Certificate 3 Guarantee

CQUniversity encourages prospective students to take advantage of the Certificate 3 Guarantee to gain a subsidised qualification that is both nationally recognised and quality assured.

What is the Certificate 3 Guarantee?

Part of the Queensland Government's Great Skills, Real Opportunities action plan, the guarantee gives working-age Queenslanders access to their first certificate III qualification through a subsidy that reduces the cost of the course. This subsidy gives working-age Queenslanders who don't hold a formal qualification a chance to develop their skills and improve their employment prospects.

A certificate III is the first level of post-school qualification shown to have a significant impact on a person's employment and earnings. It is also the level of qualification usually required to get a job in the emerging industries of aged care, child care, hospitality and small business.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to access the Certificate 3 Guarantee, you must:

be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or an Australian permanent resident (including humanitarian entrants), or a temporary resident with an eligible visa subclass
be 15 years old or over
live in Queensland and have left school*
not already have, or be enrolled in a certificate III level or higher qualification, not including qualifications completed at secondary school and foundations skills training.
Some courses may require the student to be an existing worker in the related industry.

*Some Start TAFE Now students will be able to access training through the Queensland Government’s VET in Schools.

For more information about eligibility, check the Certificate 3 Guarantee Student Fact Sheet or contact 13 27 86.

How can the Certificate 3 Guarantee Help?

The Certificate 3 Guarantee subsidises course costs for certificate III courses and supporting programs. Subsidy amounts depend upon the chosen course and other factors including possession of a health care or pensioner concession card.

To help students who may need to develop skills before undertaking a certificate III course, the Certificate 3 Guarantee also covers study in language, literacy and numeracy programs as well as lower certificate qualifications that lead to a certificate III.

Students who hold a healthcare or pension concession card or identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander will receive a higher subsidy.

Certificate 3 Guarantee Courses

Please carefully consider your training option before committing to a training course as this may exhaust your entitlement to further Queensland Government subsidised training.

Some courses may require the student to be an existing working in the related industry.

If you have any questions, please call us on 13 27 86. You can also ask a question via eform.

*Lower-level vocational qualifications may also be subsidised in certain limited circumstances.

Skills Assure - Proud to be a Queensland Government subsidised training provider