Subsidised training

The Career Start program helps support eligible students to complete their first post-school certificate III level qualification. You may be eligible to receive a subsidy towards one certificate III qualification from a list of government subsidised courses at TAFE Queensland. Visit the Department of Trade, Employment and Training website to see which qualifications and skill sets are subsidised under the Career Start program.

Career Start explained

If your course is eligible, the Queensland Government will pay the subsidy directly to TAFE Queensland. The level of the government subsidy varies depending on the demand for skilled workers in each industry. You will be required to contribute to the costs of your training through a co-contribution fee.

Career Start eligibility

To be eligible for the Career Start program you must meet the following criteria:

• be 15 years or older
• have completed or left secondary school
• be an Australian citizen, or Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrant), or a temporary resident with the right visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency, or a New Zealand citizen permanently residing in Queensland;
• not be enrolled in another qualification, even if it's on hold or deferred (not including foundations skills training)
• not already have a certificate III or higher qualification completed within the last 10 years (qualifications completed as a school student and foundation skills qualifications do not count)

If you’re studying one of our degree programs you may be eligible for a government subsidy known as a Commonwealth supported place (CSP). The amount the government subsidises for you is not a loan, and you will not have to pay it back.

CSP explained

As a Commonwealth supported student, if eligible, the Australian Government will pay part of the fees for your degree directly to your education provider.

You will only need to pay the remainder of the fees known as the student contribution amount. You may also be eligible for a HECS-HELP loan to help you pay your student contribution amount.

CSP eligibility

To be eligible for a Commonwealth supported place, you must:

• be an Australian citizen, who will complete some of your course of study while resident in Australia; or
• a New Zealand citizen; or an Australian permanent visa holder; or an eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder; or a pacific engagement visa (PEV) holder who studies the entire course while living in Australia (note: a PEV holder becomes eligible from 1 February 2024)
• have a Unique Student Identifier (USI) prior to the first census date (for new enrolments from 1 January 2021)
• have sufficient Student Learning Entitlement available (for new enrolments from 1 January 2022)
• meet the completion rate requirements (from 1 January 2022 - 31 December 2023)
• not undertake more than 2 years' worth of higher education study within 12 months (unless your provider has approved you to take on more).
• submit your Request for Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) by the census date.

If you're currently working or have experience in the Queensland building and construction industry, you may be able to study courses subsidised by Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ). CSQ is an independent industry-funded body supporting employers, workers, apprentices, and career seekers in the building and construction industry.

TAFE Queensland is a proud recipient of Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) funding for a range of courses under three programs – Short Courses, Skills Assessment and Gap Training, and Higher Qualifications.

Limited Fee-Free TAFE places are available for Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30121) in 2025

To be eligible for Fee-Free TAFE funding, you must be:

• an Australian or New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident (including humanitarian entrants), or a temporary resident with the necessary visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency
• a Queensland resident
• aged 15 years or older and no longer at school
• not currently enrolled in another qualification.
• not have previously completed a Fee-Free TAFE funded qualification (students are only eligible to complete one Fee-Free TAFE funded qualification from 2023 to 2026) 

Students from the following priority groups are strongly encouraged to apply:

• First Nations Australians
• young people aged 17-24
• people out of work or receiving income support
• unpaid carers
• women facing economic insecurity
• women undertaking study in non-traditional fields
• people with disability.

To be eligible for Fee-Free funding for the Diploma of Nursing (HLT54121), you must be:

• an Australian or New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident (including humanitarian entrants), or a temporary resident with the necessary visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency
• a Queensland resident
• aged 15 years or older and no longer at school
• not currently enrolled in another qualification.
• not have previously completed a Fee-Free TAFE funded qualification (students are only eligible to complete one Fee-Free TAFE funded qualification from 2023 to 2026)

Students from the following priority groups are strongly encouraged to apply:

• First Nations Australians
• young people aged 17-24
• people out of work or receiving income support
• unpaid carers
• women facing economic insecurity
• women undertaking study in non-traditional fields
• people with disability.

To support Queensland's youth to successfully transition to employment, the government is offering fee-free training in high priority qualifications. The training is available through a range of certificate III level vocational education and training (VET) courses as well as apprenticeships and traineeships. View the courses offered by TAFE Queensland or the full list of high priority qualifications is available on the Department of Trade, Employment and Training website.

Free TAFE for under 25s explained

Free TAFE for under 25s is available through Queensland Government training investment programs: the Career Start and Career Start (Apprenticeships and Traineeships). It is available to a select range of high priority qualifications that will develop the skills most needed by employers and the Queensland economy.

Under this initiative the Queensland Government will cover the full cost of training for eligible qualifications. This means eligible students will not be required to contribute to their training fees.

Free TAFE for Under 25s eligibility

To be eligible to access fee-free training you must meet the following criteria:

• be aged under 25 years at the point of enrolment and not be at school
• permanently reside in Queensland
• be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrant), temporary resident with the necessary visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency, or a New Zealand citizen
• not hold, and not be enrolled in, a certificate III or higher-level qualification, not including qualifications completed at school and foundation skills training.

The Career Boost program provides a government subsidy to support eligible students to access subsidised training in priority skill sets and selected certificate IV or higher qualifications. Visit the Department of Trade, Employment and Training website to see which qualifications and skill sets are subsidised under this program.

Career Boost explained

If your course is eligible, the Queensland Government will pay the subsidy directly to TAFE Queensland. The level of the government subsidy depends on the demand for workers in your chosen field. You will need to contribute to the cost of your training through a co-contribution fee.

Career Boost eligibility

To be eligible for the Career Boost Subsidy, you must meet the following criteria:

• be 15 years or older
• have completed or left secondary school
• be an Australian citizen or permanent resident residing in Queensland, or New Zealand citizen permanently residing in Queensland
• not be enrolled in another qualification, not including foundation skills training
• not already have a certificate IV or higher qualification completed within the last 10 years (qualifications completed as a school student and foundation skills qualifications do not count)

Other restrictions may apply to some programs, so check the Department of Trade, Employment and Training (DTET) website. 

The Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations is supporting eligible Australians over the age of 15 with fully subsidised training across a range of short courses and qualifications. This training equips participants with the language, literacy and numeracy skills required to enter the workforce or engage in further training. 

Learn more

The Department of Trade, Employment and Training  provides a public funding contribution towards the cost of training and assessment for eligible Queensland apprentices and trainees. The program aims to provide funding aligned to the skills needs of industry and respond to changing government priorities.

Career Start (apprenticeships and traineeships) explained

The program provides the flexibility for apprentices, trainees and their employers to select a preferred registered training organisation (RTO) from a list of pre-qualified suppliers (PQS) for the delivery of accredited training to meet their specific needs.

Usually students are required to pay a co-contribution fee. In some cases though, an RTO may provide either a partial or full exemption for a student in respect to the co-contribution fee. School-based apprentices and trainers are not required to pay a co-contribution fee while they are still at school, but may be required to pay fees once their training contract has been converted to full time or part time post school.

Career Start (apprenticeships and traineeships) eligibility

To be eligible for a government contribution towards the costs of training, an apprentice or trainee must:

• have entered into a training contract for a qualification that is funded by the Department of Trade, Employment and Training (DTET)
• be registered in DTET's registration system DELTA
• the contract commencement date or recommencement date must be on or after 1 July 2010
• the training provider selected to deliver the training must hold a pre-qualified supplier (PQS) status for the nominated qualification