Online courses in Australia
From upskilling, to starting a new line of work, get qualified now with an online course.
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There's never been a better time to brush up on industry skills or delve into a field that's piqued your interest.
With a plethora of options at your fingertips, find out what there is to know about what types of courses are on offer, eligibility for financial assistance and career prospects.
Where can I find online courses in Australia?
What types of online courses are available?
Curious where an online course can take you? Browse through a range of different courses to suit every learner.
TAFE Online
- Best for: Career.
- Duration: 12-24 months.
- Will I get accreditation? Yes. Obtain full accreditation in a number of vocational courses with industry-specific teachers and online support. Become certificate or diploma qualified in a number of fields, including Commerce, Early Childcare, Administration, IT Project Management, Photography, Aged Care and First Aid.
University courses
- Best for: Career.
- Duration: Upwards of 3 years.
- Will I get accreditation? Yes. Get a degree without being physically on campus. A multitude of Australian universities offer online courses that follow the standard semester calendar. Consider looking into Open Universities, Swinburne, CQUniversity and Griffith University for a grasp on what your options are.
Short courses
- Best for: Upskilling.
- Duration: A few days.
- Will I get accreditation? This is dependent on the course. These courses are usually offered as introduction classes or brush ups on topics such as languages or the responsible service of alcohol/gambling. RSA and RCG courses do result in accreditation.
Free courses
- Best for: Upskilling.
- Duration: Hours to a day.
- Will I get accreditation? No. Free courses are better considered as tools to improve on a specific skill. Make the most from independent bloggers offering a guide in their area of expertise, to university institutions like Deakin University providing skill-set courses in leadership or design.
Workshops
- Best for: Upskilling.
- Duration: A few days.
- Will I get accreditation? No. This is best if something has caught your eye and you're not sure if it's for you. There's no need to fully commit to a course with a variety of workshops available, some of which include writing, art and photography.
Certificates
- Best for: Expression of interest and career.
- Duration: 12-24 months.
- Will I get accreditation? Yes. Online courses that result in certificate-accreditation come in levels of up to four. Level one offers individuals a fundamental knowledge of the topic while level four focuses on specialised learning.
Diplomas
- Best for: Career
- Duration: 12-24 months
- Will I get accreditation? Yes. These courses sit a level above certificates and provide an in-depth knowledge of your chosen subject. You'll receive an online diploma when you complete the course.
What topics of study are available?
- Accounting and Finance
- Advertising
- Aged Care
- Agriculture
- Alternative Medicine
- Animal Care
- Architecture
- Arts and Humanities
- Barista
- Beauty Therapy
- Building and Construction
- Business and Management
- Community Service
- Counselling
- Criminology
- Dental Assistant
- Digital Media
- Entertainment
- Event Management
- Fashion Design
- First Aid
- Fitness
- Floristry
- Food Handling
- Government
- Graphic Design
- Health and Safety
- Horticulture
- Human Resources
- International Studies
- Interior Design
- Journalism
- Languages
- Librarian Studies
- Marriage Celebrant
- Massage
- Media Studies
- Medical Reception
- Nail Technician
- Naturopathy
- Nursing
- Nutrition
- Pharmacy
- Photography
- Programming and Web Development
- Public Relations
- Real Estate
- RSA
- Security
- Teaching
- White Card
Do I get a certificate with online courses?
This depends on the course you're taking. Courses such as the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA), Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) and First Aid all involve a certificate of completion.
Degree, diploma and certificate courses also provide a testament that you've passed and finished.
Can I take a nationally recognised or accredited course online?
Yes. Institutions have adapted their learning structures to suit anyone and everyone. This includes those who want to complete an accredited course from the comfort of their home.
Some institutions that offer nationally recognised or accredited courses online are Open Universities, Swinburne, Griffith University, CQUniversity and TAFE.
If I sign up for an online course can I get government funding or financial assistance?
This depends on the type of course you're undertaking. TAFE students can apply for VET help upon enrollment.
If your online course involves a full-time study load, you'll have access to Centrelink's Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY Living Allowance.
Each state and territory has its own form of financial assistance for certificate, diploma and traineeship courses. Find the state-specific funding options below, eligibility criteria applies.
- NSW: Smart and Skilled.
- ACT: Skilled Capital and User Choice.
- VIC: Skills First.
- TAS: Skills Tasmania.
- SA: Work Ready.
- WA: Jobs and Skills.
- NT: User Choice
- QLD: Certificate 3 Guarantee, Higher Level Skills, Fee Free Training for Year 12 Graduates, User Choice, Free Training for Apprenticeships.
Courses such as RSA, RCG, First Aid and workshops are ineligible for government assistance.
What are the career options with online courses?
These are the type of career options you can expect from each course. Keep in mind though that the exact job you'll qualify for with these courses depends on the level of certificate, diploma or degree you obtain.
| Course | Career options |
|---|---|
| Accounting and Finance |
|
| Advertising |
|
| Aged Care |
|
| Agriculture |
|
| Alternative Medicine |
|
| Animal Care |
|
| Architecture |
|
| Arts and Humanities |
|
| Barista |
|
| Beauty Therapy |
|
| Building and Construction |
|
| Business and Management |
|
| Community Service |
|
| Criminology |
|
| Dental Assistant |
|
| Digital Media |
|
| Entertainment |
|
| Event Management |
|
| Fashion Design |
|
| First Aid |
|
| Fitness |
|
| Floristry |
|
| Government |
|
| Graphic Design |
|
| Health and Safety |
|
| Human Resources |
|
| Horticulture |
|
| International Studies |
|
| Interior Design |
|
| Journalism |
|
| Librarian Studies |
|
| Marriage Celebrant |
|
| Massage |
|
| Media Studies |
|
| Medical Reception |
|
| Naturopathy |
|
| Nursing |
|
| Nutrition |
|
| Pharmacy |
|
| Photography |
|
| Phlebotomy |
|
| Programming and Web Development |
|
| Public Relations |
|
| Real Estate |
|
| Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) |
|
| Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) |
|
| Security |
|
| White Card |
|
Where can I find free online courses?
Upskill today without breaking the bank with a free online course from:
- The Great Course
- Udemy
- Kaplan SelfTest
- Edureka
- Coursera
- Deakin University
- FutureLearn
- Charles Darwin University Australia
- Codecademy
How much time do online courses require?
We'd narrow this down to what you're looking for from your online course.
Most online courses are based on schedule flexibility, so they are calculated in hours rather than a month or year time frame. Courses can run anywhere between 10 and 360 hours for accreditation or completion.
If you're testing the waters with something that might be of interest, you can usually complete a course in a few months. In cases such as RSA and RCG accreditation, you can be certified in a matter of hours.
On the other hand, courses such as childcare, veterinary assistance, personal training and aged care tend to include multiple modules that span over a longer period of time.
If you're looking to start fresh, it might be worth investing in a full package course.
What equipment and software will I need?
Although specific requirements vary between courses, there are a few items that you'll need for all online courses. These are:
- Laptop or computer
- Internet connection
- Recent version of Windows or MAC OSX
- Adobe Reader and Windows Media Player to access image and video content
- Potentially: Zoom or Skype. You may be required to partake in video chats. In such case, you'll want to have the relevant sortware and programs.
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