The Victorian Government's Free TAFE for priority courses is an opportunity for eligible students to study with greater convenience and peace-of-mind. If eligible, you will not pay course tuition fees for a free government course.
Free TAFE is designed to reduce the financial barrier for students wanting to train in courses that have a clear pathway to in-demand occupations in the Victorian economy.
We offer Free TAFE courses across nine study areas at Holmesglen - at a pre-apprenticeship, certificate, diploma or advanced diploma qualification level. These include non-apprenticeship courses and courses that provide pathways to apprenticeships (also called pre-apprenticeships).
We're currently accepting applications for our next available intake. See the list of Free TAFE courses we offer and apply today.
Free TAFE courses eligibility
If you’re an Australian citizen or permanent resident; or a New Zealand citizen, you may be eligible to study a Free TAFE course in Victoria. You can access a Free TAFE course, if you are:
Under 20 or upskilling
- Aged under 20 (regardless of any other qualifications they might hold); or
- 20 years of age or older and enrolling in a course that is a higher qualification than the highest qualification you’ve previously attained
A Victorian who needs additional support
- Unemployed and clients of the Jobs Victoria Employment Network
- Retrenched workers
- Automotive supply chain workers
Looking to change careers
Victorians who want to reskill, change careers, improve their employment prospects and/or meet the needs of local industries*.
*Subject to availability of TAFE places, and prioritised based on need.
You can access this free training initiative only once – even if you do not finish your chosen Free TAFE priority course. So, it is important that you consider your free training choice carefully.
JobTrainer is a partnership between the Victorian Government and Federal Government to jointly invest up to $260 million in free or low-fee training places for young people and job seekers.
To be eligible for JobTrainer, you must be:
- aged 17-24 at the time you start your course, or
- be a job seeker of any age
In addition, applicants:
- must not previously have commenced a full qualification under JobTrainer
- be able to commence one course on the JobTrainer course list
- must meet normal Skills First eligibility criteria that apply to JobTrainer, but with two exceptions:
- There is no upskilling requirement
- There is no ‘two at level in a lifetime limit’
You must also be able to demonstrate they are job seekers by current, valid and specific concession card or employer letter or signed declaration.