policies, practices, and advocacy efforts surrounding financial support for students on compulsory placements in OECD countries. By examining international precedents, the review seeks to contextualise and inform the Australian discourse on support mechanisms to ameliorate placement poverty. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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