Fees for government subsidised places

Fees for government subsidised places

Fee information about government subsidised places for your vocational education course.

Current RMIT students:

Visit the "Understand Your Fees" page for details on viewing and paying fees or contact RMIT Student Connect for assistance.

The Victorian State Government offers government subsidised places to eligible students as part of the Skills First program and the Free TAFE for Priority Courses program. Some government subsidised students may also be eligible for further fee concessions or a fee exemption.

Skills First program

What is the Skills First program?

Skills First is a Victorian Government program that provides access to government-subsidised training for courses in growth industries.

If you meet the eligibility criteria for a government-subsidised place, the Victorian Government will subsidise a portion of your tuition fees for your course.

However, it doesn't cover everything.

The portion of your tution fees that you will still need to pay is called the student contribution amount.

You can pay this upfront by the census date or apply for a VET Student Loan (VSL) to cover it.

Expenses not covered by the Skills First program (including Free TAFE for Priority Courses)

If you are eligible, the government pays the tuition fees for some or all of your course (depending on which subsidy program you are eligible for) . However there are still some additional expenses that you will be required to pay including the Student Services Amenities Fee (SSAF), any material fees and any other non-tuition costs associated with your course.

Who is eligible for a government subsidised place?

To be eligible for a government subsidised place, you must meet the Victorian State Government eligibility criteria, which includes location, citizenship and education history. The course you have applied for must also be offering government subsidised places.

Location and citizenship

You must be physically present in Victoria while participating in all training and assessment. This includes study by distance or online delivery. Exceptions may apply for students who reside in an eligible border postcode.

You must also be either:

  • an Australian citizen, or
  • an Australian Permanent Resident (holder of a permanent visa), or
  • the holder of a Permanent Humanitarian visa (PHV), or
  • a New Zealand citizen, or
  • an asylum seeker on an eligible visa.

Education history

To be eligible you:

  • must not have started, or be due to start, more than two government subsidised Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) qualifications  in the same calendar year, and
  • must not have started, or be due to start, more than two government subsidised skill sets in the same calendar year, and
  • must not be currently enroled, or plan to enrol, in two or more government subsidised courses (either AQF qualifications and/or skill sets) at the same time, and
  • must not be currently enroled in secondary school. This includes students enroled in any government, non-government, independent, catholic or home school. School-based apprentices and trainees are exempt from this criteria.

You will be required to provide evidence of your citizenship or residency status

As part of the enrolment process with RMIT, you will be required to complete an Evidence of Student Eligibility (ESE) declaration online. Make sure you can obtain original documents (or certified copies) that prove your citizenship or residency status.

Other requirements

If you are applying for a government subsidised place in a Vocational Education (VE) course, you will need to complete a Language Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) assessment and Pre-training Review (PTR) to evaluate your foundational skills in reading, writing, and maths.

RMIT uses the BKSB tool to assess your LLN. This is completed prior to enrolment. Students will be provided access to the Assessment tool and testing must be conducted with honesty and integrity; RMIT staff must be confident that a student displays the required competence and students must complete the test in accordance with the RMIT Student Charter. The results of your test will be available immediately after completion. 

The LLN results are recorded in RMIT’s Student Management System, and RMIT will only provide these results to authorised officers of the State and Federal Governments if requested.

Please note:

If you are an apprentice you will need to provide proof that you meet the general eligibility criteria including location, citizenship, and education history in order to be eligible for a government subsidised place.

Criteria for apprentices

An apprentice is a person who has entered into a registered training contract to study an apprenticeship qualification in a relevant Victorian Approved Training Scheme.

An apprentice does not include a person who:

  • has entered into a training contract registered interstate
  • is undertaking a pre-apprenticeship, or
  • has a registered training contract in a qualification defined as a traineeship in a relevant Victorian Approved Training Scheme.

Note: If you are commencing an apprenticeship and have already started or are scheduled to start qualifications on the Victorian Government's list of Approved Pre-Apprenticeship and Pathway Qualifications, you may still be eligible to enrol in two other vocational education courses in a government subsidised place.

If you are a trainee, you are required to meet the standard eligibility criteria.

Criteria for the Asylum Seeker VET program

The Asylum Seeker VET (ASVET) program provides asylum seekers with an exemption from the usual citizenship and residency criteria required for Skills First-funded training in Victoria.

To be eligible for training under the Asylum Seeker VET program, you must meet all other eligibility criteria for a government subsidised place as well as the following:

  • hold any humanitarian, protection of refugee visa in Australia; or
  • have applied for a humanitarian, protection or refugee visa and hold a bridging visa for this purpose; or
  • have made an application under s.417 or s.48b of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) which is yet to be determined and hold a bridging visa.

Individuals must have a visa with study rights, and work rights are required for programs that include work placement.

Evidence of visa entitlement includes your Passport, Immicard, Visa Grant Notice or your current Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) entitlement statement.

Free TAFE for Priority Courses eligibility

To be eligible for the Free TAFE for Priority Courses program, you must meet all general eligibility requirements for the Skills First program. 

You can only enrol in one Free TAFE for Priority Course in your lifetime, regardless of whether you complete the course or withdraw by the census date (certain exceptions may apply).

Once you begin your studies and attend your first class for your course, you will have accessed your one free place.

Please note that some individual courses may have additional eligibility requirements.

Ineligible individuals

If you fall into one of the following categories then the Victorian State Government legislation states that you are not eligible* to apply for a government subsidised place in a vocational education course:

  • Anyone who does not meet the eligibility criteria (listed above) for a Victorian government subsidised place
  • A prisoner held at a prison within the meaning of the Corrections Act 1986 (Vic.)
  • A person who is detained under the Mental Health Act 2014 (Vic) or the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 (Vic.) or the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) at the Thomas Embling Hospital
  • A person who is detained (other than on weekend detention) on community based orders made under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic.) or the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) or who is held on remand in a youth justice facility

*These exclusions do not apply to individuals on community based orders made under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic), or those who are held in Judy Lazarus Transition Centres and able to physically access training outside of a custodial setting without supervision.

How much will I pay with a Government subsidised place?

To get an estimate of fees for your vocational education course, use our fee finder tool.

The student tuition fees as published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment.

These fees apply to domestic students and are tuition fees only. They do not include the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) or any materials or other fees that may apply.

RMIT University reserves the right to annually adjust course tuition fees. Changes to course tuition fees will be applied at the beginning of each calendar year.

How are vocational tuition fees calculated?

Your tuition fees are calculated based on the number of nominal hours you are enroled in.

To calculate your tuition fees, multiply the rate per nominal hour for your course by the number of nominal hours you are enroled in.

The term “nominal hours” refers to the average learning and teaching effort required to fulfill the requirements of a subject or course. These hours provide a basis for government funding and student contributions for the selected subject or course. The nominal hours for a course may vary depending on the electives chosen.

The fee invoiced may vary between semesters as the enrolment requirements in vocational education courses may vary between semesters.

Nominal hours for VE subjects (PDF, 661KB)

Example 1: tuition fee for one subject

A student commences an advanced diploma, for which they’ve been offered a government-subsidised place. They would like to calculate the cost of one of their subjects.

Course code Subject code 2025 rate per nominal hour   Subject nominal hours   Student tuition fee for subject

C6161

BUIL6413

$10.78

 x 

40

 = 

$431.20

Example 2: tuition fees for multiple subjects in one year

A student commences C4414 Certificate IV in Design, for which they’ve been offered a government-subsidised place. They enrol in seven subjects.

Course code Subject code 2025 rate per nominal hour   Subject nominal hours   Student tuition fee for subject

C4414

GRAP5415C

$6.96

 x

65

 =

$452.40

C4414

GRAP5416C

$6.96

 x

70

 =

$487.20

C4414

GRAP5406C

$6.96

 x

30

 =

$208.80

C4414

GRAP5414C

$6.96

 x

40

 =

$278.40
C4414 VART6530C

$6.96

 x 90 = $626.40
C4414 BUSM6652C

$6.96

 x 50 = $348.00
C4414
 PUBH5216C

$6.96

 x 30   $208.80
Total       375   $2,610.00

Example 3: concession tuition fees for multiple subjects in one year

A student commences C4389 Certificate IV in Custom-made Footwear, for which they’ve been offered a government-subsidised place. This student is also entitled to a fee concession. They enrol in three subjects.

Course code Subject code 2025 rate per nominal hour   Subject nominal hours   Student tuition fee for subject

C4389

MANU7373C

$0.72

 x 

50

 = 

$36.00

C4389

MANU7374C

$0.72

 x

80

 =

$57.60

C4389

MANU7375C

$0.72

 x

80

 =

$57.60
Total       210   $151.20

The examples above are an indicative guide for illustrative purposes only. You will need to calculate your fees based on your own subject selections.

The fees you pay will depend on the subjects you choose to study, as the nominal hours for a course may vary depending on the electives chosen. Depending on the subjects you study, your course fees may be lower or higher than those indicated here.

Fee concessions and exemptions

If you are a vocational student studying in a government subsidised place, you may be eligible for a further fee concession (discount) or a fee exemption. 

What is a fee concession?

You may be entitled to a concession on your tuition and student services and amenities fees if you are in a Victorian Government subsidised place and you meet the eligibility criteria and apply for a concession. Recent changes to funding eligibility means that more people who want to study a Vocational Education course at RMIT, and already have a qualification, will be able to access government subsidy to support the cost of their course.

If your application for a fee concession is successful, you will be charged a concession rate equivalent to 20% of the tuition fee payable by non-concession students in a government subsidised place for your course. You will also be charged a lower rate on your Student services and amenities fee.

Fee concession changes effective 1 Jan 2024: Eligible students will have the concession applied to all tuition and SSAF for the duration of their course. This is regardless of whether the student’s concession enrolment will expire before commencement of training or before they complete their course.

Who is eligible for a fee concession?

The eligibility criteria are set by the Victorian Government and assessed by RMIT in accordance with government directives, which are subject to change at any time.

In general, you are eligible if you have a valid concession card such as a Commonwealth Health Care Card. You must hold a valid card at the time you apply for a fee concession.

Students enroled in Certificate I – IV courses

To be eligible for a fee concession you must:

  • hold a valid Commonwealth Health Care Card, or be named on the card as a dependant child/spouse, or
  • hold a valid Pensioner Card, or be named on the card as a dependant child/spouse, or
  • hold a valid Veterans' Gold Card.
Asylum Seeker VET program

Students enroled in a Skill Set and/or Certificate I – IV level course under the Asylum Seeker VET program are eligible for a fee concession on their government subsidised place. For more information please see Victorian government: Asylum Seeker VET program.

You cannot apply for a fee concession if you:

  • are enroled in a diploma-level course or above (including diploma, advanced diploma, vocational graduate certificate or vocational graduate diploma)
  • are enroled in an Australian full-fee place or international full-fee place.

View fee exemption criteria

What is a fee exemption?

You may be entitled to a exemption on your tuition fees if you are in a Victorian Government subsidised place, you meet the eligibility criteria and apply for an exemption.

This means that if your application for a fee exemption is successful,  you will not be charged tuition fees for your course.

Fee exemption applies to tuition fees only, and do not include the student services and amenities fee (SSAF) or any materials fees that may apply.

Who is eligible for a fee exemption?

The eligibility criteria are set by the Victorian Government and assessed by RMIT in accordance with government directives, which are subject to change at any time.

You are entitled to a fee exemption if you are enroled in a RMIT vocational education course and in a government subsidised place and meet one or more of the below criteria:

  • hold written confirmation from the management of the Judy Lazarus Transition Centre or the relevant Youth Justice Unit of the Department of Human Services
  • are a young person on a community-based order and hold written confirmation from the relevant Youth Justice Unit of the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety. 
  • are referred to training under the Skills First Youth Access Initiative by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, the Department of Justice and Community Safety, or a referring agency.
  • are an Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander student*.

*Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students commencing study in a government subsidised place will not be charged tuition or SSAF fees at all course levels (including diploma, advanced diploma, vocational graduate certificate and vocational graduate diploma courses). You do not require additional documentation to support your application and you are not required to complete an application each academic year.

You cannot apply for a fee exemption if you:

  • are enroled in an Australian full-fee place or international full-fee place.

View fee concession criteria

What is a Health Care Card?

A Health Care Card is a concession card issued by the Australian Government that you can receive if you meet the eligibility criteria. It can entitle you to a vocational education fee concession, depending on your level of study. 

If your application for a fee concession is successful, you will be charged a concession rate equivalent to 20% of the tuition fee payable by non-concession students in a government subsidised place for your program. 

You will also be charged a lower rate on your Student services and amenities fee.

Other benefits of holding a Health Care Card

If you are a Health Care Card holder, you can receive a a number of other concessions outside of RMIT, including cheaper health care, cheaper prescription medicines, cheaper fares on public transport, concession on car registration and more.

Who is eligible for a Health Care Card?

You do not have to be receiving a Centrelink payment to get a Health Care Card. To be eligible for a Health Care Card, you need to meet the residency requirements and your income also needs to be below the income test limit.

If you are receiving Abstudy, Austudy or Youth Allowance (student) benefits you need to apply separately for a Health Care Card and must also satisfy the income test.

On the day you claim you must be all of the following:

  • living in Australia
  • physically in Australia.

You must also have one of the following:

  • an Australian citizenship
  • a permanent visa
  • a Special Category visa
  • a certain temporary visa, that is a partner provisional or temporary protection type visa.

How to claim a Health Care Card

If your Centrelink account is linked to myGov you can apply online.

  1. Sign in to myGov.
  2. Select Make a claim or view claim status, then Make a claim.
  3. Select Concession Cards and follow the prompts to complete your claim.

If you can’t claim a Low Income Health Care Card online, you can either call Centrelink on the Youth and students line or visit a service centre.

Applying for a fee concession or exemption

If you are applying for a fee concession or exemption you must apply before you commence your course with your application submitted before the start date of your first scheduled class. If you apply after your first scheduled class then your concession or exemption will be applied to the next eligible class in which you are enrolled, and all other eligible classes that have not yet commenced.

You can find information about your class start and end dates by logging into your Enrolment Online portal or by contacting your school for information about class start dates.

You can also apply before you are enrolled.

How to apply for a fee concession or exemption

Important information

You must:

  • provide all of the information specified below for your application to be assessed. If you do not provide the required information, your application cannot be assessed.
  • make sure that you retain a copy of your application form when you apply.

Apply via Enrolment Online

If you are the named card holder, you must apply via Enrolment Online.

  1. Log into Enrolment Online.
  2. Select ‘Apply for a fee concession’ from the My student record page.
  3. Complete the online form by confirming the type of concession card you hold and your Customer Reference Number (CRN) or Veterans’ Affairs Reference Number (VRN).

You will be notified immediately of your eligibility for a fee concession.

Apply via RMIT Connect

If you are listed as a child or dependant, you must apply via RMIT Connect.

  1. Complete a hard copy of the Application for vocational education fee concession and exemption form, you can pick up a hard copy application form from Student Connect or  the RMIT School that runs your course
  2. Present your completed form at RMIT Connect or the RMIT school, along with:
    - the original card and,
    - any other documentation required to support your application (e.g. Job Seeker referral form for Job Seekers).

You must hold a valid concession card at the time you apply for a fee concession, and the card must be valid on or before the start date of your first scheduled class.

If you have applied for but not yet received your concession card, then you may instead provide a letter from Centrelink that confirms you have submitted your application and been approved for your concession card. You must then provide RMIT with a copy of your concession card once it has been issued.

If you have a Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN), you may apply via Enrolment Online. If successful, you are not required to provide a copy of your concession card.

Important information for after you apply

If you do not enrol into any eligible classes, you will remain liable for the total tuition fees invoiced unless you withdraw from the class prior to the class census date.

Additional fees and expenses

In addition to your tuition fees, you may be charged with other fees throughout your degree.

Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)

Your Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) shapes student life at RMIT outside of the classroom.

The SSAF is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student - from special events to career support, counselling and so much more!

Vocational education students are not eligible to apply for an SA-HELP loan and must pay their SSAF by the due date.

Material and other fees

You may be charged other expenses associated with your study in addition to tuition fees.

These include material and administrative fees.

How to pay your tuition fees

If you are a domestic full-fee paying student or a student with a government subsidised place, you may be able to defer the payment of your tuition fees with a VET Student Loan (VSL) from the Australian Government if you meet the government's eligibility criteria. 

If you have a government subsidised place, you may also be eligible for a fee concession or fee exemption. 

If you do not qualify for a VSL or fee exemption, or you choose not to take one, then you must pay your student contributions upfront by the census date.

What is the VET Student Loan program?

The VET Student Loans (VSL) program assists eligible students pay tuition fees for approved higher-level (diploma and above) vocational education and training (VET) courses. The program is designed to provide financial support to students undertaking higher level training in courses that address workplace and industry needs, creating better opportunities for employment.

If you have an approved VSL your fees will automatically defer to your loan shortly after each census date. You pay back your loan (debt) through the tax system once you earn above the compulsory repayment threshold or you can make voluntary repayments to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) at any time.

Who is eligible for a VET Student Loan?

To be eligible for a VSL, you must meet the following criteria:

  1. you are enroled in a VSL approved course
  2. meet citizenship/residency requirements
  3. have an available HELP balance of more than $0 (that is, have sufficient HELP balance remaining)
  4. meet student entry requirements.

Throughout your course, you will need to submit Progression Forms to confirm your on-going engagement with your studies. This will allow you to continue accessing the loan throughout your course.

VET Tuition Assurance Exemption

RMIT University has been granted an exemption from VET Tuition Assurance requirements under the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

This exemption recognises that RMIT as a dual sector provider will be accountable for the provision of quality learning to students across its entire tertiary offerings. RMIT is committed to achieving the best outcomes for students when reviewing, changing, commencing or discontinuing any courses.

Prior to discontinuing a course, RMIT will consult with any impacted students. Where a decision has been made to cease a course and no suitable replacement is available at RMIT, students are entitled to a refund of their up-front VET tuition fee payments and/or a re-crediting of any FEE-HELP balance for any VET subjects that the VET student was enrolled or commences but does not complete because RMIT ceases to provide the VET course of which the subject forms part.

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Fee information for Australian residents studying vocational education courses, including certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas.

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Fee information for Australian residents studying undergraduate education programs, including bachelor, associate degree and honours programs.

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Fee information for Australian residents studying postgraduate education programs, including graduate certificate, graduate diploma and master by coursework programs.

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Fee information for Higher degree by research candidates.

Have more questions?

Our friendly staff at Study@RMIT are available five days a week to assist you.

If you are a current RMIT student, please contact RMIT Student Connect.

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