Half Price Courses

The WA State Government, through Jobs and Skills WA, subsidises vocational education and training (VET) courses in priority areas, to reduce or remove the fees and make training more accessible to all Western Australians.

From 1 January 2023, the following eligibility criteria apply.

To be eligible for free training, reduced-fee qualifications or a subsidised training place; 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 holder of visa subclass 309, 444, 449, 785, 786, 790, or 820; or
• a dependent or spouse of the primary holder of a visa subclass 457 or 482**; or
• a bridging visa holder who has made a valid application for a visa subclass 866; or
• a bridging visa E holder (subclasses 050 and 051) who has made a valid application for a visa subclass 785 or 790.

*In 2023, Year 12 school students who are leaving school can access a subsidised training place from 23 October 2023.

**From 1 January 2023, the spouses and dependants of primary 457 or 482 visa holders will be also able to access subsidised training in WA. These skilled migrant families will be further supported by waiving public school fees for their children during 2023.

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 following eligibility criteria are in place up to 31 December 2022

Through to 31 December 2022, the Job Ready skill sets available under Skills Ready are fee-free to the following concession-eligible residents of Western Australia.

• Persons aged 15—24 years at the time of enrolment (excluding students enrolled at school*)
• Persons and dependents of persons in receipt of services from Commonwealth support or employment services programs Workforce Australia, or ParentsNext
• Persons and dependents of persons receiving the Youth Allowance, AUSTUDY or ABSTUDY
• Persons and dependents of persons holding a pensioner concession card or Health Care Card; or a Repatriation Health Benefits Card issued by the Department of Veterans' Affairs
• Dependents of persons who are inmates of a custodial institution

*In 2022, Year 12 school students who are leaving school can access a subsidised training place from 24 October 2022.

The Department of Training and Workforce Development’s VET Fees and charges policy(opens in a new tab)  outlines eligibility for subsidised training in WA.

Enquiries regarding course fees can be made by calling us:

T  1800 672 700

The Lower fees, local skills program commenced on 1 January 2020, with reduced course fees to be in place for eligible courses.

For the Lower fees, local skills program, new qualifications have been added at different stages.

• If you commenced units in a qualification prior to the date it was included in the program, you will pay the regular fee rate for those units.
• If you commenced units on or after the date that the qualification was included in the program, the Lower fees, local skills fee rates and annual fee caps will apply to those units only. For these units, you will be eligible for a refund.

A full list of all qualifications in the Lower fees, local skills program, can be found here on the Lower fees, local skills course list(opens in a new tab) . 

Should you have any queries, contact us so that we can confirm the date your course was included in the Lower fees, local skills program. 

If you think you may have overpaid for your Lower fees, local skills course, please contact us to request an adjustment to your invoice and/or a refund of the difference.

The following people will be entitled to a concession rate on the Lower fees, local skills courses:

• Persons who are aged 15 - 24 years, and have left school*
• Persons and dependents of persons in receipt of services from one of the following Commonwealth support or employment services programs:
  • Workforce Australia; or
  • ParentsNext
• Persons and dependents of persons receiving the Youth Allowance, AUSTUDY or ABSTUDY
• Persons and dependents of persons holding:
  • a pensioner concession card or  Health Care Card; or
  • a Repatriation Health Benefits Card issued by the Department of Veterans' Affairs
• Dependents of persons who are inmates of a custodial institution.

* In 2022, Year 12 school students who are leaving school can access a subsidised training place from October 2022.

Concession eligibility is outlined in the Department of Training and Workforce Development’s VET Fees and charges policy(opens in a new tab) .

This will depend on the qualification or course you choose.

Free Job Ready skill sets from 1 January 2023
All of the Job Ready skill sets are 100% FEE-FREE from 1 January 2023 for all* students. You will pay no course fees, resource fees, or any other fees.

Free qualifications (from 1 January 2023)
For the free qualifications starting from 1 January 2023, there is no course fee cost*. Other fees, such as for resources, may apply.

Lower fees, local skills qualifications
Other fees, such as resource fees, may apply to some of the Lower fees, local skills qualifications.

What are resource fees?
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.

*Please note: Some eligibility conditions apply for the free and/or subsidised training. Please refer to the information under Who can access subsidised training such as the free or reduced - fee qualifications?

Fees for vocational education and training courses are set by the Department of Training and Workforce Development's VET fees and charges policy.

The "annual fee cap" means that regardless of how much your annual course fees actually are, under Lower fees, local skills you will not pay more than the capped amount in a calendar year. There are two course fee caps, which one you pay depends on whether you are entitled to receive a concession rate or are at least 15 years of age but have not reached the end of the year in which you turn 25.

• The concession rate annual course fee cap for Lower fees, local skills qualifications is $400, from the date the new fee applied.
• The non-concession rate course fee cap for Lower fees, local skills qualifications is $1,200, from the date the new fee applied.

All students aged 15—24 years of age are eligible for the annual concession fee cap of $400 per qualification/course per year on all Lower fees, local skills qualifications, from the date the new fee applied.

The following people will be entitled to a concession rate on the Lower fees, local skills courses:

• Persons who are aged 15 - 24 years and have left school* at the time of enrolment
• Persons and dependents of persons in receipt of services from one of the following Commonwealth support or employment services programs:
  • Workforce Australia: or
  • ParentsNext
• Persons and dependents of persons receiving the Youth Allowance, AUSTUDY or ABSTUDY
• Persons and dependents of persons holding:
  • a pensioner concession card or  Health Care Card; or
  • a Repatriation Health Benefits Card issued by the Department of Veterans' Affairs
• Dependents of persons who are inmates of a custodial institution.

* In 2022, Year 12 school students who are leaving school can access a subsidised training place from October 2022.

Please note Only course fees are reduced and included in the fees cap; other fees may apply for some of these Lower fees, local skills courses. 

The annual fee caps under Lower fees, local skills are applied to the qualification/course for the calendar year. 

For example: if you complete two courses in one calendar year, the course fees will be capped for each 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 contact us to check what course fees and/or fee caps will apply.

The Lower fees, local skills qualifications are available whether you study full-time, part-time or even online where available.

Yes, some of the Lower fees, local skills qualifications are available as an apprenticeship or traineeship, which means as an apprentice or trainee you or your employer would be eligible for the reduced course fees and annual 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.

The Construction Training Fund (CTF) $1000 grant can only be put towards additional construction-related training (separate to your apprenticeship training). It cannot be used to reduce the costs of apprenticeship training outlined in your training plan.

For further information about the $1,000 training grant for building and construction apprentices and trainees, please visit the CTF (opens in a new tab) website.

If you re-commence units that form part of one of the Lower fees, local skills qualifications between the date the new fee applied to 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 or training provider).

Please refer to our Withdrawals and Refunds(opens in a new tab) page or see the Department of Training and Workforce Development’s VET Fees and charges policy(opens in a new tab)  for full details.

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 level, you may be eligible for VSL.

Because the job ready skill sets are not full qualifications, they are not eligible for VSL.