Fee-Free TAFE

The Australian Government partnered with state and territory governments to establish a $1 billion 12-month Skills Agreement to deliver 180,000 Fee-Free TAFE and vocational educational places from January 2023.

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The Australian Government contribution of $493 million will be matched by states and territories to support the delivery of training places.

The Australian Government has also announced an additional $414.1 million will be committed for a further 300,000 TAFE and vocational educational courses to be made fee-free from Jan 2024 – this is currently being negotiated with States and Territories through the 5-year National Skills Agreement.

The Agreement sets out training places across the following areas of national priority:

  • care (aged care, childcare, health care and disability care)
  • technology and digital
  • hospitality and tourism
  • construction
  • agriculture
  • sovereign capability

The Australian Government has identified that Fee-Free TAFE will be prioritised for a number of priority groups, noting that specific details on priority groups, qualifications and courses may differ in each state and territory.

Priority groups include:

  • First Nations Australians
  • young people (17-24)
  • people who are out of work or receiving income support payments
  • unpaid carers
  • women facing economic insecurity
  • women undertaking study in non-traditional fields
  • people with disability
  • certain categories of visa holders.

More information