TAFE stands for Technical and Further Education. It is a national system of vocational educational and training at a post-secondary level. TAFE institutes are the largest providers of post-secondary education in Australia.
If you have already completed all or part of a nationally recognised course at another TAFE institute (or other Registered Training Organisation) and have a certificate or statement of attainment which includes the Nationally Recognised Training logo, then Bendigo TAFE will recognise this previous study.
You may also be eligible for credits or exemptions in other TAFE or university courses, reducing the time required to complete the second course. For example, a two year diploma may give up to 18 months' credit towards a related three year degree. This saves you 18 months on the time of the degree (and half the HECS debt!).
The TAFE process of Skills Recognition means you may get credit for skills and knowledge you've gained through work, training or life experience. This could shorten your course and lower your costs.
You are required to pay a tuition contribution. Material fees may also be required for some courses. Your enrolment is not valid until all of these fees have been paid. See the Fees and Charges Brochure here.
Skills First training is the name for government subsidy provided on most TAFE courses.
Not everyone can do Skills First training (receive a subsidy). Your eligibility depends on lots of things, including:
To be eligible for Skills First training, you must be:
More information on Skills First training can be found here
Students experiencing difficulties with paying course fees and/or with purchasing course books or materials can apply for assistance.
Our Student Welfare Officer is available to discuss any financial difficulties you may be having that may affect your ability to enrol in or successfully complete a course. Please phone (03) 9279 2494 for more information.
Full-time students may qualify for Youth Allowance or Austudy income support from Centrelink.
For further information visit www.centrelink.gov.au or phone 132 490.
If you are having any trouble with your course, contact your class teacher or course coordinator in the first instance. If you are still having difficulty, our educational/personal counsellors or disability liaison officers may be of assistance. For more information on our support services, click here. The services are free and confidential.
Yes, we have an in-house employment centre that can help you find work. The Employment Centre at Bendigo TAFE is an established employment services provider which assists our students and jobseekers in general. The Employment Centre is also a comprehensive recruitment service for external companies and organisations. It advertises job vacancies, apprenticeships, and traineeships on a national data base. Jobseekers using the service are considered for these positions, as well as having access to interview coaching and job search assistance including regular workshops on preparing resumes and job applications.
To apply for a course select the Apply Now button on the course page you are interested in.
To enrol you will need to apply for your course on our website. To apply for a course select the Apply Now button on the course page you are interested in. Once you have applied for your course, we will be in contact with you regarding the next steps for your application.
You will receive an automatic email with your login details to complete your webform application. Once you have completed your application we will be in contact with you regarding next steps. If you are unsure at any stage of the application process please call us on 13TAFE.
For assistance working out the right course for you, you can speak with our Skills and Jobs Centre who can organise an appointment to chat with one of our careers advisors.
Your student journey will be supported at Bendigo TAFE through a range of general and specialised study and student support services.To view the support offered click here
We have a dedicated Koorie Student Support Officer, Koorie Liaison Officer as well as a Koorie Engagement Mentor based at the Indigenous Education Centre (IEC) to assist students in accessing the full range of support services at TAFE as well as assisting students in dealing with government agencies and other relevant organisations. You can learn more here.
Your USI is your Unique Student Identifier. It’s a unique string of ten numbers and letters that you’ll need to supply whenever you enrol with a new higher education provider. It will give you an online record of your training.
You can create or retrieve your USI from www.usi.gov.au
You can easily create a new email account here
Concession is available to eligible Skills First students enrolling into a Certificate I - Certificate IV course who hold a valid Commonwealth Health Care Card, Pensioner Card or Veteran Gold Card. Eligible Indigenous students receive concession at all qualification levels under the Skills First Program. Concession is not available for short courses.
A student loan scheme is available for eligible students and courses to assist in the payment of tuition fees whilst studying at TAFE. These are called VET Student Loans and replaced the VET FEE-HELP scheme from 1 January 2017.
To be eligible for a VET Student Loan, you must be an Australian citizen; holder of a permanent humanitarian visa who will be residing in Australia for the duration of study’ or a qualifying New Zealand citizen.
In some circumstances, you may be eligible for a refund of fees paid to us. For further details on refunds, please click here.
We accept cash, eftpos, cheque and direct deposit. We also offer flexible payment plans and VET Student Loans for eligible courses.
Find out if you are eligible here
To view the Free TAFE courses offered at Bendigo TAFE check here
No. Free TAFE covers the Tuition fee component of your enrolment. In addition to Tuition fees, some courses may also have Materials and Consumables fees that you will need to pay. You can view the average materials and consumables fee from the course page on the website.
If you are over 24 and a job seeker Bendigo TAFE must sight and retain evidence of your job seeker status. We accept the following:
a current and valid Commonwealth Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card or Veteran’s Gold Card; or
a separation certificate from their employer; or
a letter from their employer or company receiver stating that they have been made, or will be made, redundant or retrenched
Yes. Information for international students, including our courses can be found here
Blended learning means that the course is offered in a mix of online and on campus classes.
Please view the course page for each course delivery method. With covid restrictions eased the majority of our courses have returned to classroom delivery. You will be required to attend one of our Campuses for any assessments you are required to do.
Your starting point is to find an employer in the area you wish to apprentice in. Once you have gained employment, your employer will sign you up with an Australian Apprenticeships Support Network (AASN). They will choose us as the course provider. Your enrolment will then be organised and you will be able to start your training. More information on apprenticeship enrolment can be found here.
To be eligible to receive Skills First funding, you will need to be able to provide one of the following:
- A Current Green Medicare Card
- A Current Australian or New Zealand Passport
- An Australian or New Zealand Birth Certificate
- An Australian or New Zealand Citizen Certificate
- Relevant visa documents
If you are under the age of 24, you may also need to provide proof of age if the document above does not include this.
Most of our courses have intakes starting in February and July each year. The days of class are different for every course and this information is included on the course page. Some courses have Rolling Enrolments which mean they can start at any time. Click on Apply Now in the course page and we will contact you to advise on the next start time for a rolling enrolment.
Yes you can. We will need to see your statement of results from the other Institute. Please call us on 13TAFE to discuss further.
Yes, however you will need parental/guardian consent. If you are under 17 you will need to provide evidence of an exemption from your school.
Some of our courses do require you to be over 18, but give us a call if you would like to discuss this further on 13TAFE (138233).
If you are still attending school you can enrol through your school in a VET Delivered to Secondary School Students (VETDSSS) program. You will need to speak with your careers advisor at your high school to discuss this. You can read more about the VETDSSS program here.
Please call us on 13TAFE or visit one of our Customer Service Centres.
Yes. If you are experiencing financial hardship, we have a number of Scholarships and Grants that provide the opportunity to turn your dreams of study into a reality. To find out more about our Scholarships click here
Contact the Customer Service Team on 13 TAFE and request a Confirmation of Enrolment Letter.
No, you don’t need to have completed Year 12 to enrol at TAFE. Each course requires a literacy and numeracy test to enter to ensure that the course is suitable for you. We are able to provide learning support to students who are not confident in their literacy and numeracy abilities.
Tuition, Materials and Consumables fees are payable in full at the time of enrolment. Students have a variety of options for payment of their fees and charges, including; cash, cheque, credit card, Part Payment Plan and direct debit.
More info on ways you can pay can be found here
Yes you can pay your course off over time. Part Payment Plans are available to students. A part payment plan allows the cost of the course (including tuition, material and consumables fees) to be paid over a period of time. We partner with an external company, DebitSuccess, who manage your installment payments. A $250 deposit is required and a 5.5% administration fee charge applies. You can view more information about Part Payment Plans here.
In some circumstances, you may be eligible for a refund of fees paid to us. For further details on refunds, please refer to our fees information.
If you have withdrawn outside of our eligible refund period, yes, you will need to continue to pay your payment plan with DebitSuccess.
Once you have paid your fees and enrolled, you can obtain a student card from any of our Customer Service Centres.
Asylum Seeker – a person is forcibly displaced from their home country and waiting for their request for sanctuary to be processed.
Learner Facing Financial Stress – having difficulty meeting basic financial commitments due to a shortage of money, particularly in cases of insecure housing and/or food.
Head Start Apprentice/Trainee - For Skills First enrolments as part of the Head Start program for apprentices and trainees within a school setting (not to be used for School Based Apprentice or Trainee).
Jobs Victoria Employment Services - For Skills First enrolments by individuals who are clients of a Jobs Victoria Employment Services provider.
A learner with Literacy, Numeracy or Digital Literacy needs.
Retrenched Workers - A person who is retrenched or made redundant due to a specific role no longer being required due to operational changes within a business.
Reconnect - For Skills First enrolments by individuals who are referred to the training provider through the Reconnect Program.
Veteran - A person who has served, or is serving, as a member of the Australian Defence Force, or as a member of the Reserves, with at least one day of continuous full-time service.
Women Returning to Work - Women who are engaging in training with the intention of gaining employment after a career break.
Apprenticeships and traineeships can be full-time or part-time. Generally, traineeships are for 12 months to two years. Apprenticeships usually take three to four years to complete, but the training is flexible.
Most trainees are paid a wage based on the National Training Wage Award. Apprentice wages vary, depending on the industry. You may start off with a low salary, but if you take up an apprenticeship or traineeship in an industry with a skills shortage, you will be in demand and highly paid. Upon completion of your apprenticeship or traineeship, you can find a full-time role, earn a wage and receive a nationally-recognised certificate
There are various financial incentives as a result of the government recognising the important contribution apprentices make. While these financial incentives are subject to change, apprentices may be able to benefit from an accommodation allowance, an apprenticeship trade bonus or reimbursement for training costs.
Kangan Institute offers a wide variety of different apprenticeship and traineeship courses that can lead to ongoing employment in a number of different career paths. For detailed information see our full list of programs here.
Support for adult Australian apprentices
Financial support for apprentices aged 25+ or their employer. Apprenticeship must be at a certificate III or IV level in an occupation experiencing a skills shortage. Financial benefits consist of an additional $100-$150 a week up to a total of $13,000.
Living Away From Home Allowance
Assistance provided to eligible Australian apprentices in the initial three years of training if they have to move from parents' or guardians' home in order to commence their apprenticeship, or if the apprentice is homeless.
Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY
Youth Allowance for apprentices aged between 16-24, Austudy for Australian apprentices aged 25 or over and ABSTUDY for apprentices of any age who are Indigenous Australians. The most up-to-date information is available at the Australian Apprenticeships website, with information on Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY available at Centrelink.
In-depth and up to date information on Australian Apprenticeships
Information and advice on correct pay and award rates
Ensuring safe workplaces and practices.
Short courses are a cost and time effective way to help you gain new skills or try new things.
Applicants must be at least 15 years of age. However some courses have specific age requirements i.e. if applying for Responsible Serving of Alcohol, Gaming – Provide Responsible Gambling Services and Agent’s Representative Course applicants must be at least 18 years of age).
Some courses have eligibility and participant requirements. Please call us on 13TAFE or refer to the specific courses’ page online.
Short courses may run for a couple of hours or six months depending on the type of program being offered. Please refer to the specific course for more information.
Short courses run throughout the year. Please refer to the specific course for more information.
Kangan Institute accepts payment of fees by cash, EFTPOS, cheque or credit card. You can pay online, in person, over the phone or send payment in the mail.
Please note Diners and AMEX cards are not accepted. Cheques are to be made payable to Kangan Institute. Remember to print your name, address, phone number and course on the back of the cheque.
If you change your mind and wish to cancel your enrolment, any cancellations made within five working days of your course commencing will incur a $40 administration fee. Once your courses commence, requests for refunds/transfers of fees will not be accepted.
Courses with low enrolments may be cancelled or postponed. If this happens, you will be contacted at least 48 hours before the course commences by SMS or email and given a full refund.
Courses run across all Bendigo TAFE campuses. Please refer to the specific course page for more information.
Eligibility is extended to individuals or dependants of individuals who:
Learning support is now listed on the Free TAFE a Free TAFE short course.
Learning Support subjects will not count towards the following limits on Skills First training:
• 2 skill sets in a year
• 2 programs at time