International Professional Experience (IPE) program (Italy)
International Professional Experience (IPE) program (Italy)
Where: Haileybury Senior School, Tianjin
When: 24 November - 12 December 2025
Who: Pre-service teachers in primary and secondary courses
The Faculty of Education is proud to offer International Professional Experience in China. Students undertaking IPE China will complete their professional experience at Haileybury Senior School Tianjin.
This professional experience builds on our long-standing relationship with Haileybury College. Although instead of being located in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, you will be witnessing first-hand the international nature of this school by journeying to the outskirts of Beijing.
Haileybury's campus, Wuqing in China, is a boarding school that caters for Chinese students. It offers the standard Chinese curriculum up to Year 9 with a strong emphasis on English, but uniquely the students experience the VCE curriculum from Year 10. Most classes have a Chinese and English teacher working collaboratively to support learning and teaching in English.
Another surprising component of this experience is that you will be fully immersed in the school community during the week by living on campus in the boarding school. The weekends will be yours to leave the confines of the school and explore the delights of Beijing and the surrounding districts.
Program costs
Program Cost: AU$4,000 - $5,000 (including airfare)
Deposit Payment: $300 due within 7-days of first contact from Reho
Final Payment: due 45 days pre-departure
Program costs includes:
- Round trip airfare to Beijing, China
- Transfers to and from Beijing Capital Airport
- Twin-share accommodation in Beijing at beginning and end of trip
- Accommodation (twin share in dorms) and meals at Haileybury Senior School Tianjin (HSST)
- Transfers between Beijing and HSST
- Monash travel insurance policy for the duration of the tour and 15 days either side of the study tour dates.
Program costs do not include:
- Visa (if required)
- Meals and drinks not included by HSST (e.g. weekend meals)
- Local travel outside of scheduled program activities
- Medical expenses (which may be claimable via the insurance policy)
- Personal expenses.
Key contacts
Academic content and course related enquiries: Professional Placement Consultant, Faculty of Education Tom Ellis - Tom.Ellis@monash.edu
All other enquiries, please contact Edu-IPE@monash.edu.
Where: The Graubünden Canton of Switzerland
When: 8 January - 1 February 2026
Who: Pre-service teachers in primary and secondary courses
This immersive 3 week international teaching experience offers pre-service educators a unique opportunity to engage in the Swiss education system while exploring the cultural heart of Europe.
Participants begin their journey in Melbourne, flying to Zurich where they are welcomed by local student buddies from the Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH). The program includes a welcome and orientation session, a city walking tour, and a traditional Swiss dinner to introduce participants to Zurich’s rich cultural context.
The program features professional development workshops in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL/TESOL), multiple in-school teaching experiences in local Swiss classrooms, and weekly online reflective sessions with Monash’s Professional Practice Consultants (PPC).
Highlights include guided outdoor activities, cultural excursions, Swiss food tastings, and an optional visit to Lucerne. The program concludes with a feedback session at PHZH and a farewell gathering.
Program costs
Program Cost: Approx. $7,000 - $8,000
Deposit Payment: $300 due within 7-days of first contact from Reho
Final Payment: due 45 days pre-departure
Program costs includes:
- Round trip airfare
- Transfers to and from the airport
- Shared accommodation (details to be confirmed closer to travel date), will include a homestay experience
- GA Travelcard, free use of public transportation in all of Switzerland for one month
- Welcome dinner and lunch at PH Zurich - Guided tour of Zurich
- On PH Zurich campus: access to WiFi, the library, and reduced prices at the cafeteria
- Monash travel insurance policy for the duration of the tour and 15 days either side of the study tour dates.
Program costs do not include:
- Meals and drinks not included in the program
- Local travel outside of program
- Visa (if required)
- SIM card
- Medical expenses (which may be claimable via the insurance policy)
- Personal expenses.
Key contacts
Program Lead: Kay Tinney Professional Practice Consultant - kay.tinney@monash.edu
All other enquiries, please contact Edu-IPE@monash.edu.
Where: Prato, located a short distance from Florence
When: 7 January - 30 January 2027 (To be confirmed)
Who: Pre-service teachers in early years, primary and secondary courses
In true Italian fashion, early starts and long lunches are commonplace in local schools! You will no doubt enjoy this, but you will also enjoy the diversity that comes with undertaking your professional experience in Prato. Some schools start early, others start late. Some mentor teachers work a whole school day, others work in shifts. Some schools provide staff with lunch, others have fantastic cafeterias and coffee bars.
Cultural diversity characterizes all settings – early learning, primary and secondary – with a fast growing Mandarin speaking population because of the textile industry living alongside Italians who have generation old associations with the region. A fascinating fusion!
Another aspect of diversity is the range of additional programs and activities available to you in local schools, such as music, drama and English language lessons to name a few. While no two Prato schools are the same, similarities include generally traditional approaches to teaching and learning, limited access to technology and, almost certainly, language challenges. But it is facing up to these situations that generates lateral, creative and resourceful thinking, which is part of what makes this placement so beneficial.
Program costs
Program Cost: Approx $8,000-$8,500
Deposit Payment: $400 due within 7-days of first contact from Reho
Final Payment: due 45 days pre-departure
Program costs includes:
- Round trip airfare to Italy
- Shared accommodation in Prato
- Language and cultural program – three language lessons and cooking class
- Monash travel insurance policy for the duration of the tour and 15 days either side of the study tour dates.
Program costs do not include:
- Transfers from/to Italian airport to Prato
- Transport to/from placement school
- Local travel and accommodation outside of program
- Visa (if required)
- SIM card
- Meals and drinks not included in the program
- Medical expenses (which may be claimable via the insurance policy)
- Personal expenses.
Key contacts
Program Lead: Kay Tinney Professional Practice Consultant - kay.tinney@monash.edu
All other enquiries, please contact Edu-IPE@monash.edu.
Where: University of the South Pacific (USP) and placement schools or EL centres in Suva
When: 6 June - 28 June 2025
Who: Pre-service teachers in primary and secondary courses
This is a three-week teaching placement in a Suva school (primary or secondary) or early learning centre, where English is the language of instruction. The placement will be counted as 15 days of professional experience towards the pre-service teachers’ total number of required placement days.
Participating students will have ongoing mentoring from the Monash accompanying teacher educator. Supervision will also be available from local Suva teachers and occasional mentoring from USP teacher educators.
Prior to flying out of Australia, successful applicants will be required to participate in a series of cultural orientation and administration workshops at Monash.
While in Fiji, students will participate in a range of community engagement activities, especially projects run by University of the South Pacific (USP) or placement schools or EL centres in Suva. Students will collaborate with USP pre-service teachers in talanoa professional learning workshop/s at the Laucala campus of USP.
Program costs
Program Cost: Approx $4,000 - $5,000, plus spending money ($500-$1000)
Deposit Payment: $300, due 26 June 2024
Final Payment: TBC (45 days pre-departure)
Program costs includes:
- Round trip airfare to Suva
- Accommodation at the University of the South Pacific Hall of Residence on Laucala campus (Suva)
- Transfers to and from the airport, to and from placement sites in Suva, and to and from cultural and engagement activities
- Cultural and engagement tours/activities
- Monash travel insurance policy.
Program costs do not include:
- Meals and drinks
- SIM cards
- Tours and private local travel
- Visa (if required)
- Medical expenses (which may be claimable via the insurance policy)
- Personal expenses.
Key contacts
Academic content and course related enquiries: Professional Placement Consultants, Faculty of Education Kay Tinney (Kay.Tinney@monash.edu) and Michelle Leonard (michelle.leonard@monash.edu)
All other enquiries, please contact Edu-IPE@monash.edu.
Travel insurance
If you are an actively enrolled Monash student and participating in an approved international program, you will be provided with complimentary travel insurance. You will automatically be covered once your application has been approved and your enrolment updated to reflect your study overseas.
Under this policy, travellers will also receive access to 24/7 emergency assistance provided by Global 24 Emergency Assistance and limited coverage for personal travel days.
Visas
NON-AUSTRALIAN PASSPORT HOLDERS: Please note that many nationalities are required to obtain a Schengen visa to enter Europe (view list here). NOTE: This is an external link to a non-Monash site. If you hold one of the nationalities that require that visa, Monash Abroad strongly recommends that you engage with the relevant Consulate/Embassy now to commence the visa application process. This is due to the visa processing backlog and delays many Consulates and Embassies are currently experiencing in relation to Schengen visas.
Monash Abroad cannot provide advice regarding visa requirements. Monash Abroad can issue you with supporting documentation to lodge your visa application, to request that, please complete this form. Please note, these requests take approximately 3-5 business days, but may take longer during peak periods.
Centrelink support documents
For the purposes of maintaining your Centrelink benefits during your overseas program, complete this form so that Monash Abroad can produce a letter of enrolment for you. Please note, these requests take approximately 3-5 business days, but may take longer during peak periods.
Important Note:
The Monash Abroad Travel Grant and OS-HELP loan (if applicable) will be paid approximately 2-4 weeks prior to program commencement and only when all Monash Abroad requirements are completed by you. Therefore, these funds will function to reimburse you for monies paid and should not be considered as your primary source of funding to pay program related deposits and balances.
Monash Abroad Travel Grant
Monash students studying in Australia who are enrolled into a credit-bearing unit for this program will be assessed to receive a Monash Abroad travel grant if they are not otherwise receiving any other scholarship that is intended to cover most or all of your travel/tuition costs for your program (e.g., New Colombo Plan Mobility grant).
You do not need to apply separately for this grant as your eligibility for this grant will be assessed as part of your application.
OS-HELP Loan
OS-HELP is a Commonwealth Government loan program that provides financial assistance to eligible Commonwealth Supported Place students, to undertake some of their study overseas.
If you are eligible for the loan and wish to apply, please submit your application as per the relevant OS-HELP loan term deadline, even if you have not been accepted into your overseas program by that deadline.
Student Loans
If you need help with study-related expenses, please refer to the student loans website and talk to a student adviser at Monash Connect.
Travel Scholarships
Please refer to the travel and placements scholarship website for more information.
How to Register
Only students who have been pre-selected to participate in these programs should register. Please ensure that you register by the applicable deadline (see below).
Step 1: Register for this program
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOT YET OPEN
Step 2: Registration confirmation and next steps
Monash Abroad will review all applicants after the deadline to ensure all pre-selected candidates have registered. Once your registrations has been verified, Monash Abroad will send you an email with the next steps required.
Step 3: Additional data collection and travel approval
The email from Monash Abroad will include two additional forms for you to complete:
1. Passport and medical details, and
2. Travel Approval Request Form.
Important note: you must have a valid passport that does not expire until at least six months after the program end date.