Career Colleges and Vocational Schools in Australia

Vocational education and training (VET), also called technical and vocational education and training (TVET) or skills training, prepares students for specific trades and occupations. Courses are practical and skills-based, are designed and taught by people from industry, and many include work placements. Australia's TAFE (Technical and Further Education) institutes are the largest providers, alongside private registered training organisations (RTOs) and universities that teach both VET and higher education.

Our directory lists five active vocational providers in Australia, in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. They range from a TAFE institute to small private colleges that teach a single trade.

How VET works

Each nationally recognised course has a national code and leads to a qualification such as a Certificate III, a Certificate IV or a Diploma. Providers that teach international students also list each course on CRICOS, the official Australian Government register of courses for student visa holders. One example from our directory shows how this works in practice:

• Melbourne City College Australia (MCCA) teaches the Certificate III in Commercial Cookery (national code SIT30821, CRICOS code 109865A) over 52 weeks of full-time study, including 200 hours of work placement
• after this course, students can progress to the Certificate IV in Kitchen Management
• teaching combines online and face-to-face classes, practical training in a commercial kitchen, work placement and self-study

Fields of study include information technology, hospitality and tourism, business, construction, agriculture, health, and the creative industries, fashion and design. Some providers specialise: Taylor Weir in Northbridge, Western Australia, has trained hairdressers and barbers since 1996, and Billy Blue College of Design, part of Torrens University Australia, offers design qualifications such as the Diploma of Graphic Design, which students can take online, on campus or both. Holmesglen in Melbourne offers TAFE courses, apprenticeships, short courses and higher education. The Percy Institute in Perth runs etiquette masterclasses, which are short courses rather than formal qualifications.

VET qualifications can also be a pathway to university: Study Australia lists VET qualifications among the routes into an undergraduate degree.

Admission for international students

In most cases there are no entrance exams for VET courses, but some courses require specific school subjects or work experience. If English is not your first language, you usually need to show your English level. MCCA, for example, asks for its cookery course that students are 18 or older, have completed Year 11 or equivalent and have IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.

To study in Australia you need a Student visa (subclass 500), which covers VET courses. You first receive a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from the provider, and the visa is issued for the courses on your CoE. The visa allows work of up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session. You also need Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your whole stay. Moving from a higher education degree to a VET course means meeting all student visa requirements again.

Costs and funding

Fees are set by each provider. MCCA's international fee schedule for 2026 gives an idea of the range:

• Certificate III in Individual Support (52 weeks): AUD$10,000 tuition, plus a AUD$300 enrolment fee and AUD$300 for materials
• Certificate III in Commercial Cookery (52 weeks): AUD$15,000 tuition
• Diploma of Hospitality Management (26 weeks): AUD$4,000 tuition

The student visa application costs from AUD$2,500 from 1 July 2026, unless you are exempt. Some state programmes, such as Free TAFE in Victoria, waive tuition fees on selected courses for eligible students; check with the institute whether a course and a student qualify. Many providers offer their own scholarships for international students, usually based on academic merit.

How to choose a vocational school in Australia

• Recognition: check the national course code and, for a student visa, the CRICOS code
• Type of provider: TAFE institute, private RTO or a university that also teaches VET
• Practical training: kitchens, salons, studios and the number of work placement hours
• Pathways: whether the qualification leads on to a higher certificate, a diploma or a degree
• Study mode: on campus, online or a mix, and the location of practical sessions
• Total cost: tuition, enrolment and materials fees, kits and uniforms, visa and OSHC

Frequently asked questions

What is TAFE in Australia?

TAFE stands for Technical and Further Education. According to Study Australia, TAFE institutes are the largest providers of vocational education and training in the country.

Can international students study VET courses in Australia?

Yes. The Student visa (subclass 500) covers VET courses, provided the course is registered on CRICOS. You need a Confirmation of Enrolment from the provider before applying for the visa.

How much does a vocational course cost in Australia?

Fees depend on the provider and course. At Melbourne City College Australia, for example, 2026 tuition for international students ranges from AUD$4,000 for a 26-week diploma to AUD$15,000 for a 52-week cookery certificate.

Can I work while doing a VET course?

Yes. The student visa allows up to 48 hours of work a fortnight while your course is in session.