Smart and Skilled
The Smart and Skilled program provides eligible domestic students with Government funding for specific courses in sectors where upskilling and employment are a priority.
NSW Smart and Skilled funded training
The NSW Government provides subsidised training, making it affordable and attainable. Most of the course fees are covered by the government, offering a valuable opportunity to acquire the essential skills required for a career through subsidised training.
Bedford College is an approved provider of the NSW Smart and Skilled Program. This training is subsidised by the NSW Government. The NSW Government has set the student fee for the whole qualification.
Smart and Skilled provides eligible students with:
- An entitlement to government-subsidised training up to and including Certificate III;
- Government funding for higher-level courses (Certificate IV and above) in targeted priority areas
For more information, visit the Smart and Skilled websites below:
Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer
Under the Smart and Skilled Program, students can gain Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Credit Transfer. Where students are granted RPL for one or more units of competency, the student fee will be adjusted.
Course Fees
Under Smart and Skilled Program, the NSW Government contributes to the cost of an approved course with the eligible student paying the balance.
Fees apply for your selected program. The fee amount you pay, and the government contribution depends upon your eligibility. The courses are subsidised for all eligible participants with a further concession rate available for those in receipt of some Commonwealth benefits. The schedule of fees can be accessed here.
If you are in receipt of an eligible Commonwealth benefit or allowance, we will need documentation from you may be eligible for fee exemption.
If you apply for Recognition of Prior Learning or Credit Transfer the qualification price will be adjusted and a new student fee will be determined.
Students are expected to pay additional fees, not covered under the Smart and Skilled program i.e textbooks, uniforms, gown hire etc. Please refer to our service and incidental costs here.
If you answered ‘Yes’ to all four questions, you’re eligible for Smart and Skilled training.
To be eligible for Smart and Skilled, you must be:
- 15 years old or over
- No longer at school
- Living or working in NSW?
- An Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, humanitarian visa holder or New Zealand citizen
For more information and to check your eligibility, visit the Smart and Skilled website.
Bedford College offers the following subsidised training courses
Diploma of Business
Diploma of Leadership and Management
Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
Certificate IV in School Based Education Support
Diploma of School Age Education and Care
Certificate III in Individual Support
Certificate IV in Ageing Support
Diploma of Community Services
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
Fee-free Traineeships
The traineeship is subsidised by the NSW Government for Eligible New Entrant Trainees. There is no fee for eligible New Entrant Trainees in NSW. Students and employers do not need to pay for the tuition fees.
Traineeships are a proven pathway to well-paid jobs in a diverse range of careers. These traineeships are a great career pathway. They combine on-the-job training with formal study to give you the skills and experience employers are looking for. Traineeships generally take around 1-2 years to complete, and trainees earn a salary while they learn.
The NSW Department of Education will pay the student fee on behalf of trainees who fit the eligibility requirements below. The fee will be paid directly to the approved Smart and Skilled training provider.
We offer New Entrant Traineeship courses in:
A New Entrant Traineeship is available to anyone within the first 3 months of commencing full time employment with an employer. They may also qualify if they are within the first 12 months of a part-time employment arrangement or within 3 months of completing a pre-requisite qualification.
Access to fee-free training is available to trainees, including school-based trainees, whose training:
- Is funded under the NSW Government’s Smart and Skilled program, and
- Commences on or after 1 January 2020
For more information and to check your eligibility, visit the NSW Fee-Free Traineeships website.