Master of Social Work student at UOW, Sanjoli Banerjee, cannot help but feel "economically disadvantaged" by her situation.

"My degree requires me to complete 500 hours of work placement over the course of one semester, which is not feasible," she said.

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Miss Banerjee says after completing her work placement and assignments, there is barely any time left for paid work, which makes just getting by especially hard for international students.

While domestic students in the same boat might be eligible for a Centrelink payment to alleviate the financial strain, their international counterparts receive no such support.

"The experience is great but if the placement provided some remuneration, it would definitely make living in Australia more affordable," said Miss Banerjee.

Miss Banerjee's placement is a compulsory requirement of her degree and the placement hours are set by the Australian Association of Social Workers.

A University of Wollongong spokesperson told the Mercury: "Host organisations have discretion to offer paid internships, but only under strict conditions."

The companies need to comply with the Fair Work Act and ensure the primary purpose is student learning, not producing products or services.

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UOW said it "considers work integrated learning to be highly valuable for students' career development and is dedicated to enhancing the employability of our students".

While Miss Banerjee appreciates the practical knowledge and experience provided by the placement, it comes at a significant economic cost to her.

Once Miss Banerjee completes her studies, the challenges will not end there. Former UOW student Hiba can attest to that.

Hiba (who didn't want her surname used) completed her Master of Information Technology degree in 2021. Despite wanting to complete a voluntary internship while she studied, she didn't because she couldn't afford it.

But since graduating, she has not been able to secure employment due to her visa status and "lack of professional experience".

"All the jobs I am looking at are seeking an Australian citizen or permanent resident or alternatively someone with professional work experience. How do I get experience if no one is willing to offer me a job?"

Hiba has been offered an unpaid intern position at a start-up company and now believes it her only way of entering the workforce.