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.

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.

There are no essential entry requirements for this course.

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 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.

Assessments are designed to help you demonstrate the skills and knowledge you learn in your course and are an essential part of your training. Assessments allow us to confirm that you can perform tasks to the standard required in the workplace, and that you can meet all of the requirements of your course.

While studying at TasTAFE, you may be assessed in a number of different ways. Common assessment methods for this course include:

• Written Questions
• Scenarios
• Observations of completing tasks in a simulated environment

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

• Ability to read, write and understand documents for example; reports, policies, and procedures
• Ability to listen to others and give full attention, taking time to understand and asking questions as appropriate (active listening)
• Ability to model appropriate social and non-verbal behaviour
• Ability to be responsible for others’ health and safety
• Ability to demonstrate good interpersonal skills and communication skills
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team

For this course, you will need:

• You MUST have access to a computer and internet

On completion of this course, Community Services workers/volunteers must successfully meet the requirements of the following;

• A Tasmanian National Police Check

• A Working with Vulnerable People Card

On successful completion of this course you will receive a CHC42021 - Certificate IV in Community Services.

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.