Master of Inclusive Education Program

Teachers in all Victorian government schools and regional workforces wishing to enhance their knowledge in inclusive education and continue supporting students of all abilities are eligible to apply for this postgraduate opportunity.

Regional workforces must obtain support and endorsement from respective managers and Executive Director Student Wellbeing and Engagement. Please contact your Inclusive Education Coordinator, Disability Inclusion Implementation Branch, to discuss your application and complete a nomination form.

*Please note, there are limited scholarships available in Round 11. Please refer to the Eligibility section below.

Program objectives

The long-term vision of the program is that every Victorian government school will have a master's-qualified inclusive education teacher on staff, creating and leading a more inclusive school environment for all students across the state, regardless of their abilities and backgrounds.

Undertaking a postgraduate study in inclusive education will help teachers assist their schools to:

• adapt their teaching practices and behaviours to support students with disability to access and participate in their education
• enable schools to drive the cultural and system-level workforce change required to ensure that students with disability receive high-quality support regardless of the school they attend
• prioritise improvement in provision for students with disability and additional learning needs and expand the culture of inclusion in their school
• create inclusive learning environments and implement effective teaching strategies using contemporary evidence-based, best practice approaches.

Participating universities

The program has partnered with 7 tertiary providers (VIC and NSW) to deliver 8 targeted postgraduate online courses in inclusive education. There are 75 scholarships available across the following universities/courses. Before applying, please contact the Inclusive Education Scholarships Unit to see whether your school is eligible. 

Pathway for the Master of Learning Intervention Stream A course, learning difficulties specialisation

If you wish to apply for the Master of Learning Intervention (Stream A) course with a specialisation in learning difficulties through the University of Melbourne, you will need to:

• Step 1: Apply for the Graduate Certificate in Education (Learning Difficulties) course.
• Step 2: On completion, apply for the Master of Learning Intervention course, specialising in learning difficulties.
• Step 3: Apply for 50% Recognition of Prior Learning for the 4 subjects completed through the Graduate Certificate.
• Step 4: Complete another 4 subjects and graduate with the Master of Learning Intervention qualification.

For further information on the Graduate Certificate course and pathway to the Master of Learning Intervention Stream A course, please navigate to the Graduate Certificate in Education (Learning Difficulties) webpage or contact the Inclusive Education Scholarships Unit (IESU). See contact details below.

Eligibility

For the program to have the broadest impact, schools that have not previously been awarded a scholarship from previous rounds will be prioritised. In addition, please note the following:

• Schools with multiple campuses will be eligible for additional scholarships (1 per campus)
• Additional scholarships will be allocated to schools with student enrolments exceeding 500 (1 per 500 students). For schools with over 750 students but less than 1,000, an extra scholarship can be allocated
• The program has committed to providing two scholarships per Specialist and Supported Inclusion School
• Additional scholarships will be offered to schools who have teachers interested in specialising in deaf and hard of hearing or vision impairment. The program offers the following courses: 
  • NextSense - Macquarie University: Master of Disability Studies – Deaf and hard of hearing; blindness/low vision; sensory disability.
  • University of Melbourne: Master of Learning Intervention (Stream A) – Deaf education.
  • University of Newcastle: Master of Special and Inclusive Education – Deaf studies and deaf education.

To prevent any potential disappointment, we encourage you to reach out to the IESU to confirm your school's eligibility for a scholarship in Round 11. There is a possibility that your school may already have a recipient or graduate from the program.

All prospective applicants must have full registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) (see exceptions below).

Regional workforce eligibility

Applicants should be aware that dual qualifications apply for most courses: for example, an allied health qualification plus initial teacher education (ITE) and full VIT registration. Please see below for specific courses where this does not apply:

• The Master of Applied Behaviour Analysis at Monash University
• The Master of Special and Inclusive Education at the University of Newcastle
• The Master of Disability Studies at Next Sense/Macquarie University

Before applying

Please consider scholarship obligations below:

The Department of Education (the department) has made a significant financial investment in capability-building for schools and regional workforces to build the skills and knowledge of inclusive education to better support the needs of all students. Employment and Financial obligations for successful applicants are clearly outlined on the program webpage, in the guidelines and the application form.

If you are unable to meet the program employment and financial obligations, you will be required to repay to the department the course fees associated with the course/subjects taken, regardless of whether you have passed or failed. (See the Debt Recovery policy in the program guidelines.)

The cost of the courses through the program are provided below – please take note of the cost associated with courses offered as you will be required to repay the course fees if you are unable to adhere to the program obligations.

The average cost of courses available through the program are noted below:

Employment and financial obligations:

• If the recipient chooses to withdraw from a unit of study post-census, they will be liable for costs associated with re-enrolment of that unit.
• If the recipient chooses to withdraw from the course entirely, they will be liable for the repayment of costs associated with units already engaged (passed or failed).
• If the recipient voluntarily ceases to be employed by the department while studying or during the 3 years post completion of the course, then the recipient must re-pay the department the course fees paid on their behalf.
• During study or within 3 years post completion, if the recipient/graduate moves into a role that does not support students with a disability or additional learning needs, or that works with schools to strengthen inclusive practices, they will be deemed ineligible and required to repay the funds.
• Changing courses due to a course not meeting your expectations, is not supported by the program. Financial impacts will apply. Please ensure you choose the right course for you and your school.

General recipient obligations:

• Although recipients can complete their courses in ashorter timeframe, the department provides 4 years to complete courses studied on a part-time basis. 
• If a recipient changes roles, schools, or chooses to change their enrolment status (defer, intermission, withdraw, etc.), they must contact the Inclusive Education Scholarships Unit for approval.
• Recipients are not able to defer their first semester of study (Semester/Trimester 2, 2025).

How to apply

Applicants are required to discuss their interest in the program with their principal/manager and confirm alignment with schools and regional strategic priorities for inclusive education. Additionally, teacher applicants must also ensure they understand practicum requirements and inform their business manager and principal for support.

More details about eligibility criteria, recipient obligations, and how to apply are available in the current round application guidelines (accessible below).

Round 10 application Guidelines for Round 10, 2024

Master of Inclusive Education Guidelines - Round 10 (DOCX, 1.2 MB)(opens in a new window)

Master of Inclusive Education Guidelines - Round 10 (PDF, 838 KB)(opens in a new window)

Master of Applied Behaviour Analysis Guidelines - Round 10 (DOCX 1.1 MB)(opens in a new window)

Master of Applied Behaviour Analysis Guidelines - Round 10 (PDF, 723 KB)(opens in a new window)

Successful applicants

The IESU will announce outcomes approximately one month after the round closes on Monday 17 March 2025 via email and successful applicants will be provided with a ‘provisional place’. If you are successful, you will need to apply through your respective university and meet the admission requirements of their chosen course. To finalise your placement with the department, you will need to provide the IESU with your signed induction pack documents. Further information about this process can be found in the program guidelines.

Support available

The support given to recipients includes:

• full tuition fees*
• a contribution towards teacher replacement for practicum**
• allowance of 4 years to complete the course.

* The department funds full tuition fees associated with all courses on offer. However, if a recipient does not meet the program employment and financial obligations, they will be required to repay fees associated with the course.

**Recipients must refer to practicum requirements in the guidelines, specifically the number of days that require Casual Relief Teaching (CRT) to enable recipients to fulfill their placement obligations. For those seeking to study the Master of Learning Intervention course via the University of Melbourne, the program will contribute up to $10,000.00 towards CRT. However, schools will need to cover 16 days of CRT costs associated with practicum placement. Please ensure respective principals and business managers are aware of this at the time of application.

University awards for academic achievement

Relevant professional learning

Interested in getting a head start in inclusive education?

Refer to:

• Information and resources for supporting students with disabilities, or
• explore the modules in the Inclusive Classrooms Professional Learning catalogue.

Media releases

• Inclusive education: Making sure our kids can be their best

Useful links

• School-wide positive behaviour support
• Program for students with disabilities
• Victorian Deaf Education Institute

Contact the Inclusive Education Scholarships Unit

The IESU is here to provide support for prospective applicants and those studying through the program. It is important you determine eligibility with the IESU, so please contact a member of the unit between 8:30am – 5:00pm, Monday to Friday on:

• email: inclusive.ed.scholarships@education.vic.gov.au
• phone: (03) 9084 8496