Personalised for LOCAL students.
Local student means; you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, a New Zealand citizen or a permanent humanitarian visa holder.
Personalised for INTERNATIONAL students.
International student means; you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, a New Zealand citizen or a permanent humanitarian visa holder.
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Free TAFE courses

Free TAFE courses are free courses for skills in demand by Victorian employers.

Recent changes to eligibility criteria for Free TAFE means that more access and study opportunities for Victorians are now on offer at Melbourne Polytechnic.

Free TAFE courses Melbourne

Students who are eligible for Free TAFE can study in one of the following Free TAFE courses at Melbourne Polytechnic.

Accounting and Business

Study more with the Accounting pathway.

Agriculture

Study more with the Agriculture pathway.

Animal Studies

Auslan

Building and Construction

Study more with the Building and Construction pathway.

Construction Trades and Engineering Trades

Education and Childcare

Study more with the Early Education pathway.

Health Services and Community Services

Study more with a Community Services pathway.

Horticulture

Hospitality, Bakery and Cookery

Information Technology

Free TAFE pathways

Recent changes to eligibility criteria for Free TAFE means that more access and study opportunities for Victorians are now on offer at Melbourne Polytechnic.  

What are Free TAFE pathways?

Free TAFE pathways are groups of two or more courses in study areas that the Victorian Government have prioritised. When you study a complete a course in a Free TAFE pathway you can access Free TAFE for all following courses in the same pathway.

Read about the Free TAFE pathways at Victoria Government's Free TAFE web page.

Community and Family Services pathways

When you complete an eligible community services Free TAFE course, you'll be able to enrol in the Diploma of Community Services CHC52021.

(You'll still need to meet the diploma entry requirements - check the course pages for more info.)

Certificate IV in Community Services

6 months

Diploma of Community Services

Mental Health and AOD pathways

When you complete an eligible community services Free TAFE course, you'll be able to enrol in the Diploma of Community Services CHC52021.

(You'll still need to meet the diploma entry requirements - check the course pages for more info.)

Diploma of Community Services

Accounting pathway

When you complete the Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping FNS40222 Free TAFE course, you'll be able to access Free TAFE for the Diploma of Accounting FNS50222.

(You'll still need to meet the diploma entry requirements - check the course pages for more info.)

Diploma of Accounting

Building and surveying pathway

When you complete a building certificate, you'll still be able to access Free TAFE funding for the other courses in the Free TAFE pathway, including diplomas.

(You'll still need to meet the course entry requirements - check the course pages for more info.)

Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing

Certificate IV in Building and Construction

Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)

Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying

Agriculture pathway

When you complete an agriculture certificate, you'll still be able to access Free TAFE funding for the other courses in the Free TAFE pathway, including the diploma.

(You'll still need to meet the course entry requirements - check the course pages for more info.)

Certificate IV in Agriculture

Early Childhood Education

When you complete your Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care CHC30121, you'll still be able to access Free TAFE funding for the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care CHC50121.

(You'll still need to meet the course entry requirements - check the course pages for more info.)

Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care - Non-Traineeship

Nursing and Personal Care

When you complete your Certificate III in Individual Support CHC33021, you'll still be able to access Free TAFE funding for the Certificate IV in Disability CHC43121 and other courses in the Nursing and Personal Care priority pathway.

(You'll still need to meet the course entry requirements - check the course pages for more info.)

Allied health and nursing

When you complete your Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance HLT33015, you'll still be able to access Free TAFE funding for the Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance HLT43015 and other courses in the Allied Health and Nursing priority pathway.

(You'll still need to meet the course entry requirements - check the course pages for more info.)

Eligibility for Free TAFE

Residential status: Any Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or New Zealand citizen living in Victoria can now enrol in a Free TAFE course or government-subsidised training regardless of their prior skills and qualifications.

Previous qualification: You can do your first Free TAFE course no matter what qualifications you already hold. This applies to all qualifications - whether they be through TAFE or university. This is because the 'upskilling rule' has been removed.

For example, if you did a Bachelor of Arts and you want to change career you can go back and study a Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance or a Diploma of Community Services as your first Free TAFE course.

Multiple Free TAFE courses: You can do multiple Free TAFE courses in the same occupational pathway listed under 'Free TAFE priority pathways'.

This is because the 'once-in-a-lifetime limit' for Free TAFE has now been removed for priority pathways.

For example, in caring occupations if you have completed a Certificate III in Individual Support you can enrol in the Certificate IV in Disability and still access tuition fee-free training.

Students whose only Free TAFE fee waiver was under JobTrainer can also do another Free TAFE course, either in a pathway or non-pathway program.

A list of ‘Free TAFE priority pathways’ is provided above.

Please note, Free TAFE priority pathways do not include apprenticeship pathway courses.

Call us to check your eligibility on 1300 635 276.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check the FAQs for answers to your questions, and call us on 1300 635 276 to discuss your Free TAFE study options.

Free TAFE is a Victorian Government program offering tuition-free study in non-apprenticeship courses, pre-apprenticeship courses and traineeships. 

Residential status: Any Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or New Zealand citizen living in Victoria can now enrol in a Free TAFE course or government-subsidised training regardless of their prior skills and qualifications.

Previous qualification: You can do your first Free TAFE course no matter what qualifications you already hold. This applies to all qualifications - whether they be through TAFE or university. This is because the 'upskilling rule' has been removed.

For example, if you did a Bachelor of Arts and you want to change career you can go back and study a Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance or a Diploma of Community Services as your first Free TAFE course.

Multiple Free TAFE courses: You can do multiple Free TAFE courses in the same occupational pathway listed under 'Free TAFE priority pathways'.

This is because the 'once-in-a-lifetime limit' for Free TAFE has now been removed for priority pathways.

For example, in caring occupations if you have completed a Certificate III in Individual Support you can enrol in the Certificate IV in Disability and still access tuition fee-free training.

Students whose only Free TAFE fee waiver was under JobTrainer can also do another Free TAFE course, either in a pathway or non-pathway program.

A list of ‘Free TAFE priority pathways’ is provided above.

Please note, Free TAFE priority pathways do not include apprenticeship pathway courses.

Call us to check your eligibility on 1300 635 276.

If you’re eligible under the Free TAFE program, the Victorian government will pay the tuition fees for your whole course. You’ll still need to pay all other fees, such as materials and student services fees.

Some of Melbourne Polytechnic’s courses are already government-subsidised. This means the government funds a large portion of tuition fees and you may be paying the smaller remaining amount.

If you’re eligible under the Free TAFE for Priority Courses program, the Victorian government will pay all of your tuition fees for the duration of your priority course. 

If you’re enrolled in high school, you won’t be able to access Free TAFE for Priority Courses (unless you’re doing a school-based traineeship.) , noting that Apprenticeships are not covered under Free TAFE for Priority Courses.