Get help with training and study options

The NSW Government subsidises the cost of almost 900 full courses ranging from Certificate II to Advanced Diploma under the Smart and Skilled program at many private and community colleges. For people seeking asylum, courses up to and including Certificate IV can be subsidised to 100%, meaning that they do not pay any training fees (although there may still be some costs for equipment, textbooks, etc.). People seeking asylum who start Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas in 2024 may also be able to have their course fully subsidised.

1. Open this link
2. Start exploring careers by industry by expanding the list. This information gives a quick idea of the types of jobs qualified people can do and some of the most popular courses
3. Click the red View Courses button next to the industry sub-category you are interested in – be patient, the website can take a little while to load the list
4. When the list is loaded take a moment to add a location filter so that you are just seeing courses that are in your area
   • Click the Open Filters button
   • Start typing in your suburb and select it from the list – we suggest putting a 25km area around your suburb
   • Scroll down to find and click the red Apply Filters button
5. When you see a course you are interested in, expand the list to read the course overview and see which colleges are approved to run the course in your area
6. Click View details to see more location details about a college – they may be approved to run the course in more than one area
7. Click on a location to see more details about the college – there may be a website, an email address and a phone number
8. We recommend you click on the college website to look for more information about the course and/or call to ask for more information. Make sure to say you are looking for subsidised training and explain you are eligible as someone on a bridging visa who has applied for protection
9. Make notes using our checklist

TAFE has hundreds of courses available in all industries, ranging from short training courses through to Certificates and Diplomas. Not all training at TAFE is free or subsidised, so keep an eye out for labels that say “Fee Free” or “Fees from $0” or “Subsidised prices”.

1. Open this link
2. Start exploring courses by scrolling through the industry tiles and clicking on the industry you are interested in
3. Either scroll through the page or use the left-hand box with industry sub-categories to navigate
4. Click on the View Course button for the course you are interested in, for example Certificate III in Guiding, to get some more information about the course
5. Click on the blue Find a Location to Enrol button for a list of TAFE campuses that run the course
6. Click on the Enrolment Open/Enquire now/Register Interest button next to the campus you are interested in – the same campus might be listed more than once so take notice of any differences and compare the results: the differences are usually about whether the course is full- or part- time and how it is delivered, for example, face-to-face, combination, on-line
7. Read carefully, make notes using our checklist, and make use of the Ask a Question button or Download Course Brochure link

Important information to look for as you explore TAFE courses

1. Entry requirements – this is especially important when looking at Certificate IV or Diploma courses: you might need to complete a Certificate III course first to get the essential skills and knowledge needed for a higher level course
2. Is the course only available to apprentices or trainees- that means you have to be working as an apprentice or trainee before you can enrol in the training
3. Information about attendance, delivery and study commitment – will you be able to go to class/join online and put in enough time each week to succeed in your course
4. Watch out for Enrol/Apply Now and Enquire Now buttons – Enrol/Apply Now will only show if TAFE is getting ready to start a new course, but Enquire Now will always show and you should use it to get on the mailing list and ask any questions. You might also see Register Interest – clicking on this button will also get you on the mailing list
5. Is there an information session coming up?