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:

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 pathway, and you are commencing another course in the same pathway


Additionally, if you have completed (or commenced but not completed) any other Free TAFE priority course (whether government-subsidised or fee for service), you may receive an additional fee waiver to study Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

You can still have the fee waiver for Certificate IV in Training and Assessment even if you have received more than one Free TAFE fee waiver to complete programs as part of a Free TAFE pathway. However, you cannot enrol in a pathway program and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment at the same time.

What is a Free TAFE pathway?

A pathway is where you can move from one qualification to the next (e.g. from certificate to diploma), sometimes with academic credit.

Free TAFE pathways are Victorian Government's designated pathways that allow you to access fee waivers for more than one course on the Free TAFE for Priority Courses list.

However, you will need to complete the designated pathway – you would not be eligible for a fee waiver for a certificate from one pathway and a diploma from another!

Designated pathways for Free TAFE programs at Swinburne

Certificate Diploma
Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping

Diploma of Accounting

Certificate IV in Building and Construction Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)
Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

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

Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)

Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability)

Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy)

Certificate IV in Disability

Diploma of Nursing
Learn more about fees

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 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.

Unless you previously completed a course if a Free TAFE pathway program and are commencing another course in the same pathway, Free TAFE for Priority Courses will pay your tuition fees for one course. 

Once you have enrolled in a Free TAFE course, you cannot get a Free TAFE place again, even if you do not finish your existing course. 

You need to make a careful choice about which course you undertake, so talk to us if you are unsure.

Only the courses on the Free TAFE for Priority Courses list will have their tuition fees covered by the initiative, 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 courses to secure a loan to cover the upfront cost of tuition fees. While some tuition fees may apply for Victorian Government-subsidised training, you may be eligible for a concession.  

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, you will need to be physically present in Victoria while completing your studies to be eligible.

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 to complete.  

This depends on your existing enrolment, as you can only start one Free TAFE for Priority Course with a fee waiver.  

If you are returning from a leave of absence and your existing course was a Free TAFE for Priority Course with a fee waiver and you want to continue your studies in the same course, your tuition will remain fee-free. 

If you are returning from a leave of absence and your existing course was a Free TAFE for Priority Course with a fee waiver and you want to enrol in a different course that is also on the Free TAFE for Priority Courses list, you will not be eligible for another fee waiver. 

If you are returning from a leave of absence and your existing course was not a Free TAFE for Priority Course and you want to enrol in a Free TAFE for Priority Course, you may be eligible for a fee waiver if you meet all the eligibility criteria.

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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