Smart and Skilled student information

The NSW Government provides subsidies to cover some training costs through a program called Smart and Skilled. This means you might be able to do some courses for free or for a lower cost. This page explains who is eligible for the program, which courses you can do, and the different fees.

To be eligible for Smart and Skilled, you must:

• live or work in NSW, or
• identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander who lives in a specific defined interstate NSW border area. You can check if your postcode qualifies in the current Smart and Skilled Student Eligibility Policy.

You must also:

• be at least 15 years old
• no longer be in secondary education – except for homeschool students
• be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, New Zealand citizen, humanitarian visa holder or a partner visa holder whose sponsor is a humanitarian visa holder
• have a valid Unique Student Identifier (USI).

If you don’t have a USI, you can find your USI or create a USI at the USI website. We can also help you find your USI or create one when you enrol or apply online.

You will need to enrol in an eligible Smart and Skilled course to qualify for a reduction of your fees. Find a course below, enrol and check your eligibility.

The following NSW Skills List course types are subsidised by the NSW Government:

• Certificate I

• Certificate II

• Certificate III

• Certificate IV

• Diploma

• Advanced Diploma

• Apprenticeships and traineeships

• Apprenticeship and Traineeship courses

• Short courses (Statement of Attainment)

• Fee-free foundation skills courses to help with reading, writing, numeracy skills; courses to help you get a job, and courses to further your training or study.

Not every course qualifies for Smart and Skilled. To find out if the course you’re interested in qualifies, check our course page.

At TAFE NSW we have different types of Smart and Skilled fees. Depending on the course and your circumstances, you may:

• access fee-free training through Smart and Skilled

• qualify for a fee-free scholarship

• be eligible for free training as an apprentice or trainee

• pay a reduced concession fee based on your Centrelink eligibility

• pay standard student fees.

Use the fee calculator on each course page to estimate the course fees.

Fee-free training means you don’t have to pay for your course. The course fees are fully subsidised.

Eligibility for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

If you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, you may qualify for free courses under Smart and Skilled. This assistance is available if you live or work in NSW or in nearby border areas. If you live outside of NSW, you can check if your postcode qualifies in the current Smart and Skilled Student Eligibility Policy.

Eligibility for people living with disability

If you live with disability, receive the Disability Support Pension (or are the dependant of someone who does), you may be exempt from fees for Smart and Skilled training. To see if you qualify, check the Smart and Skilled website.

Eligibility for asylum seekers

If you’re a humanitarian visa holder enrolled in a Smart and Skilled course (Certificate I to Certificate IV), you may be eligible for fee-free training. This eligibility also extends to the partners of humanitarian visa holders for any training commencing from 1 July 2021, onwards. You’ll need to provide your visa and your partner's visa as evidence. To check your eligibility, visit Temporary Visa Holders – TAFE NSW.

Priority courses and industries

Some courses that support priority industries are fee-free at TAFE NSW. Fee-free places are limited, and are not guaranteed. When you enrol, we’ll tell you if you can apply for a fee-free place.

Fee-free apprenticeships and traineeships

If you’re a registered apprentice or trainee you could be eligible for fee-free training under Smart and Skilled. Apprenticeships qualify if they started on or after 1 July 2018. Traineeships qualify if they started on or after 1 January 2020. We’ll apply the fee-free training automatically if we’ve received your training plan proposal.

A fee-free scholarship means you don’t have to pay for your course. The course fees are fully subsidised. To be eligible for a fee-free scholarship, you must be: 

• between 15 and 30 years old
• receiving a government payment or benefit
• able to meet the rules for Smart and Skilled.

You may also be able to access a fee-free scholarship if you have experienced domestic or family violence, or have lived in out-of-home care. 

We’ll confirm your fee-free scholarship when you enrol. If you’re eligible, you can receive up to 2 fee-free scholarships over 4 years. 

Domestic or family violence

If you’ve experienced domestic or family violence, Smart and Skilled can help you build new skills. You can get fee-free training for a Certificate I to a Certificate IV.  

To be considered for a fee-free scholarship, you’ll need to connect with our counselling and careers development team to provide a document that shows you’ve accessed a domestic and family violence service. We'll keep your information private, in accordance with our Privacy Policy. 

Out-of-home care

You’re eligible to get free training to study a Certificate I through to a Certificate IV level qualification if you’re aged:

• 15 to 17 years and currently in out-of-home care
• 18 to 30 years and have previously been in out-of-home care.

You’ll also need one of the following documents:

• a Children’s Court Care Order
• a Confirmation of Placement letter
• a ‘leaving care’ letter from the Minister for Families and Communities
• a letter from the Department of Communities and Justice, or agency
• your care records from Department of Communities and Justice
• any other evidence that shows you are, or have been, in out-of-home care.

If you’re not eligible to receive fee-free training or a fee-free scholarship, you may be able to pay a concession fee. This is less than the full fee for the course.

Check your eligibility

If you’re a Commonwealth Government Benefit recipient or if you're the dependent child, spouse or partner of someone who is, you may pay a lower fee for your training.

We’ll check with Centrelink or the Department of Veterans' Affairs to see if you can pay the concession fee before you enrol. To check this, we will need your Customer Reference Number (CRN) or, in some cases, an income statement.

These Centrelink payments include:

• JobSeeker Payment
• Disability Support Pension
• Age Pension
• Austudy
• Parenting Payment (Single)
• Carer Payment
• Family Tax Benefit Part A (maximum rate)
• Farm Household Allowance
• Special Benefit
• Veterans' Affairs Payments
• Veterans' Children Education Scheme
• Widow Allowance
• Youth Allowance.

We'll ask you to complete a consent form with details of the person receiving the payment. This is so we can confirm the details with Centrelink or the Department of Veterans' Affairs. 

Concession fees are available for courses from Certificate I to Certificate IV level. Concession fees do not apply to diplomas or advanced diplomas. For these courses, you may be eligible for a VET Student Loan.

VET Student Loans

TAFE NSW is an approved VET Student Loans program provider. The program may be able to help you pay for a vocational education and training (VET) course that is diploma level or above.

Find out more about VET Student Loans, including eligibility requirements, how to apply, and repaying your loan.

If you’re enrolled in a Smart and Skilled course, you’ll pay the full student fee if you don’t qualify for: 

• fee-free training
• a fee-free scholarship, or
• a concession.

If you do pay reduced student fees, the fee you pay for your study depends on your situation and whether it’s your first or second course.

Calculate your fee

1. Find your course.
2. Calculate your fee – click on the ‘Calculate your fee’ button and answer some questions.

Our Enrolment and Student Administration Policy outlines the conditions of payments and eligibility of refunds.

When you enrol, we will need to confirm your:

• eligibility for Smart and Skilled 
• estimated fee with Training Services NSW
• evidence to support your eligibility.

These will need to be confirmed before we can confirm your fee.

If you have completed a course under Smart and Skilled, you are unable to access further subsidies for that same course.

If you have completed part of a course, you might be able to secure more funding. However, you need to formally withdraw from any courses to keep your chances of receiving support for a similar course, in the future. If you would like to recommence your studies in the same course and need assistance, please contact us if you need help.

Third-party providers

We’ll let you know if another training provider is responsible for delivering all or part of your course. Details about the delivery of your course, including any third parties involved, will be included on your course page. 

Your USI

If you don’t have a valid Unique Student Identifier (USI) you won’t be able to apply for Smart and Skilled subsidies. You can find your USI or create a USI at the USI website. We can also help you find your USI or create one when you enrol or apply online.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and credit transfer

You can apply to have your previous skills, experience and learning recognised when you enrol in your course through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or credit transfer. 

Deferring or withdrawing

If you need to make changes to your enrolment, we can support you through the processes of deferring, withdrawals and refunds. 

As a TAFE NSW student, you have a right to:

• review and correct any personal information we hold about you
• access information about our feedback and complaints handling process
• expect your education and training will be consistent with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) regulations and Smart and Skilled contract requirements.

Customer complaints and feedback

The TAFE NSW Customer Complaints and Feedback Policy was developed in line with ASQA and Smart and Skilled requirements.

This policy:

• is clear and accessible
• sets out the students’ rights to consumer protection
• sets out how we will manage and respond to queries, complaints and allegations. This includes any queries, complaints or allegations involving the conduct of any member of our staff or our subcontractors 
• sets out how we will ensure timeliness of our investigation and responses
• identifies our dedicated consumer protection officer and their contact details.

Report a problem or concern

You can report a problem or concern to any TAFE NSW employee, or by completing our online complaint form. Your concern will be recorded and dealt with quickly and confidentially.

To find out more, visit our complaints and feedback page or read our Customer Complaints and Feedback Policy. If you’re unable to resolve your complaint or are not satisfied with the response, you can email consumerprotection@tafensw.edu.au or discuss your concerns with an external body.

TAFE NSW offers a wide range of support options, including: 

• study support
• Aboriginal support services
• counselling services
• disability services and support
• educational and careers counselling
• multicultural services and support
• employment support
• childcare services
• library services
• financial services
• international student support. 

Access and explore our student support services. 

If you need more support, call us on 131 601, chat to us online, visit a TAFE NSW campus, send us an enquiry below, or visit the Smart and Skilled website for more information.

For more information on Smart and skilled, visit the Smart and Skilled website.

For help, call us on 131 601, chat to us online, visit a TAFE NSW campus, or submit an enquiry.

Our counselling services are available to anyone considering TAFE NSW as a place to study.