Am I eligible for a Government Subsidy

Am I eligible for a Government Subsidy?

Eligibility criteria is set by the Victorian State Government. Not all students will be eligible for a government subsidy. If you are eligible, the Victorian State Government will cover most of the cost of your course, although you will still be required to pay some fees. If you are not eligible, you will be required to pay the non Government Subsidised education and training course fee.

In 2012, the eligibility rules for government subsidies apply to all qualifications in all course categories.

To be eligible for a government subsidy students must meet the following Citizenship/residency requirements:

the applicant is an Australian citizen
a holder of a permanent visa
a holder of a Special Category Visa (sub-class 444)
East Timorese asylum seeker
a holder of a Temporary Protection Visa
An Asylum seeker*
Victims of Human Trafficking*.

*Asylum seekers and Victims of Human Trafficking will be referred to RTO's, contracted by Skills Victoria to deliver training, by the ARC via a referral form: Referral to Government Subsidised Training Form - Asylum Seekers or Referral to Government Subsidised Training Form - Trafficked Persons.

And must either be:

under the age of 20 on 1 January in the year of course commencement
seeking entry to a Foundation Skills course
an Apprentice
seeking enrolment in a course accredited at a higher level than the highest qualification already held.

VET certificates completed as part of a senior secondary qualification will be exempted from the Victorian Training Guarantee up-skilling requirement for individuals aged 20 years and over.

The Victorian Government may make changes to the eligibility criteria.

You must provide documentation to support your claim for any government subsidy. If the relevant information is not provided on the Application Form and confirmed during the enrolment process, you will have to pay the non Government Subsidised Education and Training Fee and Amenities Fee.

An apprentice is defined as a person who has entered into a registered training contract seeking to undertake a qualification that is defined as an apprenticeship in a relevant Victorian Approved Training Scheme. An apprentice does not include a person who:

has entered into a training contract registered interstate
is undertaking a pre-apprenticeship
is a party to a registered training contract in a qualification defined as a traineeship in a relevant Victorian Approved Training Scheme.

*Eligibility exemptions are currently under review. This will be available shortly. For more details, contact sparker@bendigotafe.edu.au

There are certain circumstances where a person who is otherwise ineligible for a government subsidy, may at the discretion of the institute be granted an exemption to the eligibility criteria.

Exemptions may be granted only after the Institute has established that the applicant is unable to access appropriate alternative funding for training and is a career shifter or others seeking training who are:

training in an area specified by the Victorian Skills Commission as an area of critical skills shortage for exemption purposes; or
significantly disadvantaged in the labour market.

Limited eligibility exemption places are available and preference will be given to those applicants who meet one of the above criteria and are enrolling in a Diploma or Advanced Diploma. Consideration will also be given to those applicants enrolling in a Certificate IV.

Exemptions will apply to all of the hours in a Diploma and/or Diploma qualification, up to completion. An exemption provides access to a Government funded enrolment place, and does not extend to student tuition or other fees, which apply to these enrolments in the same way as to all other enrolments.

Students must also be an Australian Citizen, permanent resident, or hold a Special Category Visa (for New Zealand students). Eligibility exemptions cannot be granted to a person who is ineligible on citizenship/residency grounds.

The responsibility for granting exemptions rests with the CEO and interested applicants should contact Bendigo TAFE Manager Student Administration via sparker@bendigotafe.edu.au or phone 1300 554 248.