Learning about your options

You’re all finished with school. Congratulations!

If you choose to engage in further education or training, the options are limitless and can be a little confusing. Many young people finishing school who want to study further will either attend a TAFE or university, but there are also a range of registered training organisations offering courses that might interest you.

Let’s start with university and TAFE. Both are places you go to learn and develop skills, but they function in very different ways.

When making choices about further study, you will likely be guided by what is available in your area of interest. Maybe it’s something business-related, maybe it’s fine art or electrical engineering.

But it is also helpful to think about the learning and content delivery style that universities and TAFEs offer, and thinking through what will best suit your learning style.

 

What is university like?

Universities tend to offer in-depth, specialised courses with a focus on building a theoretical knowledge about an occupation or discipline. That is not to say you won’t learn practical skills as well, and increasingly universities in some subject areas encourage or demand that you gain practical work experience as part of your course credit.

Universities can be liberating but also demanding. You will find you have to take responsibility for your own learning, ensuring you turn up to lectures and tutorials and seek help when required. You will also need good time management skills to devote the appropriate amount of attention to keeping up with weekly readings and completing all the assessments you have been tasked with.

Having said that, universities do generally have support services in place to help students through their course, you may just need to be proactive about reaching out for help.

 

What Is TAFE Like?

TAFE stands for Technical and Further Education. TAFEs offer a wide range of courses these days, everything from bricklaying and plumbing to hospitality and music.

In contrast to university, TAFE courses generally offer a more hands-on or practical approach to study. For example, a design course at a university may involve learning theory and undertaking in-depth written assignments about a subject, supplemented by some practical skill-building. The same course at a TAFE institution may have you doing more hands-on group assignments from the start, thinking about how your work will apply to future jobs, and generally helping you develop your practical skills and knowledge at the same time.

 

Which One Should I choose?

That will depend entirely on what you want to learn, how you like to learn and your personal circumstances.

Your decision will inevitably be shaped by what you want to study. Some job positions require particular qualifications only available at universities. Others career trajectories may have options you could pursue either through university of TAFE. It’s helpful to do the background research about the area you want to study as well as common pathways to particular jobs or industries you may want to work in in the future. Our ‘dream career’ page has some information and resources. The myfuture Career Bullseyes are a great visual aid to show what qualifications you might need for particular jobs.

 
 

TIP: Can’t decide between different study options? Try making a pros and cons list!

With that in mind, you also need to ask what kind of learning you will get the most out of. Do you like getting your hands dirty and jumping into practical tasks? Maybe TAFE is the way.

Do you love the idea of sitting in a lecture hall and soaking in every word the lecturer is saying? Attending tutorials with other students and talking through what you have been reading and learning? Perhaps working on group assignments? Then a university course might be your jam!

Ultimately, people make decisions about study based on a range of factors. It’s worth writing up some pros and cons list to help you on your way!

 

Finding courses

There are a few ways to start looking for university and TAFE courses.

Some careers info websites have information about the qualifications you need to work in particular industries or jobs. If you know what you need, then it’s easy to start finding courses that give you those qualifications. Check out our ‘Careers’ section to find more information about careers and qualifications.

For an overview of your options, Course Seeker is an Australian government website that summarises information about university courses nationally.

 

Learn about the course and institution

Once you have identified a university or TAFE course that interests you, do your research. Seek feedback on the course, go to university or TAFE open days to ask questions and see the campus. Learn more about the university department’s approach.

 

University websites

 
 

University - Foundation Studies

Finally, most universities have colleges that offer pathway courses to university. If you have your eye on a university course but didn’t meet the entry requirements for your preferred course of university study straight out of school, attending one of these affiliate colleges is a great pathway. It offers you the chance to enrol in a diploma course at the college, from which you may be able to apply or transfer into your preferred university course after a couple of semesters.

The following institutions offer foundation studies programs:

 
 

TAFE & Training Courses

Here are a list of TAFE providers and the courses they offer. Note that some courses are currently fully subsidised for eligible students. See the ‘Free TAFE’ link below for more information.

Find my local TAFE lists all 17 Victorian TAFE institutions. Find one near you!

The Victorian Skills Gateway directory listing TAFE and training opportunities, as well as information about Free TAFE opportunities.

Free TAFE Victoria – Information on more than 60 courses available free to eligible students.

 

And here are a list of TAFE institutions near Maribyrnong and Moonee Valley. Browse their websites for information about the courses they provide:

  • Federation TAFE
    Campuses in Ballarat, Berwick & Horsham
    General enquiries: 1800 333 864

  • Kangan Institute
    Multiple locations around Melbourne
    General enquiries: 13 82 33

  • Melbourne Polytechnic
    Multiple locations around Melbourne
    Future student enquiries: (03) 9269 8400

  • TAFE Course Directory - 131 823

  • The Gordon
    Geelong campuses
    General enquiries: 1300 786 176

  • Victoria University Polytechnic
    Multiple campuses in western Melbourne and CBD
    General enquiries: 1300 82 33 87

  • William Angliss Institute – Training provider for tourism, hospitality & events-related industries
    555 La Trobe Street, Melbourne
    General enquiries: 1300 ANGLISS

 

Other education providers

Aside from the big universities and TAFEs, there are a range of smaller education providers around Melbourne that offer more specialised diplomas, certificates and courses:

 

Applying for University & TAFE courses

Whether it be an undergraduate course or an advanced diploma, you will need to check to see if you have the required prerequisites before you can apply for the course. Once you have checked to see if you have the required ATAR score and prerequisites then you can apply for the courses you would like via VTAC.

What Is VTAC?

If you are finishing up school and want to start applying for courses, you will need to go through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). VTAC is the central office which processes and administers all the applications and student offers for the whole of Victoria. You will need to head over to the VTAC website here and create a VTAC ID and pin in order to register yourself on the website so that you can start applying for the courses you wish to apply for.

If you are over 20 years old, have been out of school for more than a year and can prove that you are able to study at a tertiary level, you can apply as a ‘mature age’ student. In this case you are able to apply directly to a university or TAFE without having to go through VTAC.

Dates to keep in mind

Applications are usually open in July for intake the following year. If you wish to apply mid-year then you will need to wait around April - May in order to start semester 2.

The cost of studying & study support

There are of course costs associated with studying. The exception to this rule are the free TAFE courses mentioned above, usually for industries that the government wants to encourage people to train and work in to address current shortages.

How much you will pay for your course, and whether you need to pay upfront, depends partly on your own circumstances and eligibility for particular government supports.


Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP)

A Commonwealth supported place (CSP) is a way of studying whereby the Australian government agrees to support your studies. You won't have to pay this amount back as a CSP is considered a subsidy rather than a loan. Simply put, the government is paying part of the cost of your course. You will however, still be required to pay for the remaining amount out of your own pocket or by applying for a HECS-HELP loan.

HECS-HELP is a loan system to pay for the part of your course not covered by the government. It means you have minimal upfront costs, and can start paying back your debt when your income reaches a particular level. HECS-HELP is available for Australian citizens, New Zealand special category visa holders, and people who hold permanent humanitarian visas and meet the residency requirements. You can find out more about eligibility here.

HECS-HELP is only available to you if you are enrolled in a Commonwealth-Supported Place (CSP). You need to pay particular attention when you are applying for university courses that you apply in a timely fashion, before what universities call ‘the census date’, which comes around near the start of each semester. You will also need to make sure you apply for a CSP place in your course of choice. Universities will often have multiple degree codes to recognise the difference between Commonwealth-Supported Places and full-fee paying students.

Down the line, after you study and once your income reaches above $45,881 per financial year, you will be required to pay back your student loan. The amount you will need to payback increases as you earn more. You can get a sense of how much you will need to pay back through your MyGov account.

 

FEE-HELP

If you don’t have access to a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), you can still study but you will be responsible for covering the full cost of the course. If you choose this option, you may still be able to access a FEE-HELP loan.

FEE-HELP is a government loan which can help to pay all or some of your tuition fees. This is about covering the cost of the course, not your living costs while you are studying.

FEE-HELP is available for Australian citizens, New Zealand special category visa holders, and people who hold permanent humanitarian visas and meet the residency requirements. You can find out more about eligibility here.

Basically, if you receive a FEE-HELP loan, the government pays the full cost of your course up-front. But this is a loan, and you will be expected to pay the full amount back once you start earning more than $46,620 per year. Importantly, this ‘threshold’ where you need to start paying back your loan changes slightly each year.

It is also important to note that while your FEE-HELP loan does not accrue interest, however it is indexed each year. This means it is adjusted to meet with the changes in cost of living. Over a number of years, you can expect the amount that you owe to rise a little because of indexation.

You will need to check if the course you wish to study supports FEE-HELP loans. There is a limit to how much you are able to borrow from the government. In 2021, the total amount you are able to borrow is $108,232. However if you intend to study medicine, dental or veterinary science the total amount is a little larger, around $155,448.

Bear in mind that this total amount is not a total for the course that you want to study, but a personal limit over your lifetime.

Once your income reaches above $45,881 a year you will be required to pay back your student loan. The amount you will need to payback increases as you earn more and you can see how much you will need to pay back through your MyGov account.

 

VET student loans

If you are studying a VET course then you are able to apply for a VET Student Loan (VSL). This loan is only available to courses which are at a diploma level or above.

This means they do not cover any certificate level courses you might be interested in. You will need to check if the course you are wanting to study is approved to be paid via a VSL. You can find out if the course is approved for a VSL by checking the MySkills website (look for the courses that say ‘VSL: Vet Student Loans’).

Like the FEE-HELP or HECS-HELP, there is a limit to how much you can borrow. That amount will vary from course to course. If the course you wish to study is above the amount you are allowed to borrow then you will have to cover the difference out of your own pocket.

 

Scholarships

You should check to see if the university or TAFE provider you are wanting to study at offers scholarships. If you meet the requirements and eligibility then scholarships are a great way to pay for some or all of your tuition fees, but they are competitive.

Scholarships often fall into three categories:

  • Leadership or academic excellence scholarships – For people who have a proven record of high achievement in study or other areas

  • Accessibility scholarships - Many universities and TAFEs offer scholarships to support people from low socio-economic backgrounds, rural parts of the country, or from particular background.

  • Skill/Discipline-specific scholarships – Scholarships that are for people studying particular courses or course areas. For example, engineering, architecture, urban design.

It is worth looking through the scholarships pages of universities to see what you might be eligible to apply for.