Participant

A person whose access to the NDIS has been approved and who has an NDIS plan.

What it means

In the NDIS, a participant is a person whose access request has been approved and who has an NDIS plan. In everyday language, it simply means someone who is in the scheme. Becoming a participant is the point at which you move from applying to actually receiving funded supports.

Being a participant is about more than funding. The scheme is built on the idea of choice and control, so you have a genuine say in how your supports are used, who provides them, and how they help you work towards your goals. Your plan belongs to you and reflects what matters in your life.

In practice

As a participant, you have a plan that sets out your goals and the funding for your supports. You can choose how that funding is managed, whether by the agency, a plan manager, yourself, or a mix. You also choose your providers and decide how and when you use your supports within your plan.

Your journey as a participant continues over time. Your plan is reviewed regularly, and you can request changes if your circumstances or goals change. Support coordinators, Local Area Coordinators and Early Childhood partners can help you understand and make the most of your plan, so you are not navigating the scheme on your own.

A real example

For example, once Lena's access request was approved, she officially became an NDIS participant with her own plan. She chose a plan manager to handle the invoices, picked a speech therapist she felt comfortable with, and used part of her funding for a support worker. At her plan review, she asked for extra funding to pursue a new work goal.

Participant — FAQs

What is an NDIS participant?
An NDIS participant is a person whose access request has been approved and who has an NDIS plan. In short, it is someone who is officially in the scheme and receiving funded supports. As a participant, you have choice and control over how your supports are used and who provides them.
How do I become an NDIS participant?
To become a participant, you make an access request to the NDIA and meet the eligibility criteria, which include your age, residency and disability. Once your access request is approved, the agency works with you to develop your first plan. At that point you become a participant with funded supports you can start using.
What rights do NDIS participants have?
Participants have the right to choice and control over their supports, including who provides them and how funding is used. You have the right to be treated with respect, to be safe, to have your plan reviewed, and to ask for a review of decisions you disagree with. You can also bring a support person or advocate.
Can a participant change their supports or providers?
Yes. Participants can choose and change their providers, and can decide how and when to use their funded supports within their plan. If your needs or goals change, you can request a plan review or a change to your plan. This flexibility is part of the choice and control the scheme is built on.
Do participants have to manage their own funding?
No. Participants can choose how their funding is managed. Options include agency-managed, where the NDIA pays providers, plan-managed, where a plan manager handles payments, self-managed, where you manage it yourself, or a combination. You pick the approach that suits you, and you can change it at a plan review.

Explore more NDIS resources

Official NDIS sources

Novida is an independent directory, not the NDIA. We explain each form in plain English and link you to the official copy — always download and submit the current version from the official website, as forms are updated from time to time.