Smart and Skilled - Fee Free Training

What is the NSW Fee Free Initiative?

The funding will deliver a significant boost to the NSW skills and training sector by providing fee free places in courses that support NSW businesses and industries experiencing skills and labour shortages.

The fee free training places available will be rolled out under an initiative known as NSW Fee Free.

NSW Fee Free improves access to training for young people, job seekers, First Nations People, unpaid carers, women undertaking study in non-traditional trades and certain categories of visa holders.

All Smart and Skilled eligible students undertaking one of the priority courses in 2023 will not pay a fee. The goal is to increase access to vocational training and skills development across NSW and to provide greater opportunity for the people of NSW to secure employment in in demand and future focused industries.

As a NSW Government Smart and Skilled training provider, Maritime & Safety Training can help eligible students obtain this fully funded training.

Am I eligible for NSW Fee Free training?

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.

Under Skills NSW, you may be able to study a fee-free course if you are:

  • 15 years old or over
  • no longer at school
  • living or working in NSW
  • an Australian citizen, permanent resident, humanitarian visa holder or New Zealand citizen.

Your eligibility is not affected if you have completed a vocational education and training (VET) course, including a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, as part of your high school education.

There are some exceptions to the eligibility conditions described above, such as for Aboriginal people.

Use the Skills Compare search to find a course and check your eligibility.

Which of our courses are subsidised?

How to register for a NSW Fee Free course.

To register your interest in any of the available NSW Fee free courses, please click on the “Book” link for the relevant course above.