Funding

UQ Skills is an authorised provider of approved Career Start program qualifications.

Choose a qualification with UQ Skills and access Queensland Government funding through the Career Start program to begin your career journey.

The Career Start program is one of the Queensland Government’s core vocational education and training (VET) initiatives. The program provides training to assist individuals to find a job and supports those already employed to move into more skilled roles or full-time employment, including after completing an apprenticeship or traineeship.

Career Start supports delivery of entry-level qualifications to students, apprentices and trainees aligned with the skill outcomes required by industry that assists students to gain employment, career advancement, or further training.

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

There are 2 pathways to access a subsidised training place under Career Start:

General Training Pathway

To access a subsidised training place under Career Start General Training Pathway, a student must meet the following criteria:

• aged 15 years or older
• not be a school student
• permanently reside in Queensland
• be an Australian citizen, or Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrant), or a temporary resident with the right visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency, or a New Zealand citizen
• not already have a certificate III or higher qualification completed within the last 10 years (qualifications completed as a school student and foundation skills qualifications do not count)
• not be enrolled in another qualification, even if it is on hold or deferred, whether funded by DTET or not (foundation skills qualifications do not count).

Apprenticeship/Traineeship Pathway

School students can only access apprenticeships and traineeships through a registered SAT. This is to ensure a school student does not use their entire apprenticeship/traineeship entitlement while at school.

To be eligible to receive government subsidised training, the apprentice or trainee must:

• have entered into a Contract (training contract) for a qualification that is funded by DTET and be registered on DTET’s training database
• if from overseas, have a visa allowing them to work in Australia
• not have already completed two apprenticeship/traineeship qualifications (including SATs) with the last 10 years.

Under the Career Start program, eligible individuals may access one general qualification at Certificate III level and one apprenticeship or traineeship. Note: If the apprenticeship or traineeship is completed first, the individual is no longer eligible to access a general qualification under Career Start or; two apprenticeships or traineeships at Certificate II or III level, including school-based apprenticeships or traineeships (SATs). Once these entitlements are accessed, the individual’s Career Start funding will be considered fully used.

Read more about Career Start.

UQ Skills is an authorised provider of approved Career Boost program qualifications.

Choose a higher-level qualification with UQ Skills and access Queensland Government funding through the Career Boost program to take your career to the next level.

The Career Boost program is one of the Queensland Government’s core vocational education and training (VET) initiatives. The program provides training to assist individuals to develop the higher-level skills needed to obtain employment, advance their careers, or progress to further education and training to undertake university or tertiary qualifications.

Career Boost offers either a general training pathway or employment-based apprenticeship or traineeship pathway.

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

General Training Pathway

To access a subsidised training place under Career Boost, a student must meet the following criteria:

• aged 15 years or older
• not be a school student
• permanently reside in Queensland
• be an Australian citizen, or Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrant), or a temporary resident with the right visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency, or a New Zealand citizen
• not already have a certificate IV or higher qualification (including tertiary qualification) completed within the last 10 years (qualifications completed as a school student and foundation skills qualifications do not count)
  Note: This eligibility requirement does not apply to individuals seeking to enrol in a skill set
• not be enrolled in another qualification, even if it is on hold or deferred, whether funded by DTET or not (foundation skills qualifications do not count).

Apprenticeship/Traineeship Pathway

To be eligible to receive government subsidised training, the apprentice or trainee must:

• have entered into a Contract (training contract) for a qualification that is funded by DTET and be registered on DTET’s systems
• if from overseas, have a visa allowing them to work in Australia
• not have already completed two apprenticeship/traineeship qualifications (including SATs) within the last 10 years.

Under the Career Boost program, eligible individuals may access one subsidised training place in either a Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma qualification through the general training pathway, or in a higher-level apprenticeship or traineeship at Certificate IV level or above. In addition, individuals may access up to two subsidised skills sets. Once these entitlements are accessed, the individual’s Career Boost funding will be considered fully used.

Read more about Career Boost.

UQ Skills is an authorised provider of approved VET in Schools (VETiS) 2026 qualifications.

VETiS supports Queensland secondary students in Year 10, 11 and 12 to undertake nationally recognised VET Qualifications while still in school. These programs are funded by the DTET and can be completed either:

• as part of a general training pathway, integrated into the student’s school studies, or
• through a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, combining learning with real workplace experience.

VETiS funding covers the cost of training for courses that align with priority jobs and skills in demand, helping students build pathways to employment and further vocational education and training.

General Training Pathway

To access a funded training place under VETiS 2026 a school student must:

• be a student enrolled in Years 10, 11 or 12 in a Queensland secondary school
• not be an international secondary school exchange student
• not have already completed a certificate I or II VETiS qualification funded by DTET
• have a genuine interest in pursuing a post school vocational occupation.

School Based Apprenticeship/Training Pathway

School students can only undertake apprenticeships and traineeships through a registered SAT. School students cannot undertake a part-time apprenticeship/traineeship through Career Start. This is to ensure a school student does not use their entire apprenticeship/traineeship entitlement while at school.

To be eligible to receive government subsidised training, the school based apprentice or trainee must:

• have entered into a Contract (training contract) for a qualification funded by DTET and be registered on DTET’s training database
• not have already completed or be enrolled in a SAT.

Read more about VET in Schools.

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, 185.1 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 (AHC50122) fee schedules for 2025 (PDF, 325.9 KB).

Please refer to the Diploma of Agribusiness Management (AHC51422) and Diploma of Agriculture (AHC50122) fee schedules for 2026 (PDF, 278.6 KB).

Please refer to the Diploma of Equine Management (ACM50421) fee schedules for 2026 (PDF, 239.6 KB).

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.

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.

If you’re an ‘Eligible Learner’ you may be able to access subsidised training through the Tasmanian Government program, Skills Tasmania.

An Eligible Learner is a person who is a Tasmania resident who:

• is an Australian citizen or who holds a current Australian permanent resident visa; or
• is lawfully permitted to work and study in Australia and who is also:
  • a New Zealand citizen with a Special Category Visa; or
  • the holder of a valid temporary humanitarian visa; or
  • the holder of a Tasmanian State Sponsored skilled migrant visa; or
  • a dependent (aged over 18 years of age) or partner (spouse) visa holder of a person who satisfies the requirements for an eligible learner.

All other visa holders are ineligible to receive Subsidised Training. This includes all bridging visa holders and Tasmanian State Sponsored business visa holders.

For more information visit Skills Tasmania.