Are you planning to build your skills to find a job and advance your career? You may be able to get subsidised training for selected courses through the NSW Government program, Smart and Skilled.  

Eligibility

To be eligible, you need to be:

  • at least 15 years old
  • no longer at high school
  • living or working in NSW (or an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person living in specific defined interstate NSW border areas)
  • an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, humanitarian visa holder or New Zealand citizen
  • the holder of a valid Unique Student Identifier (USI) or an applicant for one.

Your eligibility for a government-subsidised Smart and Skilled course: 

  • does not depend on previous qualifications
  • 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.

How it works

Smart and Skilled covers:

  • up to Certificate III level courses
  • training at Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma level, depending on the availability of funding for these courses
  • training that supports some apprenticeships and traineeships.

Get started

Next steps

When you find your preferred training provider or course, contact the training provider to confirm your eligibility, exemptions (if applicable) and course availability.

Last published: 8 May 2026

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