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Fee Free TAFE

Fee Free TAFE and vocational education is a joint initiative of the Australian and South Australian Governments providing tuition-free training places to students wanting to train, retrain or upskill. Thousands of South Australians have enrolled and commenced study in Fee Free TAFE courses since the launch of the initiative at the beginning of 2023.

Over 4,000 additional Fee Free TAFE places will be available at TAFE SA each year for the next three years commencing in 2024. New Fee Free TAFE places for Semester 2 2025 will be available shortly.

View Fee Free TAFE Courses

 

This extension of the initiative represents a significant investment in training delivery in South Australia and will support industries facing skills shortages, growth industries and emerging sectors, creating more opportunities for South Australians to access new and high-level skills in priority areas such as:

  • Care (aged care, childcare, health care, disability care)
  • Clean energy
  • Hospitality
  • Technology and digital
  • Construction and infrastructure
  • Foundation skills
  • Agriculture
  • Sovereign capability (for example manufacturing, and defence), and
  • VET workforce

Fee Free TAFE is intended for new students to the course being offered. Students need to be new to the course, not new to TAFE SA.

The number of Fee Free TAFE places that are funded is limited by the terms of the skills agreement signed by the Australian and South Australian Governments.

People from the following groups are strongly encouraged to apply:

  • 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 including autism and neurodivergence
  • Certain categories of visa holders

New Fee Free TAFE Construction Places

In October 2024, a new Fee Free TAFE in Construction (FFTC) program was agreed between the South Australian and Australian governments to provide Fee Free TAFE places in critical construction skills in South Australia which are necessary to help address chronic workforce shortages in this sector.

TAFE SA will offer the majority of FFTC places – approximately 300 places per semester over two years, commencing in Semester 1, 2025.

For Semester 1, 2025 select FFTC courses offered by TAFE SA are available for apprenticeship. However, there are some construction courses available to general students as part of Fee Free TAFE.

All other FFT guidelines apply to FFTC courses.

FFTC courses are listed below as well as the Apprenticeships and Traineeships page.

Course listings on the TAFE SA website indicate if the course has Fee Free places.

Fee Free TAFE courses by region

 

Building and Construction


Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate III in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration 2025 Available



Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate III in Carpentry 2025 Available
Certificate III in Cabinet Making and Timber Technology 2025 Available


Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate III in Signs and Graphics 2025 Available
Certificate III in Painting and Decorating 2025 Available

Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate III in Solid Plastering 2025 Available
Certificate III in Wall and Floor Tiling 2025 Available
Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying 2025 Available
Certificate III in Concreting 2025 Available
 

Business and Marketing


Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Diploma of Project Management 2025 Available
 

Community Services

 

Education and Languages


Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate III in Women's Advocacy 2025 Available
Certificate IV in Women's Advocacy 2025 Available

Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment 2025 Available
TAESS00019 - Assessor Skill Set   Available
TAESS00029 - Volunteer Trainer Delivery Skill Set   Available
 

Health and Lifestyle

 

Hospitality and Tourism


Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
SSDIS01007 – Basic Skills for the Food Industry Skill Set   Available
 

Information Technology






 

Mining, Engineering and Automotive


Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Diploma of Engineering - Technical 2025 Available

Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate II in Electronics 2025 Available
Diploma of Electronics and Communications Engineering 2025 Available

Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate II in Engineering Pathways 2025 Available

Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations 2025 Available
 

Primary Industries and Science


Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate II in Agriculture 2025 Available
Certificate III in Agriculture 2025 Available

Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate II in Maritime Operations (Coxswain Grade 1 Near Coastal) 2025 Available

Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management 2025 Available
Diploma of Conservation and Ecosystem Management 2025 Available

Course Name Year   Fee Free TAFE Availability
Certificate III in Landscape Construction 2025 Available
Certificate III in Horticulture 2025 Available

Tourism courses are not included as part of Fee Free TAFE.

Please note, Fee Free TAFE covers the tuition fee of the course. Where applicable some courses may include additional fees such as a Resource Fee or Incidental Fee.

Visit our eligibility criteria and FAQs page for more details.

For further information please contact:

TAFE SA free call: 1800 882 661

Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (public holidays excluded).

International students calling from overseas: + 61 8 8207 8279

If you are a person who is Deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech impairment, contact us through the Australian Government's Access Hub.

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