Compare Online Cert 3 Early Childhood Education Courses

Many training providers deliver the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care online. This page explains how an online Cert 3 early childhood course works and which parts you still complete in person. You can compare the online options in the table, then use the sections below to decide which questions to ask. Every training provider in the table delivers the same qualification, CHC30125, so the differences lie in the support, the format and the cost.

Can you study Cert 3 early childhood online?

Yes. The training providers we have researched deliver this qualification online, and one of them also offers on-campus study. The online format removes the need to travel to a classroom for theory units. It does not remove the practical side of the qualification. You still complete a work placement in a real children’s education and care service, and you may need to arrange some checks and a first aid certificate.

The sections that follow describe what we found on the public course pages. Each statement can change, so confirm it with the training provider.

How online study works

Online delivery is not one format. The training providers in our table describe three broad approaches.

Self-paced study

Several training providers describe the course as self-paced. NCVE describes it as online and self-paced, with a named trainer you can phone. ITAC, ACTAC and ACCSC also describe self-paced delivery, and Monarch Institute describes an asynchronous, self-paced model. Some of these training providers say you can start at any time, while others do not state start dates on the course page. Self-paced study gives you control over your schedule, and it also means you set your own routine.

Live online classes

The Performance College describes online delivery with live classes held over Zoom, with a trainer present. If you prefer a fixed schedule and the chance to ask questions as you learn, a live format may suit you better than a purely self-paced format. Ask the training provider how often classes run and whether recordings are available.

Online and on-campus options

CQUniversity lists both online and on-campus study modes. Its page lists online intakes on set dates and states the course takes 50 weeks full-time or 84 weeks part-time. This is a different pattern from the training providers that let you begin at any time.

What you still do in person

The qualification includes parts that cannot happen entirely on a screen.

Work placement

The qualification requires a minimum of 160 hours of work in a regulated children’s education and care service in Australia, and this applies to every study mode. Our work placement guide explains the requirement and how to read the Work Placement column. Training providers differ on who arranges the placement. Some say they help you find one, one charges a fee for its matching service, and others expect you to find your own.

First aid

First aid, unit HLTAID012, is a core unit in the qualification. ACTAC states that it does not provide this unit and that learners must complete it with a local training provider at their own cost. ITAC states that it does not deliver the unit and that it is not included in the course fee. Monarch Institute states that first aid is the student’s responsibility at their own expense. NCVE states that it books and pays for first aid. Because arrangements differ, ask every training provider how first aid is handled and whether it is included in the fee.

Checks before placement

The register states that learners must complete the National Child Safety Training before they start placement hours. You will also need the check required in your state or territory for working with children. Monarch Institute states that arranging these checks is the student’s responsibility at the student’s own expense, while for several other training providers we could not confirm who pays. You can read the name of the check for each jurisdiction on the pages linked below.

How to compare online Cert 3 early childhood courses

Start with these questions:

1. Who finds the placement? The Work Placement column shows whether the training provider helps, helps for a fee, or expects you to find your own.
2. How much teacher contact can you get? The Teacher Access column shows whether the training provider states unlimited one-to-one bookings.
3. What does the course cost? The cost guide explains the fees we show and what each fee can leave out.
4. What is not in the fee? First aid, checks and practical sessions can be separate costs.
5. Which format suits you? Decide between self-paced study, live classes and a mix of both.

Then use the table to build a shortlist of two or three training providers and ask each one the same questions in writing. Writing down the answers makes it easier to compare them later.

Study online in your state or territory

Funding, regulators and checks for working with children depend on where you live. Read the page for your jurisdiction:

• New South Wales
• Victoria
• Queensland
• Western Australia
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Australian Capital Territory
• Northern Territory

Next steps

Return to the full comparison of training providers to see every row and column together. If you want to know how we choose what to show, read about this website. When you have a shortlist, use the form on this page to ask to be matched with a college.