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Fee-Free TAFE

Fee Free Training

 

Fee-Free TAFE provides free training to people seeking to learn, retrain or upskill.

Fee-Free TAFE is a jointly funded initiative of the Commonwealth, state and territory governments.

Eligibility criteria apply.

Approved students will need to pay for any learning resources such as textbooks or other equipment required for the course.

The course will remain fee-free for the duration of your training as long as you remain engaged in your study.

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Fee-Free TAFE

Fee-Free TAFE and Fee-Free Construction will end at CIT in December 2026. These initiatives will transition into Free TAFE in 2027. Once the ACT Free TAFE list is approved, this page will be updated.

Prospective Fee-Free TAFE students are encouraged to apply early as places are limited.

If the allocation of Fee-Free TAFE places for a course is exhausted while applications are being processed, places will not be offered, and no further Fee-Free TAFE applications will be accepted. CIT will not be maintaining any waitlists.

If offered a Fee-Free TAFE place, applicants will be given a specific timeframe to enrol. If enrolment isn't completed within the timeframe, the Fee-Free TAFE place will be forfeited.

Fee-Free TAFE eligibility

  • Eligibility criteria

    • To be eligible for a Fee-Free TAFE course at CIT, prospective Fee-Free TAFE students at the time of application must:

      • be at least 17 years of age, not enrolled at school (including Year 11 or 12) or another program leading to the completion of Year 12 (including the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate) - please refer to the FAQs below
      • be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent Australian resident or an eligible VISA holder
      • live or work in the ACT
      • not have enrolled in the course previously
      • meet the eligibility requirements of individual courses.

    • In addition, CIT encourages applications from people who identify with any of the below learner cohorts:

      • young people aged 17-24 years (not enrolled at school or another program leading to the completion of Year 12)
      • a Year 12 student aged between 17-24 years who has fulfilled the requirements of the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate, including all assessments (proof will be required)
      • Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples
      • people with a disability (prior to enrolment, you will be required to meet with CIT Student Support to discuss any supports required)
      • jobseeker/looking for employment however, you do not have to be in receipt of an income support benefit
      • unpaid carers
      • women experiencing financial hardship (additional information will be requested and applications will not be assessed until all information is provided)
      • women enrolling in non-traditional fields, including the Certificate II in Construction Pathways (CPC20220) and the Certificate II Electronics (UEE21920)
      • veteran: an individual who is a current or former member of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Fee-Free TAFE course list

2026 courses

Fee-Free places are limited in each course. The course list below is the list of all courses that may be offered under the Fee-Free TAFE Initiative for the remainder of 2026.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who can access Fee-Free TAFE course?

    • Fee-Free TAFE is intended for new students to the course being offered. To be eligible for Fee-Free TAFE you must meet the eligibility criteria as well as the entry requirements for the course.

  • What does the Fee-Free TAFE Initiative pay for at CIT?

    • Fee-Free TAFE covers course tuition fees only; this is the indicative course cost listed on the CIT course webpage. It does not cover the cost for any learning resources such as textbooks or other equipment required for the course.

  • What are the steps for applying and enrolling into a Fee-Free TAFE course at CIT?

    • Prospective Fee-Free TAFE students at CIT have six key steps:

    • Enquire: you can register your interest to enquire about a course
    • Apply: apply for the course you are interested in
    • Assess: CIT will assess your application against the eligibility criteria and course requirements. Note, check the CIT course page for 'entry requirements' such as undertaking a literacy and numeracy assessment.
    • Offer: if you meet the listed Fee-Free TAFE eligibility requirements, and places are available, you will receive an offer to enrol.
    • Enrol: enrolling into subjects is a critical step to securing your Fee-Free TAFE place in the course you applied for, if you delay, then you may miss out on a limited Fee-Free TAFE place.
    • Attend: attending and engaging in your subjects is the critical last step to keeping your Fee-Free TAFE place. If you do not commence or withdraw from your CIT Fee-Free TAFE course, you will lose your place and may be ineligible to enrol through this ongoing Fee-Free TAFE initiative.
    • If you disengage without contacting CIT Student Services, you may lose your Fee-Free TAFE course place.
  • Can I enrol in more than one Fee-Free TAFE course at CIT?

    • No, prospective Fee-Free TAFE students are encouraged to focus on one Fee-Free TAFE course at a time, with the view to building their knowledge and skills and then progressing to the next qualification, if desired.

  • Can I submit more than one Fee-Free TAFE application at a time?

    • If you submit multiple requests for the same semester or course, CIT will only process your first application.

  • How many Fee-Free TAFE places will be available at CIT?

    • Fee-Free TAFE places in 2026 are limited to a maximum of 600.

  • If I'm currently studying at CIT, what does this mean for me?

    • Fee-Free TAFE is intended for new course enrolments; however, you do not need to be new to CIT.

  • How can I find out more about the course I'm interested in?

    • Attend an information session to speak to teachers about the course. Find an information session.

  • Once I am a Fee-Free TAFE student at CIT, am I automatically eligible for another Fee-Free TAFE course?

    • No, each time you intend to study a Fee-Free TAFE course you will need to apply for the specific course via the Fee-Free TAFE application process.

      This is because:

      • Fee-Free TAFE in 2023 had different eligibility criteria to the extension of Fee-Free TAFE from 2024
      • different course areas and course types may have different Fee-Free TAFE eligibility
      • over time, your circumstances may change that may also change your type of Fee-Free TAFE eligibility assessment status
      • not all Fee-Free TAFE courses are available each semester and intakes may fill when applications and enrolments open.
  • Am I only a Fee-Free TAFE student at CIT for the calendar year I start?

    • No, Fee-Free TAFE students have their course fees covered over continuous semesters, and if applicable years of study. Students must commence and engage in learning each semester to retain their Fee-Free TAFE place. Continuing Fee-Free TAFE students are responsible for re-enrolling each semester.

  • What happens if I do not successfully pass a subject in my Fee-Free TAFE course?

    • As a CIT Fee-Free TAFE student you can re-enrol once into a unit/subject where you have not successfully passed the unit/subject the first time. Any additional re-enrolment into unit/subject will incur fees.

  • What happens if I withdraw from my Fee-Free TAFE course?

    • If you withdraw in full from a Fee-Free TAFE course you will forfeit the fee free place. A condition of the Fee-Free TAFE Initiative is that you must remain engaged in your study.

    • If you disengage from study without any communication for more than 90 days, you will forfeit the fee free place. If you forfeit the fee free place you can still complete the course however fees will apply.

  • I've completed Year 12 this year and I'm 17 years old; can I apply for Fee-Free TAFE?

    • Yes, a student aged between 17-24 years who has fulfilled the requirements of the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate, including all assessments early in the calendar year can apply for Fee-Free TAFE. You will need a letter from your college or school advising you have completed all academic requirements to achieve the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate. Please note that address and citizenship eligibility also apply.

  • I'm at least 18 years old and studying the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate, am I eligible to apply for Fee-Free TAFE?

    • Fee-Free TAFE is a pathway for school leavers, it is not an alternative to completing Year 12 at college or school. However, if you are studying the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate Abridged (Mature) Package at CIT and wish to combine it with a Fee-Free TAFE course to improve your job-ready skills, you may be eligible to apply for a Fee-Free TAFE course. Please note that all CIT courses have literacy and numeracy requirements, and you will be required to complete a Language, Literacy and Numeracy quiz. Address and citizenship eligibility also apply.

  • What can I do if I want to study a Fee-Free TAFE course, but I do not live or work in the ACT?
  • What is Free TAFE?

    • Free TAFE will replace the current Fee-Free TAFE and Fee-Free Construction initiatives when they conclude at the end of 2026. The new Free TAFE program will commence from Semester 1, 2027.

    • The Australian Government has made Free TAFE a permanent feature of the national vocational education and training (VET) system, committing to support at least 100,000 Free TAFE and VET places nationally per year from 2027, underpinned by the Free TAFE Act 2025.

    • Free TAFE will be delivered in partnership with states and territories. Places will be prioritised to cohorts who typically face barriers to education and training and will be offered in fields of study in high demand and of national and state priority.

Need careers advice?

CIT offers a free career advice service to prospective and current students who are looking to gain more information about choosing the right course and career pathway.

Please complete the career advice enquiry form to book in a phone or video appointment with the CIT Career Advisor to determine the learning pathway that is a fit for you.

Need help?

Our Student Services team can help answer any questions you might have. Please call us on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au