Apply for a graduate position in the Australian Government and find a career pathway that’s as unique as you are. Find your fit with graduate roles available in a range of different government departments and agencies.

As a graduate with the Australian Government, you’ll do meaningful work that impacts the lives of every Australian. Help shape the future in a constantly evolving world.

Applications for the Australian Government Graduate Program open around March of each year for positions that commence in the following year. Whatever your area of study, there are opportunities to apply your interests and use your skills right across the Australian Government. 

Applying for a stream

The Australian Government Graduate Program recruits from ten centralised capability streams. You can apply once to a stream that suits your studies, interests and career goals, and be considered for multiple Australian Government departments and agencies. 

We’re currently recruiting in the following streams:

• Generalist
• Data
• Digital
• HR
• Accounting and Financial Management
• STEM
• Legal
• Indigenous Graduate Pathway
• Intelligence
• Economist

Find out more about the streams by navigating to the stream program pages on this profile.

Where will I work?

Most graduate positions are located in Canberra, but many government departments and agencies offer roles in other state capitals, major cities or regional locations.
If the graduate program you are interested in requires you to move to another city, most departments and agencies offer relocation assistance.

What will I do?

Graduate programs range in length from 10 to 24 months with two to three rotations through different work areas. Taking part in rotations exposes you to a range of skills, knowledge and experience at the start of your career.

Who can apply?

Graduate programs are open to Australian citizens who have completed, at a minimum, an undergraduate degree or higher in a relevant field within the last 5 years, or will complete their degree before starting the program.
Different streams have specific eligibility requirements relating to your field of study. Explore the stream pages to find out more.

Work on contemporary policy, programs and services within the Australian Government.

As a Generalist Stream graduate the work you do will influence important decisions, which may impact the everyday lives of many of your fellow Australians. You’ll offer advice, support and guidance on policies and see the direct impact it has on the public.

The Australian Government Graduate Program Generalist Stream offers challenges in a flexible and fast-paced environment. We want you to be adaptable, positive, and willing to learn and innovate. You will be challenged in your way of thinking, make important contributions through the work you do and help deliver on our commitments as an organisation.

What will I do?

Generalist Stream graduates work in a variety of roles across many different business areas that closely relate to the degree they have studied. Some of the work Generalist graduates could do to contribute to their organisation may include:

• Undertaking a variety of tasks and activities within the business areas 
• Contributing to the team and organisation’s strategic goals  
• Undertaking analysis and research projects 
• Coordinating requests for information across business areas 
• Assisting with project/program management  
• Preparing briefing materials, submissions, reports or correspondence 

Who can apply?

The AGGP Generalist Stream provides graduates with a unique foundation to expand on existing capabilities and will assist to further develop skills and knowledge across the Australian Government.

Graduates in the Generalist Stream have a range of degree disciplines. These include public policy, arts, sciences, humanities, law, international relations, media, communications, design, accounting, finance, etc. 

Graduates of all degrees are welcome to apply.

The Data Stream includes Australian Public Service and other Commonwealth agencies seeking to recruit recent university graduates who are interested in pursuing a career in data and contributing to Australian society.

Data roles are varied and support evidence-based, informed decision making, and work across all aspects of Government such as policy development, research, program management and service delivery. Roles cover the full data lifecycle including survey and questionnaire development, research, data acquisition, data engineering and data analysis, as well as more specialised streams such as data science, methodology, geospatial analysis and data management.

Data graduates in the Australian Government have access to unparalleled datasets – stories from these datasets help policy makers make decisions for Australia. This is a real opportunity to give back to the public and help shape Australian decision making.

What will I do?

Data Generalist

Data roles filled through this stream include Data Analysts, Data Engineers, Data Managers and Geospatial Analysts.

There are no requirements for any degrees or disciplines, though people who have undertaken data subjects are more likely to be successful. The types of backgrounds our graduates are from include analytics, actuarial studies, data science or mining, demography, economics, econometrics, engineering, finance, mathematics or mathematical modelling, machine learning, psychology, risk and intelligence analysis, social sciences, and statistics.

Data Specialist

Specialist roles filled through this stream can include Data Scientists (applied data science, data science developer, data modeller) and Statistical Methodologists (Data Collection Methodologist & Mathematical Stats Specialist).

While we consider most degree types, formal qualifications in data science, statistics, computer science, mathematics, econometrics, actuarial studies, physics, engineering, or other disciplines with a strong quantitative component are required.

The Indigenous Graduate Pathway (IGP) provides a rewarding career in the Australian Public Service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tertiary graduates.

The IGP provides entry into a number of participating Australian Government agencies who are seeking a diverse range of skills and abilities. Just apply once through the IGP application process and that one application is assessed for all participating agencies. There is no need to complete multiple applications for multiple agencies.

Hear from a graduate

Jack's story

I value the ability to come into an organisation with a fresh mindset and observe practices and norms from an outsider perspective. I also greatly value the professional development that is offered through the graduate program, which some would miss coming straight into Defence.

The most enjoyable aspect of my Defence experience has been the exposure to the ADF in a professional capacity, something that would be absent from wider government and has been invaluable.

Also the ability to tour ADF facilities like the Royal Military College, and learn about ADF culture, has been thoroughly enjoyable.

Five years from now I hope to be an employee of Defence, hopefully with a lot more experience under my belt.

Jack, Yorta Yorta heritage from Tamworth, NSW

Analyst graduate at the Department of Defence

Information for candidates with disability

If you're a person with disability who wants to make a difference, we need you.

The Australian Government is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment that reflects the broader Australian community.

Affirmative measures – disability employment

We want to show the community the value people with disability can bring to any organisation.

This means we have some jobs that are only available to people with disability, or a particular type of disability. We call this Affirmative Measures - Disability employment. This makes sure people with disability are represented in the Australian Government public service.

Use of this provision only relates to the restrictions around the people applying for the role(s), every other element of the standard recruitment process applies.

The Affirmative measure can be used to recruit to any APS job vacancy, regardless of the duties. It is not restricted to jobs with a disability-related function. It may be applied to individual vacancies or bulk rounds, such as graduate recruitment rounds.

If an agency has decided to use this method of recruitment, it will be clearly indicated in the job advertisement.

Read more about Affirmative measures on the Australian Public Service Commission Affirmative measures page.

RecruitAbility scheme

The Australian Government has developed the APS RecruitAbility scheme. This means when you opt into the RecruitAbility scheme people with disability are taken to an advanced stage in the hiring process. This only happens if the person opts into the RecruitAbility scheme and meets the minimum requirements for the job. The minimum requirements are determined by the selection panel and agency and are specific to that vacancy.

We’ll ask if you want to opt into the RecruitAbility scheme in an online application form. You must tick the ‘opt in’ box to join the RecruitAbility scheme. You won’t be automatically included by having a disability.

Read more about the RecruitAbility scheme on the Australian Public Service Commission Recruitability page.

Reasonable adjustment 

The Australian Government provides reasonable adjustments or flexibilities during the hiring process for all vacancies, whether you opt into RecruitAbility or not or whether it is an Affirmative measures job or not. This includes access, equipment or other practical help.

This could include things such as an Auslan interpreter for an applicant who is hearing impaired, extra reading time during assessment activities for a person with learning difficulties, or accessible software for a person with vision impairment.

Please tell us what you need in your application, or contact the agency directly.

Reasonable adjustments and support can also be made available to assist you in the job, if you are successful in gaining employment with the Australian Government. 

Are you ready to kick-start your career in data? Apply for the Data stream and have the opportunity to work on exciting projects across government.

The Digital Stream, led by the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) and the Digital Profession, gives you an opportunity to excel in a digital or technical career after you’ve graduated from university. As a recent graduate, you’ll have an opportunity to further develop your skills while working.

The stream is for Australian citizens undertaking a university degree in a digital or technical field who are passionate about digital technologies, have a knack for problem solving and want to work on things that matter with a digital or technical career in the Australian Government.

A career within the Australian Public Service will give you valuable industry experience while working on projects that help everyone. From technical problem solving and analytics to digital design and development, you can find an opportunity to suit your level of skill and experience.

What will I do?

Government agencies have many different digital and technical roles. These roles support the core functions of each agency and are always changing. Past graduates have worked in the following areas:

• Cyber security
• Digital media
• User research
• Programming
• Interactive media
• Software engineering
• Big data networking
• Systems analysis and design
• Web development
• Data analytics
• Systems testing
• Infrastructure support networking
• Applications development

Who can apply?

Eligible degrees for the program, including double and honours degrees, are listed here.

If your degree is not listed but you believe you should be considered, please get in touch to discuss your options.

Apply your economics studies to their fullest extent and become an Economist Graduate in the Australian Government.

The Economist Stream gives successful graduates the opportunity to apply their skills and work on a diverse range of economic and research based projects with the Australian government’s leading economic policy analysts.

As an Economist graduate in the Australian government, you will contribute to informing decisions on policies for the good of the Australian people. This includes working in areas across government fiscal and monetary policies, budgetary policies, domestic and international economic situations (including industries, regions and socioeconomic groups), and forecasting changes in the economic environment.

What will I do?

Economist graduates will:

• Gain exposure to real time economic modelling and forecasting using specialist tools and approaches
• Have the opportunity to review, analyse and summarise data and information on financial, labour and other areas such as taxation, housing, retirement advice and investment, climate and energy and the small and family business sector
• Engage in policy research and development to assist to implement new policy measures for the Australian Government

Who can apply?

The Economist Stream is open to final year students and graduates of Economics or Econometrics. Your degree can be a Bachelor of Economics or Econometrics, or a Bachelor degree in any discipline with a major or minor in Economics.

Launch your law career with the Australian Government. Apply for an exciting and rewarding graduate role and shape the career that you want.

As a Legal graduate, you’ll have the opportunity to work across areas of law like legal policy, policy advice, statutory interpretation, freedom of information, corporate and commercial law or dispute resolution and litigation. Develop your legal career in the Australian Government with support from dedicated mentors, on-the-job learning and development opportunities and rotations throughout different work areas.

What will I do?

Legal Policy

The Legal Policy stream provides input into legal policy or the administration of legal policy within the Government. Work you could do includes:

• Providing policy advice across Government to ensure decisions are lawful and strengthen policy outcomes to manage risk
• Providing advice on administration of departmental policy
• Examining and assessing legislation
• Undertaking casework to support Australia’s law and justice frameworks
• Administering and advising on legal or policy frameworks

Legal Practice

The Legal Practice stream provides the provision of legal advice and/or representation with Australian Government Solicitor (AGS) or as part of an in-house legal team within Commonwealth Government agencies. Work you could do includes:

• Public law (administrative; freedom of information; privacy and public interest disclosure; human rights and discrimination; debt recovery)
• Legislative development
• Statutory interpretation
• Corporate and commercial law (general contract law; procurement and tendering; governance and probity; financial services and consumer credit; insurance; intellectual property; media; information communication and technology; insolvency and bankruptcy)
• Handling discovery in court proceedings
• Alternative dispute resolution and litigation
• Providing internal general counsel services to an agency/department

To be eligible for the the Legal Practice Stream you either need to have completed or be willing to complete your Practical Legal Training and be admitted as a lawyer.

Apply your studies in STEM to develop and deliver Australian Government policy and services.

The Australian Government Graduate Program (AGGP) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Stream offers you a unique opportunity to launch your career with the Australian Government and work across multiple STEM fields.

We are looking for people who are collaborative, enthusiastic who are keen to work as part of a team to assist in shaping an Australian Government that meets the needs of all Australians.

We encourage applications from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We strongly believe that diversity of experience, perspective, and background will lead to a better environment for our employees and better outcomes for Australia.

Graduates in this stream will have the opportunity to work in one of many APS departments. 

Who can apply?

We are seeking applications from anyone who has completed a minimum 3-year undergraduate degree within the last 5 years in a STEM field.

Are you interested in work that makes a difference? We're hiring graduates of finance, commerce, business and accounting.

As an Accounting and Financial Management graduate, you will work on projects that make a difference to the Australian community. You'll work in collaborative teams and build your professional and technical skills in a diverse range of areas, while supporting the Australian Government's decision making through the provision of high quality problem-solving, analysis and advice.

You'll be supported and encouraged to undertake further learning, development and study, including professional qualifications such as those offered by Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand (CA ANZ) and CPA Australia.

The Accounting and Financial Management Stream hires graduates interested in finance, commerce, business or accounting who are eager to strengthen their professional skills.

As a graduate, you will work on tasks and projects that make a difference to the community. You’ll work alongside talented professionals and gain exposure to experienced senior leaders. At the end of your 12-month program, you’ll have a permanent, full-time role in your agency.

Protect Australia and its interests, its people and our way of life as an Intelligence graduate.

As an Intelligence Stream graduate, you have the opportunity to work on topics that matter. The work you do will influence important decisions to shape the future of intelligence, which may impact the everyday lives of many of your fellow Australians.

The Australian Government Graduate Program (AGGP) Intelligence Stream offers some of the most important, dynamic and stimulating work in Australia. Working within the National Intelligence Community (NIC), you will have the opportunity to serve the nation, progress your career and work with committed colleagues in a globally engaged community.

Your options are not limited by your degree. The National Intelligence Community needs a diverse workforce that is professional, agile and capable in order to make a difference. Your degree has equipped you with a wealth of transferable skills that can be utilised across a range of roles within the NIC.

What will I do?

The National Intelligence Community is made up of the following departments and agencies:

• Australian Criminal Intelligence Agency (ACIC)
• Australian Federal Police (AFP)
• Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO)
• Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS)
• Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) 
• Australian Signals Directorate (ASD)
• Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC)
• Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO)
• Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs)
• Office of National Intelligence (ONI)

Intelligence graduates will do work that contributes to the goals and operation of the National Intelligence Community.

Are you looking to launch your career in HR? The Australian Government HR Stream offers a unique opportunity for HR graduates.

Led by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), the HR Stream is recruiting for over 50 HR graduate roles in over 20 Australian Public Service agencies. Submit one application to be considered for all participating agencies.

HR experts across the APS have designed and support our program with your career in mind. In our program, you will get hands-on experience and develop your professional capabilities. You will attend events with senior leaders across the APS to expand your HR networks.

We are committed to ensuring the HR workforce reflects the diversity of the Australian community. We are active in fostering a safe and inclusive environment that values differences and enables everyone to perform their best.

What will I do?

HR graduates can work in a variety of roles in our partner agencies including but not limited to:

• Recruitment
• Learning and Development
• Workplace Health and Safety
• Diversity and Inclusion
• HR Policy
• Industrial Relations
• Business Partnering

Who can apply?

To be eligible for the HR Stream, you must have completed a major in HR. Degree areas may include:

• Human Resources
• Business
• Psychology
• Psychological science
• Commerce
• Arts

Our HR graduates will:

• Have an interest in undertaking meaningful work serving the Australian community
• Contribute to a professional, respectful and positive workplace
• Comply with the Australian Public Service Values and the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct
• Look after their health and well-being to achieve a healthy work/study/life balance.

We are seeking Indigenous graduates from all degrees. We want deadly ideas, fresh thinking and perspectives from all disciplines.

The Indigenous Graduate Pathway (IGP) provides a rewarding career in the Australian Public Service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tertiary graduates.

The IGP provides entry into a number of participating Australian Government agencies who are seeking a diverse range of skills and abilities. Just apply once through the IGP application process and that one application is assessed for all participating agencies. There is no need to complete multiple applications for multiple agencies.

This program is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have completed an undergraduate degree or higher. All degree types are encouraged to apply. The application process will help graduates find career opportunities based on their interests and studies and begin a career with confidence and support.

Who can apply?

This program is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have completed an undergraduate degree or higher. All degree types are encouraged to apply. The application process will help graduates find career opportunities based on their interests and studies and begin a career with confidence and support.