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Fee-Free TAFE places for Queenslanders in 2023

If you are thinking about a TAFE course to be job ready, to upskill or retrain, now is the time with Fee-Free TAFE at CQUniversity. With a huge choice of skill sets, certificates and diplomas across a wide array of industries, 2023 is the year that sees you ready to go!

What’s free?

Free means the Australian and Queensland Governments will cover the full cost of training in a high priority qualification that is included on the list below, so eligible students don't contribute to training fees.

However, students may incur related costs such as uniform and resource costs.

To be eligible, you must:

  • permanently reside in Queensland
  • be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrant), temporary resident with the necessary visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency, or a New Zealand citizen
  • aged 15 years and over and not be at school
  • not currently be enrolled in training (not including foundation skills training).
  • student is eligible for one Fee Free TAFE qualification only
  • Some courses may require the student to be an existing worker in the related industry or hold a prerequisite qualification.

Individuals who hold a visa must also ensure their visa subclass is eligible for subsidised training.

As this program is about enabling Queenslanders to seek new skills or enhance existing skills, you are able to enrol regardless of your current employment status or the number of qualifications you have previously completed.

Please note Diploma of Nursing (HLT54121) is restricted to the following priority cohorts:

  • First Nations Queenslanders
  • people with a disability
  • people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (including migrants and refugees who meet the requisite eligibility requirements)
  • student is eligible for one Fee Free TAFE qualification only.

Diploma of Nursing applicants will also need to meet other entry requirements for this course.

Courses

*Student must be the owner, manager or employee of a small business Queensland.

**This skill set has been endorsed by industry as suitable for individuals who hold a qualification at Certificate III level or higher in an area involving provision of direct client care or support. Students must be currently employed in the Community Services or Health Services industry.
*Student must be an Existing Worker in the Community Services and Health industry, which includes parents and unpaid carers of NDIS participants.
^Student must be an Existing Worker in the Community Services and Health industry, which includes parents and unpaid carers of NDIS participants
^^Students must be an existing workers in the Community and Health services industry.

*This skill set has been endorsed by industry as suitable for individuals who hold a qualification at Certificate III level or higher in an area involving provision of direct client care or support. Students must be currently employed in the Community Services or Health Services industry.
^Restricted to First Nations Queenslanders, people with a disability, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (including migrants and refugees who meet the eligibility criteria)

More About Fee-Free TAFE

From 1 January 2023 until 31 December 2023, Fee-Free TAFE will be available to eligible Queenslanders at CQUniversity TAFE. This exclusive funding is due to the Australian and Queensland Governments taking action to deliver approximately 37,000 Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education places for Queenslanders in 2023.

This funding is applicable to unit enrolments. Any gap in your studies may result in you losing access to this funding. This funding is limited and subject to change. Please carefully consider your training options before committing to a training course as this may exhaust your entitlement to further Queensland Government subsidised training.

Students from the following priority groups are strongly encouraged to apply:

  • First Nations Australians
  • young people aged 17-24
  • people out of work or receiving income support
  • unpaid carers
  • women facing economic insecurity
  • women undertaking study in non-traditional fields
  • people with disability.

FIND MORE COURSES AT REDUCED FEES

Explore our range of other reduced fee courses available through TAFE Priority Skills Fund and Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s.

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

Fee Free TAFE is provided by the Queensland Government’s Department of Employment, Small Business and Training.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

An Australian and Federal Government funding initiative that gives Queenslanders the opportunity to study a wide variety of skill sets, certificates, and Diplomas.  This exclusive funding is due to the Australian and Queensland Governments taking action to deliver approximately 37,000 Fee Free TAFE and vocational education places for Queenslanders in 2023.

Training may continue into 2024. Any gap in your studies may result in you losing access to funding.

The Diploma of Nursing under the Queensland Government Fee Free TAFE Scheme is restricted to First Nations Queenslanders, people with a disability and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (migrants and refugees who meet the eligibility criteria). These applicants will need to provide additional documentation to confirm their eligibility.

Applicants who indicate their eligibility for Fee Free TAFE due to a disability can provide any of the following supporting documentation:

  1. Confirmation of being in receipt of a Disability Support Pension from Centrelink or provide consent for CQUniversity to verify the Disability Support Pension through the Centrelink Business Portal; or
  2. A letter from their doctor or treating health professional confirming disability/condition and duration (whether it’s permanent or temporary); or
  3. If the applicant is a current or former student who is/was registered with Accessibility and Equity (formerly Inclusion and Accessibility students prior to 2020) they can provide National Admissions with authorization to confirm their eligibility with the Accessibility Team. Students or prospective students can contact the Accessibility Team by email at accessibility@cqu.edu.au or by phone: 07 4930 9456.

Indigenous applicants will need to provide identity documentation as per the CQUniversity Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander or First Nations Identity Protocol. Any prospective students requiring support or assistance in obtaining their Confirmation of Identity documents are encouraged to contact the Indigenous Student Engagement Team by phoning 07 4930 9250 or by email indigenous@cqu.edu.au. CQUniversity accepts any of the following documents:

(a) certified copies of the applicant’s Confirmation of Identity documents. A Confirmation of Identity document is usually provided by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community organisation. The documentation names the individual and confirms they are a recognised member of a specified Indigenous Australian community; or

(b) Native Title documentation issued by a Prescribed Body Corporate which specifically names the applicant or provides other formal evidence of ancestral or familial ties, or

(c) in the absence of (a) or (b), an original Statutory Declaration signed by the applicant, accompanied by two supporting documents of verification from a recognised cultural consultant/referee.

Applicants from Cultural/Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds can provide:

  1. A statement that demonstrates links to cultural heritage through community involvement, details of family heritage and outlines whether the applicant or their parent/s were born overseas, and language spoken at home, or
  2. Overseas Passport/Birth Certificate, Dual Citizen Passport, Australian Birth Certificate listing parent/s born overseas, and Citizenship by Descent documents are all ID documents.

Students eligible for Fee Free TAFE are only able to complete one (1) Fee-Free funded qualification. If you do not complete the course, or undertake a skill set, you can still complete a full qualification using this funding.

Free Fee TAFE is available from 1 January 2023 until 31 December 2023. We encourage applicants to apply and commence study as soon as they can due to the limited places available.