Frequently Asked Questions
International Students are welcome to apply. However, you must meet the eligibility requirements regarding permanent residency and recognition of degree. All scheduled assessment sessions (written assessments, groups exercises and interviews) will be conducted in Australian Eastern Standard time. International graduates are expected to commence the program in Canberra, Australia at their own expense should they be successful and accept an offer of employment.
You'll need to provide evidence of Permanent Residency or Citizenship when you apply for the program.
You'll need to provide evidence of Permanent Residency or Citizenship when you apply for the program.
Yes, but you must be in your final year of university. You must provide evidence of successful completion of your degree by 31 December 2024 to be eligible for employment in the 2025 ACT Public Service Graduate Program.
No, you don’t. As recent graduates, we understand that many applicants will not have had work experience. When shortlisting, we do take into consideration relevant qualifications, skills, experience (whether that be volunteering experience, internships etc.) as part of the application assessment process.
Contact the ACT Public Service Graduate recruitment team at graduaterecruitment@act.gov.au.
We require a copy of your transcript upon application. We accept unofficial transcripts, but if you're successful in securing a graduate role, you will be required to provide an official transcript.
If you have any technical issues during the application process, please contact graduaterecruitment@act.gov.au.
Late applications will not be considered, so please get in touch prior to the closing date.
If you need assistance or adjustments during the recruitment process, our team will work with you to discuss support options available. There will be opportunities to provide information about your requirements during all stages of the process. You can reach out to our team at any time to discuss at graduaterecruitment@act.gov.au.
The ACT Public Service Graduate Program is a full-time 10-month program. Considerations for flexible working arrangements are made on a case-by-case basis, so please speak with the ACT Public Service Graduate Talent team to discuss your requirements.
The number of available positions in the program varies based on the needs of the ACT Public Service.
The Graduate Talent team will let you know the outcome of your application via email. Each stage of the application is listed on our website here.
Our Assessment Centres will be held virtually. Candidates invited to participate will be contacted via email and all links and instructions will be provided throughout the process.
Candidates who require an accessibility adjustment to use a Virtual Assessment Centre can contact the Graduate Talent team to discuss their requirements.
One of the aims of the program is to provide graduates with broad exposure to the ACT Public Service and diversify your skillset. We best match your skills and qualifications to roles across the ACT Public Service.
The Graduate Team arrange rotations that are the best fit for the graduates and business areas.
Each graduate will have a unique experience in the program and the day-to-day tasks and activities will vary widely depending upon the directorate you are working in. To know more about each directorate in the ACT Government, please visit ACT Government Directorates.
You can visit our ‘Day in the Life’ stories from our past graduates to understand more about what it is like being a graduate in the ACT Government.
The 2025 ACT Public Service Graduate Program will commence on 5 February 2025 in Canberra.
The 2024 ACT Public Service Graduate Program offers a starting salary of $84,061 plus superannuation.
ACT Government employees receive 4 weeks annual leave and 3.6 weeks of personal leave per year. Other types of leave are available, including compassionate leave, community service leave, maternity leave, bonding and parental leave, Defence reserve leave, leave for domestic violence purposes and cultural leave provisions. For more information, read our Enterprise Agreements.
Study: Each directorate has its own study support scheme providing varying levels of assistance in the form of paid and unpaid leave and financial support. Staff under probation cannot usually access study schemes, so if you are interested in applying, you will need to wait until you have successfully completed the graduate program.
Professional accreditations: You may be able to obtain funding through your work area to cover the cost of professional memberships where appropriate and you could raise this as part of your development discussions with your supervisor. Again, this is something more likely to be considered once you have been made a permanent staff member after finishing the program.
The probation period is the full 10 months of the program. You will complete three probation reports, one for each rotation.
We can provide relocation assistance. The amount of assistance you can get will depend on a range of factors. Information on the relocation reimbursement policy can be found in the Enterprise Agreements.
For further information and support, please contact the ACT Public Service Graduate recruitment team at graduaterecruitment@act.gov.au.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.