Free TAFE for Priority Courses
Free TAFE for Priority Courses is a Victorian Government initiative that covers tuition fees for students who are eligible for government-subsidised training to study one of more than 80 qualifications in high priority areas.
Free TAFE for Priority Courses available at Swinburne
Students eligible for Victorian Government-subsidised training can access the Free TAFE for Priority Courses initiative to have their tuition fees covered when they study one of the courses in these study areas at Swinburne:
- Certificate II in Building and Construction Pre-apprenticeship-Carpentry
- Certificate II in Building and Construction Pre-apprenticeship–Bricklaying
- Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building)
- Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)
- Certificate II in Electrotechnology (Career Start)
- Certificate IV in Engineering
- Certificate II in Plumbing (Pre-apprenticeship)
- Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services (Operations)
- Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety
- Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy)
- Graduate Certificate in Client Assessment and Case Management
- Certificate IV in Community Services
- Diploma of Community Services
- Diploma of Emergency Health Care
- Certificate III in Health Services Assistance
- Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)
- Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability)
- Certificate IV in Mental Health
- Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work
- Diploma of Nursing
- Certificate IV in Youth Work
Eligibility for Free TAFE for Priority Courses
If you are eligible, the Free TAFE for Priority Courses initiative will cover the tuition fees for the duration of your course. You will still need to pay for other fees, such as graduation fees and materials fees.
Any Australian citizen, permanent resident or New Zealand citizen is eligible for Free TAFE for Priority Courses in Victoria.
Criteria to participate
Eligible students can only access a Free TAFE for Priority Courses fee waiver once* (the 'one Free TAFE fee waiver in a lifetime' limit), even if you do not complete your priority course, so you need to consider your training choice carefully.
Free TAFE short courses do not count towards the 'one Free TAFE fee waiver in a lifetime' limit.
*There are two exceptions to this rule. You may still be able to access this initiative if:
- the only previous Free TAFE fee waiver you received was under the JobTrainer initiative; or
- you previously completed a course (whether government-subsidised, including under Free TAFE, or fee for service) that is part of a Free TAFE priority pathway, and you are commencing another course in the same priority pathway
Exceptions relating to Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
From 2024, if you have completed any other Free TAFE priority course (whether government-subsidised or fee for service), you may receive an additional Free TAFE fee waiver to study Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. However, you cannot enrol in a Free TAFE priority pathway program and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment at the same time.
What is a Free TAFE priority pathway?
The Victorian Government have designated specific courses into study areas to create Free TAFE priority pathways. These pathways allow you to progress from a certificate to a diploma within the same study area without paying tuition fees for each individual course. You will not be eligible for a tuition fee waiver if you complete one course under one study area and another course from a different study area.
Free TAFE priority pathways
| Study area | Course |
|---|---|
| Accounting | Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping Diploma of Accounting |
| Allied Health and Nursing | Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance** Certificate III in Health Services Assistance Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance Diploma of Nursing |
| Building and Construction | Certificate III in Concreting* Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing* Certificate IV in Building and Construction Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying* |
| Community Services | Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs* Certificate IV in Child, Youth and Family Intervention* Certificate IV in Community Services Certificate IV in Mental Health Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work Certificate IV in Youth Work Diploma of Community Services Diploma of Youth Work* |
| Early Childhood | Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care |
| Education Support | Certificate III in School Based Education Support* Certificate IV in School Based Education Support |
| Information Technology | Certificate III in Information Technology** Certificate IV in Cyber Security |
| Nursing and Personal Care | Certificate III in Individual Support Certificate IV in Ageing Support* Certificate IV in Disability Support* Certificate IV in Leisure and Health** Diploma of Nursing |
* Course not delivered by Swinburne but may be recognised if a student has completed the course at another registered training organisation.
** Other conditions may apply depending on eligibility.
Frequently asked questions
You may opt in for Free TAFE when completing the eligibility criteria section of your course application. If you opted ‘no’ to Free TAFE and once you have commenced your course, we will be unable to consider your request to opt in for Free TAFE.
Under the Victorian Government-subsidised training, the government pays a large portion of the cost of your training if you are eligible, and you make a contribution by paying fees.
If you are eligible for Free TAFE Priority Courses, the government will pay your tuition fees for your course.
Any Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or New Zealand citizen is eligible to do Free TAFE for Priority Courses, as long as you are physically present in Victoria for the duration of your studies.
If you are eligible, Free TAFE for Priority Courses pays the tuition fees for your whole course.
You will still need to pay for textbooks (if there are any) and other miscellaneous fees, such as graduation fees and materials fees.
You can complete more than one Free TAFE course within the same priority pathway. This means you can do a Certificate III, Certificate IV and Diploma within the same priority pathway without paying tuition fees.
There is a limit of one Free TAFE course per person for Free TAFE courses that do not fall under a priority pathway study area.
You need to make a careful choice about which course you undertake, so talk to us if you are unsure.
The Free TAFE initiative will only cover fees for courses on the Free TAFE for Priority Courses list, but there are other courses you can do at Swinburne where you may be eligible for subsidised fees.
The VET Student Loan program allows eligible students who are studying relevant diploma courses or above to secure a loan to cover the upfront cost of tuition fees. In some instances, you may be eligible for a concession on the amount of tuition fees ou will need to pay if you meet the eligibility and concession requirements.
Visit our fees page to find out more about eligibility.
The Free TAFE for Priority Courses are in areas where there are likely to be more jobs in the future.
The Victorian Government is guaranteeing employment for students who graduate from the Diploma of Community Services between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2024, as part of The Social Services Jobs Guarantee.
Yes, to be eligible you will need to be physically present in Victoria while completing your studies.
No, this would be counted as continuing your existing enrolment (not a new commencement in 2023), so you would not be eligible for a fee waiver for your 2023 units.
Yes, you can. Your eligibility for a Free TAFE for Priority Courses fee waiver will depend on whether you are an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or an Australian permanent resident, and whether you have previously commenced a Free TAFE for Priority Course.
Yes. The fee waiver for a Free TAFE course lasts the duration of your course, regardless of its length or the time it takes you to complete.
Courses undertaken as Free TAFE for Priority Courses are treated the same way as any other course you have undertaken, for the purpose of determining whether you are eligible for further Victorian Government-subsidised training.
Talk to us about whether you will have future Victorian Government-subsidised training options.
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