Overview
These days, a free tertiary education is something of a myth — your parents might have got it, you know some other countries offer it, but you've certainly given up all hope of getting any sort of affordable qualifications (particularly with the prospect of fee deregulation). But in May the Victorian Government released its 2018 budget and it included some surprisingly good news: from next year, it will be free to complete selected TAFE courses in Victoria.
As announced by Premier Daniel Andrews on Facebook and outlined in the Victorian Budget 18/19 papers, the State Government will put $172 million towards covering course fees for 30 'priority' TAFE courses and 18 pre-apprenticeship courses from January 1, 2019. These courses are varied, running from a Diploma of Nursing to an Advanced Diploma in Accounting to a Certificate IV in Mental Health. Some can cost thousands of dollars to complete, so this will make a huge difference to prospective students who can't afford to foot the bill usually associated with studying.
To be eligible, you'll have to be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or a permanent Australian resident and fit one of the extra criteria. This may be you if you're under 20 years old, if you will be upskilling (that is, enrolling in a higher qualification than you've previously attained), or you're a Victorian who requires additional support — i.e., you're unemployed or have recently been retrenched. If you're looking to change careers, you may also be considered for one of the free places. The full details on eligibility have been published here.
If you're interested in enrolling, you can get more details here or call the government's TAFE and Training line on 13 18 23.
Updated: July 22, 2018.