Fees for Government Funded Places
This information applies to students undertaking training courses. For information on university course fees, visit the Going to Uni website.
For all government subsidised training, the maximum hourly student tuition fee is set by the government at a rate that varies depending on the course category.
All courses have been classified into one of the following categories for the purpose of calculating fees:
- Foundation Skills (basic general education, English language, literacy and numeracy courses up to Certificate IV level, and the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning - Foundation level - as defined on the Foundation Skills Category Course List). Your training provider will be able to supply you with a list of courses in this category.
- Skills Creation (most Certificate I and II courses, the VCE and VCAL Intermediate and Senior)
- Apprenticeships (all courses taken as part of an apprenticeship training contract, at any level)
- Traineeships (all courses taken as part of a traineeship training contract, at any level)
- Skills Building (most non-apprenticeship Certificate III and IV courses)
- Skills Deepening (all non-apprenticeship Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas and vocational Graduate qualifications)
The maximum hourly student tuition fee rates are set for each calendar year, and you pay according to the year in which your training is to take place. If your course lasts more than one year, your tuition fees are calculated separately for each year. The maximum hourly student tuition fee rates may change at the start of each year.
Download the 2012 Course Categories
2012 Course Categories (PDF, 36.1 KB)
This document outlines the classification of courses into categories for the purposes of tuition fee calculation and funding for 2012.
2012 fee schedule
Changes for 2012
There have been changes to the fees for training courses in 2012. For detailed information about how these changes affect you, see the Changes to VET Fee and Funding Arrangements for 2012 page.
Fees for new students and continuing Apprentices
These fees apply to enrolments in courses that commence on or after 1 January 2012, and to enrolments in an Apprenticeship that commenced on or after 1 July 2009.
| Course Category |
Rate per hour |
Total Concession Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Skills |
Up to $1.08 |
Up to $50 |
| Skills Creation |
Up to $1.62 |
Up to $105 |
| Apprenticeships |
Up to $2.17 | Up to $187.50 |
| Traineeships | Up to $2.17 | Up to $187.50 |
| Skills Building |
Up to $2.17 |
Up to $187.50 |
| Skills Deepening |
Up to $4.33 |
N/A* |
* There is no concession fee for Skills Deepening except for young people aged under 25 years undertaking a Diploma or Advanced Diploma at a TAFE institute.
Fees for continuing students who are not Apprentices
These fees apply to enrolments in courses that commenced on or after 1 July 2009 and before 1 January 2012, excluding enrolments in an Apprenticeship that commenced on or after 1 July 2009.
| Course Category |
Rate per hour |
Total Maximum Fee |
Total Concession Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation Skills |
Up to $1.08 |
$500 | Up to $50 |
| Skills Creation |
Up to $1.62 |
$875 | Up to $105 |
| Apprenticeships |
N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Traineeships | Up to $2.17 | $1,250 | Up to $187.50 |
| Skills Building |
Up to $2.17 |
$1,250 | Up to $187.50 |
| Skills Deepening |
Up to $4.33 |
$2,500 | N/A |
* There is no concession fee for Skills Deepening except for young people aged under 25 years undertaking a Diploma or Advanced Diploma at a TAFE institute.
Other fees
Providers may set a student services and amenities fee to cover things like access to a library, cafeteria, counselling or student welfare services.
Providers may also charge for materials or other items. This includes materials that you may keep as your personal property, such as equipment or printed notes. It may also cover things like excursions or field trips. Providers must give you the choice to purchase the equivalent equipment and materials from elsewhere.
Providers must give you an itemised list of all fees and materials required, including student services and amenities fees and other fees, prior to enrolment.
Fee concessions, waivers and exemptions
Concessions or exemptions are available in some circumstances and for some courses.
Refunds
Providers are responsible for setting a clear refund policy. Providers must inform students and supply them with a copy of their refund policy prior to enrolment.
For Skills Deepening courses where VET FEE-HELP is available, some special rules about refunds will apply. The training provider will be able to give you information about what refunds apply in that case.