Health placement unit FAQs

You’ll find your clinical placement dates and times in the teaching schedule provided when you enrol or re-enrol. These are set in advance and can’t be changed.

We’ll let you know your placement details well ahead of time, so you can plan your travel and personal commitments to attend as scheduled

Variation to placement allocations is only considered in specific circumstances. Please seek further advice from the HPU, specific to your degree, as process and criteria can differ across Programs.  

If you have an Access Plan that includes placement requirements, you’re encouraged to meet with your Program Director, Course Coordinator and Access and Inclusion Adviser as early as possible to discuss. 

Adelaide University reserves the right to change clinical placement dates to suit clinical practice sites' availability if necessary. Students will be notified as soon as possible should such a circumstance eventuate.

Students are strongly advised to read the Clinical Placement Policy prior to placement. All students must adhere strictly to the requirements around clinical placement practice for their program. The requirements are detailed in the Course Outline, other course documentation, and additional information that will be provided by the HPU. Adelaide University students are covered under Adelaide University’s insurance policy while on placement, provided that certain criteria are met.

Your placement details will only be published once you’re fully compliant.

If further checks are needed due to partial compliance, this will be noted in the verification comments on your documents. The HPU may need to work with your Course Coordinator and placement provider to confirm whether your current compliance status can be supported

Uniform policies changed in 2026. Students can no longer wear UniSA or University of Adelaide branded uniforms. Adelaide University will provide replacement uniforms for continuing students.

Note: Most health-related programs require students to wear a uniform, although not all do. Your program will inform you.

Some programs will require students to undertake a rural or interstate clinical placement. Students will be informed of this requirement via their specific Program. 

Further information can be found on the Rural placements in health page.

Placements outside South Australia can be difficult to secure due to high demand from local education providers. You should be prepared to undertake your placement within South Australia. 

If you're completing a placement interstate, there are specific requirements you’ll need to meet and submit to the Health Placements Unit (HPU) before your placement begins.

Nursing students studying from outside South Australia:
All clinical placements must be undertaken in South Australia.

You may be required to complete intra-placement site travel as part of your placement i.e. to secondary sites, community partners or home visits during your placement. 

Where possible, Adelaide University will ask its Industry Partners to provide access to vehicles where intra-placement travel is required.

Students are also advised to provide information about their ability to drive on InPlace (if they have a car and if they are willing to drive), to assist in matching students to placement opportunities.

Where a student uses their own car for intra-placement travel, the student must have their own comprehensive insurance for damages. Limited personal accident insurance cover is provided for injuries sustained whilst undertaking intra-placement travel. 

For further information about insurance coverage, please check the AU Work Integrated Learning Insurance page for Personal Vehicle usage while on placement.

Students who will be undertaking an interstate placement may require additional compliance documents before their placements can be confirmed. Each state also has its own requirements, which it is the student’s responsibility to meet. You can find out more about interstate requirements on the Australian Institute of Family Studies website.

Most students need to complete fit testing before placement. The HPU will provide you with information how to go about this. 

Fit testing is free for Adelaide University students but masks are not provided. Placement sites will supply masks if needed.

You may be turned away from placement if you can’t show evidence of your fit test.

Note: If you have previously been fit tested you are welcome to upload evidence to InPlace. 

From 1 July 2025, eligible students in teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work can apply for the CPP to help with placement costs. The payment is means-tested and offers up to $319.50 per week during placement. 

More information: Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP)