Fee-free TAFE is a joint initiative of the Australian and Tasmanian Governments, providing tuition-free* training places to students wanting to train, retrain or upskill.

The following Tasmanian residents are eligible for Tasmanian Government subsidised training:

• Australian citizens
• Permanent residents

And Tasmanian residents who have permission for work and study in Australia and:

• Are New Zealand citizens with a Special Category Visa
• Are holders of a temporary humanitarian visas
• Are Tasmanian State Sponsored skill migrant visa holders
• Are a dependent (aged over 18) or partner (spouse) visa holder of an eligible applicant.

All other visa holders are ineligible for subsidised training. This includes all bridging visa holders and Tasmanian State Sponsored business visa holders.

Applicants must also meet any specific entry requirements for individual courses.

First Nations Australians, young people (17-24), people out of work or receiving income support, unpaid carers, women facing economic insecurity, women undertaking study in non-traditional fields and people with a disability are encouraged to apply.

Note: People studying within the education system (up to Year 12), or undertaking a traineeship or apprenticeship are not eligible.

*Your tuition fees are covered; however you may need to cover costs such as textbooks, workbooks, uniform, online learning resources or personal protective clothing. Depending on your course, there may also be other expenses that you need to budget for.

Any additional fees will be identified in course specific information.

Places are limited and not guaranteed and applying early is recommended. The number of Fee-Free places on offer at TasTAFE are determined by the Australian and Tasmanian Governments.

For entry applicants must show evidence that they have a Registered Working with Vulnerable People Card (RWVP) or a receipt that the applicant has applied for a RWVP card. A RWVP card is a requirement of the National Quality Framework Regulations for Early Education environments (if a receipt is used as evidence the card must be shown as evidence prior to stating the course).

Applicants must be 18 years of age at the time of enrolment.

As part of the application process, and before being offered a place in the course, a member of our Team will contact you to discuss if this course aligns with your goals and aspirations, and to ensure that you are fully informed and understand the course requirements.

The fee you pay at TasTAFE will depend on the course you choose and may vary depending on the level of government subsidy available, the cost of delivery, any previous study you have undertaken and/or your personal circumstances. Tuition fees for this course are available at the top of the page via the Fee Calculator.

Your tuition fees cover the basic materials needed for your course, but may not cover items such as text books, workbooks, uniform, online learning resources or personal protective clothing. Depending on your course, there may also be other expenses that you need to budget for.

For this course, you will need to pay for the following items:

• A TasTAFE polo top is required for work placements ($45)
• Working with Vulnerable People registration ($20.40)
• Supporting Education, Fourth Edition (2023), Karen Kearns text book ($85 approx)

For courses undertaken in 12 months or less, you will be invoiced the full course fee (including any other essential fees associated with your course).

*For courses studied over multiple years, your course and other fees will be split over the years of study, with the concession fee being charged on a yearly basis. At the time of enrolment you will be invoiced for the first year’s fees. An invoice will be raised in each subsequent year around the same time as your ‘enrolment anniversary’.

Further information on fees, payments and other costs.

The following skills and attributes will be useful to students studying this course:

• Organise, plan, and prioritise their time to manage study and other commitments.
• Use a moderate to complex range of literacy skills that demonstrate understanding, comprehension understand and undertake reading and writing tasks including the ability to read and interpret written information both in an online and in text format.
• Read, write, and understand documents such as classroom worksheets, student reports and learning plans, school policies and procedures and complete checklists
• Perform moderate to complex mathematical tasks across all learning strands of mathematics and be able to apply numeracy concepts to support student understanding and learning.
• Use technology skills to research and obtain information, and document information using digital media.
• Recall information and report with accuracy.
• Work and reflect independently or as part of a team and use initiative when supporting students in the classroom.
• Be responsible for others’ health and safety when supervising students both inside and outside of the classroom.
• Engage with students positively and respectfully in all interactions.
• Demonstrate good interpersonal and communication skills including active listening, giving full attention, taking time to understand, and asking questions as appropriate.
• Role-model positive and respectful behaviour and engage with verbal and non-verbal communication with different stakeholders, including children, families, teachers and other school staff and community members.
• Be physically able to move around quickly to respond to student’s needs and safety requirements within both the indoor and outdoor learning environments.
• Stand, sit, lift, bend, twist, and reach.
• Support student’s physical needs including lifting and positioning a student, perform feeding, hygiene and toileting routines, cleaning, and tidying.
• Undertake evaluation and reflection to problem solve and offer suggestions.

On successful completion of this course you will receive a CHC30221 - Certificate III in School Based Education Support.

Below is a list of all core and elective units that TasTAFE offers in this course. The selection of units you will be enrolled into depends on the campus you attend and the qualification packaging rules. For further information refer to training.gov.au.