Compare Cert 3 Early Childhood Training Providers in the Northern Territory
Last updated:
Cert 3 early childhood in the NT involves the same national qualification as elsewhere in Australia, with three local details to understand: the territory’s regulator, the Ochre Card that is required to work with children, and the free TAFE and vocational training that the Northern Territory and Australian governments fund. This page sets out what the Northern Territory Government says about each one, with links to the official sources. It also shows how to use the comparison table if you live in the Northern Territory.
| Training provider | Work PlacementWhether the provider helps you arrange the practical placement that the qualification requires. | Industry ChecksWhether the cost of required industry checks is included in the provider's fee. | Role Play PartnerWhether the provider helps you find someone to practise assessment role plays with. | Teacher AccessHow much one-to-one time you can book with a teacher. | Fast TrackWhether a fast track option is available. | CostThe provider's published full course fee, excluding optional extras. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirana Colleges Availability in this state: check with provider | The provider helps students find a work placement. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | The provider helps students find a role play partner. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | The provider states that students can book unlimited one-to-one sessions with a teacher. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | The provider offers a fast track option. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | The provider advertises this weekly price. Check the provider for the full course fee. Source checked: 1 November 2026 |
| NCVE The national regulator (ASQA) has imposed conditions on this RTO's registration. Details Availability in this state: check with provider | The provider helps students find a work placement. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | The provider publishes $2,570 as the total when paid in instalments. It also lists $2,056 if paid up front. Source checked: 1 November 2026 |
| ITAC Availability in this state: check with provider | The provider helps students find a work placement. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | The full course fee as published by the provider. Optional extras are not included. Source checked: 1 November 2026 |
| ACTAC Availability in this state: check with provider | The provider expects students to find their own work placement. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | The provider publishes $2,100 as the total course fee on its weekly payment plan. It also lists $1,199 as a one-time payment. Source checked: 1 November 2026 |
| ACCSC Availability in this state: check with provider | The provider says learners organise their own placement. An optional paid Work Placement Support service is offered. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | The provider publishes $2,100 as the total course fee on its weekly payment plan. It also lists $1,199 as an upfront price. Source checked: 1 November 2026 |
| Monarch Institute Availability in this state: check with provider | The provider's Placement Matching Service finds an approved placement for an administrative fee of $250. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | The provider states that industry checks are an additional cost. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | The full course fee as published by the provider. Optional extras are not included. Source checked: 1 November 2026 |
| The Performance College Availability in this state: check with provider | The provider helps students find a work placement. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | The provider publishes $2,500 as the course fee. It lists a separate $250 enrolment fee. Source checked: 1 November 2026 |
| CQUniversity Availability in this state: check with provider | The provider says students are required to find placement; staff can assist where needed. Source checked: 1 November 2026 | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm the full course fee from the provider's public information. |
| AIPC | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | We could not confirm this from the provider's public information. | The provider states that the total upfront course cost is $2,630, which includes tuition of $2,490 plus practical sessions of $140 each. Source checked: 1 November 2026 |
Key
- Offered or included
- Not offered, or not included
- Extra cost
- Some access
- Unknown
A note under a training provider's name means the regulator has imposed conditions on that RTO's registration. Follow the link for details.
Tap or hover over any item to get more detail.
Information last reviewed:
Compare Cert 3 early childhood training providers in the Northern Territory
The table lists the training providers we have researched for the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30125). For most of them we could not confirm from public information which states and territories they serve, so the same list appears on every state and territory page. Use each row to prompt a question: does this training provider take students in the Northern Territory, and does its published fee apply to me?
If you want to study from home, our page on online study options explains the course formats and the parts that still take place in person.
The NT regulator
The Northern Territory Government states that Quality Education and Care NT is the regulatory authority responsible for administering the National Quality Framework in the territory, and that it sits within the Department of Education. The qualification requires at least 160 hours of work in a regulated children’s education and care service, so this is the body that oversees the type of service where you will complete your placement. You can read more on the Quality Education and Care NT page.
The Ochre Card in the NT
In the Northern Territory the working with children clearance is also known as an Ochre Card. The territory government states that the clearance is valid for two years. It also states that the Northern Territory Screening Authority conducts the check, working with SAFE NT, which is a unit of the Northern Territory Police Force.
Because the clearance expires after two years, it is worth asking each training provider when it expects your card to be in place, and whether it will still be valid when your placement ends. Read the official page, working with children clearance: before you apply, for the process and the current rules. Our work placement guide explains the 160 hours of placement that the qualification requires.
Free TAFE and VET courses in the NT
The Northern Territory Government states that the Northern Territory and Australian governments jointly fund free TAFE and vocational education and training courses. The courses are delivered through Charles Darwin University and the Batchelor Institute. The priority sectors listed include care sectors, including aged care, disability and early childhood.
A Charles Darwin University course document for the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care states Fee Free TAFE and describes the course as free for eligible Northern Territory residents. That document is for the older code, CHC30121, and for the 2026 fee year. It does not tell you how the arrangement applies to a course under the current code, CHC30125. Please read the free training courses page and the course document, then confirm the details with the institution. Eligibility is decided by the relevant authority and the institution. Our free and subsidised study guide compares every state and territory.
Questions to ask before you enrol
- Do you take students in the Northern Territory, and does the published fee apply to me?
- Is a free TAFE place available for this course code now, and am I eligible?
- Who finds the 160-hour work placement, and does it cost extra?
- Will my Ochre Card still be valid for the whole placement?
- Is first aid part of the fee?
Nearby jurisdictions and related pages
The Northern Territory borders Queensland and Western Australia. If you live near either border, you may want to read both pages. To see every training provider and every column together, return to the full comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cert 3 early childhood free in the Northern Territory?
The Northern Territory and Australian governments jointly fund free TAFE and vocational courses through Charles Darwin University and the Batchelor Institute, and the priority sectors include early childhood. A Charles Darwin University course document for the older code CHC30121 states that the course is free for eligible Northern Territory residents under Fee Free TAFE. Check the official pages and ask the institution what applies to you.
What is an Ochre Card?
The Northern Territory Government describes a working with children clearance, also known as an Ochre Card, as a clearance that is valid for two years. The Northern Territory Screening Authority conducts the check, working with SAFE NT, a unit of the Northern Territory Police Force.
Who regulates education and care services in the Northern Territory?
Quality Education and Care NT is the regulatory authority responsible for administering the National Quality Framework in the Northern Territory. It sits within the Department of Education.
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