Design student EOI now open for Summer '26/27 and Semester 1 '27 - Applications close 9:00am, 21/09/2026.

Self-Sourced WIL Placements

Are you a currently-enrolled MADA Design student? Do you want to take on a placement that isn't part of each round's listed opportunities? Do you have the following goal in your mind?

"I want to take on a Design WIL Placement that I have sourced myself, and I want academic credit for this."

This page has been created to address specific points around self-sourced Design WIL Placements. Similar information can also be found in the Requestor and Student FAQs, but have been consolidated here so you are aware of the slightly different process for a self-sourced placement.

Here are some immediate checkpoints you should take note when applying for a self-sourced WIL Placement:

You can apply for a WIL Placement during the open EOI calls for student applications
You can also apply for a self-sourced Design WIL Placement any time (we call this 'out of frame'), BUT:
- Plan way in advance, there are additional steps in the process you might not be aware of!
- Allow at least 4 weeks before start of the Design WIL Placement and your submission of the form. Late entries will not be considered
- Legal agreement must be signed 2 weeks before start of your Design WIL Placement
- Start/end dates must coincide within a teaching period
You cannot backdate a WIL Placement you have previously completed

You need time to plan ahead.

We want to support you on this amazing opportunity that you have found. Part of why we created this page is to emphasise an important part of arranging self-sourced WIL Placements: they take time.

Whether you are applying for a self-sourced Design WIL Placement during the regular EOI rounds, or doing it 'out of frame', you need to get all of the paperwork sorted out to be enrolled in the ADA3406/5406 unit by the last date to add units for that teaching period, or 2 weeks before the legal agreement is executed (i.e. signed by all parties), whichever is earlier.

Below is a timeline of what needs to happen before a self-sourced Design WIL Placement is approved. The details for each step can be found further below.

1.
Approach your own WIL Placement Host Agency.

2.
Negotiate details, including date range, job description, payment and clarify insurance requirements.

Share a sample legal agreement, along with insurance requirements, for them to preview (see below).

3.
If your Host Agency agrees to the legal conditions, submit the self-sourced application form – either as part of an active EOI, or 'out of frame' (within 4 weeks of start date).

4.
Due diligence checks and reviews are done by MADA to assess the agency's compatibility for hosting a Design WIL Placement.

5.
The legal agreement is drafted. Your Host Agency will consult their legal team, if not already completed in step 2, before signing off on agreement.

6.
Once all parties sign off on the agreement, the Design WIL Placement can start, no earlier than 2 weeks before the agreement is signed.

Step 1: Approach your own Design WIL Placement agency

Start by looking out for design-related agencies, or companies that are able to support design-centric WIL Placements. Let them know your interest, and get their support in wanting to have you on board for the requested timeframe.

Step 2: Negotiate details

In the self-sourced application form, you will need to furnish additional information about the WIL Placement host, as well as the proposed start/end dates, a general overview of the job description, any Prizes/scholarship award they might be keen to provide, and to let them know about the required insurance cover that they must have.

Your proposed Design WIL Placement period must align within a teaching period, i.e. Semesters 1/2, or the Winter / Summer A/B periods. Refer to the Monash academic calendar for details.

Recommendations of 'working patterns' are as follows:

Regular Semester:

1 day (8hr) x 10-11 weeks (regular Semester)
2 days (8hr each) x 5-6 weeks (regular Semester)

Winter/Summer:

3 days (8hr each) x 3-4 weeks (only for Winter/Summer)
4 days (8hr each) x 3 weeks (only for Winter/Summer)
5 days (8hr each) x 2 weeks (only for Winter/Summer)

Please note the following requirements of insurance cover:

Professional Indemnity Insurance: $10M
Public Liability Insurance: $20M

IMPORTANT: No insurance waivers are allowed

At MADA Design, we have a strict policy where insurance waivers are NOT approved. To avoid future disappointment, when you approach your WIL Placement agency, you MUST inform them about these insurance requirements up front.

IMPORTANT: No amendments to the legal agreement are allowed

We have come across cases where Design WIL Placement arrangements fall through at the final hurdle, as the company has been unable to agree with the Monash legal agreement, or have not checked this through in advance. This is understandably incredibly frustrating to all parties, and we want to minimise this.

Monash University uses a standard set of legal terms across the university for handling industrial placements (i.e. WIL Placements). We are unable to make amendments to any of the clauses outlined in the agreement selected for the WIL Placement.

Depending on the type of Design WIL Placement you have, there are different legal agreements in place, each with different requirements for insurance coverage and intellectual property (IP) attribution. For self-sourced Design WIL Placements, here are 3 of the most likely agreement templates, which you can share with the agency for preview:

To clarify the 'paid'/'unpaid' aspect, please note the following:

Hosts can choose to employ the student as an intern (see the FAQ for details) and therefore place students on the payroll as a paid intern (not a Design WIL Placement)
Alternatively, they can award a selection Prize / Scholarship Award for the student(s) in recognition of their application quality and efforts, not for the work done
Finally, hosts can choose to simply supervise and provide a Design WIL experience for the student(s) involved, without any monetary award (given that this is a 6-credit point awarding opportunity).

IMPORTANT: Anticipate the academic requirements of a WIL placement

An academic component is required for all WIL Placements enrolled under ADA3406/5406. This comes in the form of the following deliverables via Moodle:

Placement Diary
Placement Report
Poster
Recorded presentation

You should anticipate putting time aside, within the 80-100hours of WIL, to complete the deliverables and submit it via Moodle. Further details can be found after you have been enrolled, via the Moodle site.

Step 3: Submit
self-sourced application form

You are expected to fill in this form, with the assistance of the Design WIL Placement agency you are negotiating with. Refer to the Moodle EOI site, linked in the Students page.

Step 4: Due diligence checks & reviews

MADA performs a Due Diligence check on your proposed Design WIL Placement host for safety, suitability, and reputation. Once everything checks out, the legal agreements will be drafted.

Step 5: Legal agreement sent for digital signing

The legal agreement will be set up in DocuSign, using details as provided in your Self-Sourced application form, and through further clarifications via email. Digital signatures on Docusign are required. This will go to all parties in the following order: Design WIL Placement host, you, and Monash University.

Once all signatures have been added, the agreement is executed and the Design WIL Placement will therefore proceed.

This has to happen at least 2 weeks before the start of the placement.

Step 6: Start your WIL Placement!

You will be enrolled in ADA3406/5406 and added to the Moodle Site for the WIL Placement Unit, in the teaching period your WIL Placement begins/ends.

If you have applied for the self-sourced Design WIL Placement 'out of frame', you should familiarise yourself with the recorded briefing that was conducted via Zoom, to get up to speed with the rest of the student cohort for the period. Please review the academic submission + assessment requirements relevant to Design students on the Moodle ADA3406/5406 unit site.

Note: these are still WIL Placements, not 'internships'. Read more about this in the student FAQ.

Now you're all set!

Follow the assessment instructions as posted on Moodle for Design WIL Placement students to complete the requirements of the ADA3406/5406 WIL Placement unit. Without this, you will not be able to attain the 6 credit points for your Design WIL Placement.

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