Funding

Choose a Certificate III qualification with UQ Skills and access government funding while you study for your first post-school qualification.

The Queensland Government's Certificate 3 Guarantee supports eligible individuals to gain a post-school qualification and increase their skills to gain employment, re-enter the workforce or advance their career. 

UQ Skills is an authorised provider of approved Certificate 3 Guarantee programs.

You’ll pay a reduced amount for your training, making it more accessible and affordable to kickstart your career.

To access this funding you will need to meet the following criteria:

• be a Queensland resident
• be aged 15 years or over, and no longer at school (with the exception of VET in Schools students)
• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident (including humanitarian entrants), or a temporary resident with the necessary visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency
• not hold, or be enrolled in, a certificate III level or higher qualification (not including qualifications completed at school and foundation skills training).

Once you've completed a Certificate III qualification you'll no longer be eligible to receive the Certificate 3 Guarantee funding for any future study. 

Eligible UQ Skills programs:

• AHC30116 Certificate III in Agriculture
• ACM30122 Certificate III in Animal Care Services (Animal Care) 

If you are considering a traineeship or apprenticeship with UQ Skills, access subsidised training through the User Choice program.

Read more about User Choice training, including free apprenticeships for under 25s, participant eligibility and high priority qualifications.

Eligible UQ Skills programs:

• AHC30116 Certificate III in Agriculture
• ACM30122 Certificate III in Animal Care Services (Animal Care)
• ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
• ACM40818 Certificate IV in Farriery

The Queensland Government’s Higher Level Skills program aims to help you gain the higher-level skills required to secure employment or career advancement in a priority industry, or to transition to university to further your studies.;

Eligible students may be able to apply for Higher Level Skills funding to receive a partial payment towards the cost of selected Certificate IV or above qualifications and priority skill sets.

You will need to contribute to the cost of your training through a co-contribution fee. Your out-of-pocket expense will depend on which program you choose.

UQ Skills is an authorised provider of approved Higher Level Skills programs.

To access this funding you will need to meet the following criteria:

• be a Queensland resident
• be aged 15 years or over, and no longer at school
• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident (including humanitarian entrants), or a temporary resident with the necessary visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency
• not hold, or be enrolled in, a certificate IV level or higher qualification (not including qualifications completed at school and foundations skills training).

Once you have completed a certificate IV or higher qualification you are no longer eligible to receive Higher Level Skills funding for any future study.

Find out more about the Higher Level Skills program.

Eligible UQ Skills programs:

• ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
• AHC50116 Diploma of Agriculture
• AHCSS00030 Farm Business Management Skill Set

The Australian Government's VET (vocational education and training) Student Loans program helps eligible students pay their tuition fees for selected programs.

You can apply for a VET Student Loan for approved programs at the diploma level and above. So you can’t get one for a Certificate IV-level program or below.

Receiving a VET Student Loan will create a debt which you'll be required to pay back in full to the Australian Government. You repay your loan through the Australian tax system when you reach the minimum income threshold for repayment.

Find out more about VET Student Loans, including

• how to apply
• applying for a Tax File Number (you will need a TFN to enrol in a VET Student Loan-approved program)
• loan caps
• loan fee exemptions
• your rights and responsibilities
•  Language, Literacy and Numeracy assessments.

VET Student Loans (VSL) will not be approved for students who do not meet the eligibility requirements. View the VSL student entry procedure (PDF, 99.2 KB) for students who are eligible and wish to access VET Student Loans.

If you're unable to fulfill the requirements of your course due to special circumstances, you may be able to apply for your VET Student Loan to be re-credited for the unit of study. Download the VET Student Loans re-credit form (DOCX, 98.7 KB) for more information on the application process or to apply.

Please refer to the Diploma of Agribusiness Management (AHC51422) and Diploma of Agriculture (AHC50116) fee schedules for 2024 (PDF, 303.7 KB).

Eligible New South Wales (NSW) residents can access subsidised training under the Smart and Skilled program. This training is subsidised by the NSW Government.

To access this funding you will need to meet the following criteria:

• an Australian citizen or meet the criteria of being an Australian permanent resident, a humanitarian visa holder, or a New Zealand citizen;
• aged 15 years or older;
• no longer be at school;
• living or working in NSW;
• or registered as an NSW apprentice or new entrant trainee.

Your eligibility isn’t affected if you have completed a vocational education and training (VET) course, including a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, as part of your high school education.

If you are not a resident of NSW or working within NSW, you have the option of paying the fee-for-service course fee.

Use the Skills Compare search to check your eligibility.

Exemptions

There are some exceptions to the eligibility conditions listed above. If you meet the requirements for one of the following categories, you will qualify for fee-free training:

• an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person
• a person with a disability
• dependent child, spouse or partner of a recipient of a Disability Support Pension
• refugee or asylum seeker (and eligible partners) – for training up to and including Certificate IV
• recipient of a fee-free scholarship – for training up to and including Certificate IV.

Eligible UQ Skills programs:

• ACM30122 Certificate III in Animal Care Service (Animal Care)
• AHC50116 Diploma of Agriculture

Apprenticeships are a proven pathway to well-paid jobs in a diverse range of careers. Under the New South Wales Government’s Smart and Skilled funding apprenticeships are fee-free – meaning no upfront training costs for students or employers.

Fee-free apprenticeships are available to NSW apprentices – including school-based apprentices whose training:

• is funded under the NSW Government’s Smart and Skilled Program
• commenced after 1 July 2018.

Apprentices that cross NSW borders to undertake training funded by the NSW Government are also eligible.

You can find more information by visiting the NSW Government’s Fee-Free Apprenticeships website.

Eligible UQ Skills programs:

• ACM40818 Certificate IV in Farriery

If you’re completing a full qualification, up to and including a Certificate IV, you may be eligible for a Smart and Skilled Scholarship.

To be eligible for a Fee-Free Scholarship, you must:

• be wanting to study a full qualification up to and including Certificate IV (use the Skills Compare); and
• meet the Smart and Skilled eligibility criteria.

and

• be aged between 15 and 30 years when you start training; and
• be either the recipient of a specific Commonwealth Government benefit or allowance or the dependant of such a recipient; or
• be aged 15-17 years and currently in out-of-home care or aged 18-30 years and previously have been in out-of-home care

or

• be aged 15 years or over and have a letter of recommendation from a domestic and family violence service, refuge or other support agency.

You are eligible for one scholarship per financial year and a maximum of two scholarships over four financial years. This limit does not apply if you live in NSW Social Housing or on the NSW Housing Register (waiting list); or if you meet the out-of-home care criteria for a Fee-Free Scholarship.

Diploma and Advanced Diploma level qualifications are not eligible for Fee-Free Scholarships.