Whether you're looking for a job, thinking about a career change, or upskilling for your own development, now's the time to get skills ready with free and low fee training!
Get into training with no course fees! There are more than 130 Fee free* courses and skills sets to choose from across WA TAFE colleges and private training providers. Fee free training is available for courses in priority industry areas like healthcare, IT, building and construction, and hospitality, to help build WA’s skilled workforce.
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Take advantage of around 160 Low fee* courses reduced by half or more - some by up to 72%! There’s also an annual fee cap of $400 for jobseekers, youth up to 25 and concession holders, and $1,200 for all other students. The Lower fees, local skills initiative offers qualifications with skills that employers are looking for. *Other fees may apply for some qualifications. View our FAQs for full details. |
Get skills ready for your first job or your next career move, for free! Free* Job Ready skill sets are the perfect solution to get into a short course and into a job! Job Ready skill sets are a great pathway to get new skills, plus the units you complete will count towards a full qualification, if you choose to continue studying. *View our FAQs for full details about eligibility for free training. |
Explore fee free and low fee courses and Job Ready skill sets
Start your journey towards a brighter, more skilled future. Whether you need a full qualification or to quickly upskill, there’s fee free and low fee training options including Job Ready skill sets, designed to get you skills ready to achieve your career and employment goals.
Contact your local Jobs and Skills Centre for free advice on how to choose the best training option, course or qualification to suit your goals. Call your local JSC on 13 64 64 or find your nearest centre and drop in for a chat.
You can use the other search filters if you would like to look at courses in a specific industry or study area, different qualification levels, or other courses. See something you like? Use the star to add it to your favourites list, or select the course title for more details.
Using the course search
As this list contains hundreds of courses, you may like to use the keyword option or the filters to refine your search.
> Industry area/Study areaUse these filters to search within a specific industry and/or area of study.
> Skills ReadyChoose from the list to search for fee-free or reduced-fee training and skill sets.
> Options for trainingUse this filter to search for different types of training available for the courses.
> Qualification levelSelect one or more qualification levels to search for.
> TAFE college / Private training providersIf you would like to see what courses are available at a particular TAFE college or private training organisation, choose from the list under these filters.
To clear all of the filters and start a new search, select the Reset search button.
Using favourites
Using the course search
As this list contains hundreds of courses, use the keyword option or the filters to refine your search.
> Skills ReadyUse the filters to search for fee-free or low-fee training and skill sets. Look for the following icons on the courses.
Fee-free
Low fee
Skill set
> Training options
Use this filter to search for different types of training available.
> Industry area / Study areaUse these filters to search within a specific industry and/or area of study.
You can use the other filters to search for:
- different qualification levels of courses; and
- courses available at a particular TAFE college or private training organisation.
To clear all of the filters and start a new search, select the Reset search button.
Using favourites
Frequently asked questions
Here we have provided answers to some frequently asked questions about the fee free, low fee courses as well as Job Ready skill sets.
General questions: Free and reduced-fee training courses
Yes, course fees don't apply but resource fees may.
Resource fees cover materials purchased by the TAFE or training provider that are required for and used during your training; such as workshop materials, workbooks and essential uniforms. For example; you may need to use timber for a course in carpentry — you would pay a resource fee to cover this cost.
All enquiries regarding eligibility, course and resource fees should be made to the TAFE college or private training provider.
You must have left school*, have your primary place of residence in Western Australia, and are either:
- an Australian citizen; or
- a permanent visa holder; or
- holders of a sub-class 309, 444, 785, 790, or 820 visa; or
- secondary holders of a temporary visa of sub-class 457 or 482 visa; or
- a bridging visa E holder (subclasses 050 and 051) who has made a valid application for a visa subclass 785 or 790;
- Ukraine citizens who are holders of a visa subclass 449 or 786;
- Afghan citizens who are holders of a visa sub-class 449; or
- Holders of a bridging visa who are eligible to work and who have made a valid application for a subclass 866.
- a dependent or spouse of the primary holder of a visa subclass 457
- a bridging visa holder who has made a valid application for a visa subclass 866; or
Year 12 school students who are leaving school can access a subsidised training place from 23 October 2024.
First Nations people, young people, people out of work or receiving income support, unpaid carers, people with disability, and women facing economic insecurity are particularly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity for fee free training.
Please note that existing worker trainees are not eligible for the fee-free arrangements.
The Department of Training and Workforce Development’s VET Fees and Charges Policy outlines eligibility for subsidised training in WA.
All enquiries regarding eligibility and/or course fees should be made to the TAFE college or private training provider.
Yes – fee FREE courses are available at WA TAFE colleges, and some are available at selected private training providers.
Once you have found your chosen course using our course search, click the ‘Find out more’ link on the course page to view application and enrolment instructions. This will generally connect you to the TAFE college or private training provider website for detailed instructions on how to apply and enrol.
Low fee courses (Lower fees, local skills)
*In 2025, Year 12 school students who are leaving school can access a subsidised training place from 24 October 2024.
The annual course fee caps under Lower fees, local skills are applied at qualification/course level for the calendar year.
For example; if you complete two courses in one year, the course fees will be capped for each course.
Please note: Course fees are reduced for the Lower fees, local skills qualifications, however you may be required to pay other fees such as for resources that are specifically needed for your course.
Under Lower fees, local skills the $400 course fee cap applies to units of competency that are commenced by concession students, and by people aged between 15 and 24 years.
If you are turning 25 during your course, please speak to your TAFE college or training provider to check what course fees and/or price caps will apply.
Please note: Course fees are half price for the Lower fees, local skills qualifications, however you may be required to pay other fees such as for resources that are specifically needed for your course.
Yes! Some of the Lower fees, local skills half price qualifications are available as an apprenticeship or traineeship, which means as an apprentice or trainee you or your employer would be eligible for the half price course fees and annual course fee caps.
Pre-apprenticeships and pre-traineeships courses are also available under Lower fees, local skills; to help you prepare to get an apprenticeship or traineeship.
Please note that the lower course fee rates under Lower fees, local skills and the annual course fee cap apply only to units of competency within a course or qualification that you commence from the date the new fee applied to 31 December 2025.
If your apprenticeship or traineeship is likely to go beyond 2025, please speak to your TAFE college or training provider for information on how this might affect your course fees.
Please note: In addition to course fees, you may be required to pay other fees for resources that are specifically needed for your course. Please check with your TAFE college or training provider for details.
If you re-commence units that form part of one of the Lower fees, local skills qualifications between the date the new fee applied and 31 December 2025, you will still be eligible for the half price course fee rates and fee caps.
If you have to withdraw from the course, you are entitled to a refund of the course fee and 50% of the resource fee for units that you withdraw from, before the unit withdrawal date (which is set by your TAFE college or training provider). Please check with your TAFE or training provider for information about refunds.
The Australian Government offers VET Student Loans (VSL) only for courses at Diploma or Advanced Diploma level. If your Lower fees, local skills qualification is at Diploma or Advanced Diploma level, you may be eligible for VSL.
What are VET student loans?
Eligible students can apply to get a loan to pay for their fees through the Australian Government’s VET Student Loans scheme (VSL). Under this scheme, once you’re employed and your income exceeds a set level, you start repaying the loan through the tax system. For more information contact your training provider, visit the Australian Government's VET Student Loans website- external site or contact the student hotline on 1800 020 108.
Job Ready skill sets
Because the skill sets are not a full qualification, you will not receive a certificate.
You will receive a Statement of Attainment that lists all of the units of competency you completed in the skill set. This statement is recognised nationally as an official record. It verifies that you have completed those units, so you can receive credit for them should you continue on to further study.
Yes! Completing a skill set is a great way to find out whether this is the industry area for you, and decide if you want to do further study and gain a full qualification.
The Job Ready skill sets contain units of competency taken from nationally recognised vocational education and training (VET) qualifications. This means they work perfectly as a pathway to further study.
Please check the information in the Job ready skill sets section of this page, where we have listed possible pathways for each of the skill sets.
The Statement of Attainment you receive on completion of a skill set verifies that you have completed those units, so you will receive credit for them should you continue on to further study.
Fee free building and construction courses
The seven pre-apprenticeship courses added to the fee free list are:
- Electrotechnology Pre-apprenticeship*
- Plumbing Pre-apprenticeship*
- Brick and Block Laying Pre-apprenticeship*
- Wall and Floor Tiling Pre-apprenticeship*
- Painting and Decorating Pre-apprenticeship*
- Carpentry Pre-apprenticeship*
- Cabinet Making and Timber Technology Pre-apprenticeship
*Denotes course previously subsidised under Lower fees, local skills.
All Australian citizens, permanent visa holders and some temporary visa holders, whose primary residence is in Western Australia are eligible to access free training through fee free courses. This includes new and continuing students.
First Nations people, young people, people out of work or receiving income support, unpaid carers, people with disability, and women facing economic insecurity are particularly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity for fee free training.
Existing worker trainees are not eligible for the fee free arrangements.
The fee free courses will be available at WA TAFE colleges and Department of Training and Workforce Development approved private training providers.
View the Fee free course list on our training page for the full list of free courses.
These courses will become fee free from 1 January 2025 until the end of 2026.
All students who enrol in one of the fee free building and construction courses in 2025 and 2026 at a TAFE college or approved private training provider will be able to complete their course under the fee free arrangement.
All enquiries regarding eligibility, course and resource fees should be made to the TAFE college or private training provider.
Applications for fee free courses are open now until end-January for Semester 1, 2025.
There are no course fees for fee free courses.
- Students may need to pay other fees for full qualifications, such as a resource fee for materials used during the course.
- Skill sets are 100% fee-free for all* students and do not incur resource fees or course fees.
TAFE colleges or approved training providers will be able to provide details of any additional fees that apply to the course students are interested in.
*Some eligibility conditions apply for the free training. All enquiries regarding eligibility, course and resource fees should be made to the TAFE college or private training provider.
For more information on fee free courses, contact your local Jobs and Skills Centre on 13 64 64.