Free and Subsidised Cert 3 Early Childhood Education Courses
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Many people search for a free Cert 3 early childhood course, and the answer depends on where you live, whether you meet the eligibility rules and which institution you study with. This guide summarises what each state and territory government says about funded or subsidised training for the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, with a link to each official page. It is general information only. Availability and eligibility are decided by the relevant authority and the training provider, so please check the official page for your jurisdiction before you make any decision.
Is Cert 3 early childhood free?
It can be, but not for everyone and not everywhere. The programmes below use different names, such as Smart and Skilled, Free TAFE and Skilled Capital. Each has its own eligibility rules, and several refer to particular institutions. Some pages name this qualification. Others describe a wider group of courses and leave you to find out whether yours is included.
We checked each official page on 1 November 2026. Funding programmes change often, so use this guide to know where to look, and treat the official page as the final word.
The code on the funding lists
The qualification is now CHC30125. The National Training Register shows its predecessor, CHC30121, as superseded on 22 December 2025, and describes CHC30125 as superseding and equivalent to it. Several of the funding pages below still name CHC30121. We record them as the pages state them, and we cannot tell you how a list that names the older code applies to a course that uses the new one. Ask the government body and the institution.
New South Wales
- Programme: Smart and Skilled.
- Administered by: Skills NSW, on the NSW Department of Education website.
- What it says: government-subsidised training with an entitlement up to and including Certificate III. Eligibility includes being aged 15 or older, no longer at high school, living or working in NSW and having a USI.
- Caveat: the page does not name the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.
- Official page: Smart and Skilled.
- More: our page for New South Wales.
Victoria
- Programme: Free TAFE.
- Administered by: the Victorian Government. The page we read does not name a department.
- What it says: the priority pathways list names the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care under early childhood. Eligibility includes being an Australian citizen, permanent resident or New Zealand citizen training in Victoria.
- Official page: Free TAFE eligibility.
- More: our page for Victoria.
Queensland
- Programme: Fee-Free TAFE.
- Administered by: the Queensland Government.
- What it says: the programme is extended until 31 December 2026 and is available at TAFE Queensland and CQUniversity. Eligibility includes permanently living in Queensland, being aged 15 or older and no longer being in school. People who completed the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care under the programme may access the Diploma only.
- Official page: Fee-Free TAFE.
- More: our page for Queensland.
Western Australia
- Programme: Jobs and Skills WA fee-free training.
- Administered by: Jobs and Skills WA.
- What it says: the Fee free course list 2026 names the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, using the older code CHC30121. The page says existing worker trainees are not eligible.
- Official pages: fee-free and low-fee training and the 2026 course list.
- More: our page for Western Australia.
South Australia
- Programme: Skills SA subsidised training on the My Training website.
- Administered by: the South Australian Government.
- What it says: the government pays part of your accredited course fees. The course page for the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care uses the older code CHC30121 and says it is being phased out and will eventually be replaced by CHC30125.
- Official pages: subsidised training and the course page.
- More: our page for South Australia.
Tasmania
- Programme: we did not find a named state programme for this qualification that we could cite.
- What we found: TasTAFE, a state-owned training organisation, lists the Certificate III on its course page with subsidised and concession fees for 2027.
- Official page: TasTAFE course page.
- More: our page for Tasmania.
Australian Capital Territory
- Programme: Skilled Capital.
- Administered by: the ACT Government.
- What it says: the 2025-26 list shows Sureway Skills Training with the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care. The page says that expressions of interest for the 2025-26 release have closed.
- Official page: Skilled Capital.
- More: our page for the Australian Capital Territory.
Northern Territory
- Programme: free TAFE and vocational education and training courses.
- Administered by: the Northern Territory and Australian governments jointly, through Charles Darwin University and the Batchelor Institute.
- What it says: the priority sectors include care sectors, including aged care, disability and early childhood. A Charles Darwin University course document for CHC30121 states Fee Free TAFE and describes the course as free for eligible Northern Territory residents. The document is for the 2026 fee year.
- Official pages: free training courses and the course document.
- More: our page for the Northern Territory.
Questions to ask before you rely on funding
- Is a funded place available now for the current code, CHC30125?
- Do I meet the eligibility rules, including residency, age and study status?
- Which institutions deliver the funded places, and is the training provider I am considering one of them?
- If I pay part of the fee, how much is it, and what is left outside it? Our cost guide explains what a published fee can leave out.
- Does the funded course still include the 160-hour placement? The work placement guide explains the requirement.
Related guides
Browse all study guides, or return to the full comparison of training providers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cert 3 early childhood free?
It can be, in some places and for some people. Each state and territory runs its own programme with its own eligibility rules, and a place is offered by a particular institution. No programme makes the course free for everyone. Read the official page for your state or territory and ask the institution what applies to you.
Does a funding list that names CHC30121 cover CHC30125?
We cannot say. The National Training Register shows CHC30125 as superseding and equivalent to CHC30121, but the Western Australian list, the South Australian course page and the Charles Darwin University document we reviewed still name the older code. Ask the government body and the training provider how the funding applies to the current code.
Do the training providers in your table offer subsidised places?
We do not state that any training provider in our table offers a subsidised place, because we have not recorded that from the training provider's own page. Government pages list the institutions that deliver each programme, and you should check them directly.
Who decides whether you can get a free or subsidised place?
The relevant government authority sets the eligibility rules, and the training provider or institution confirms whether you qualify and whether a place is available. Check the official page and ask before you enrol.
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