Smart and Skilled Subsidised Training
- Full Qualification Program

What is Smart and Skilled?

Smart and Skilled is the NSW Government program for government-subsidised Vocational

Education and Training (VET). It aims to help people in NSW get in-demand qualifications

so they can find a job and/or advance their career.

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
  • access to short courses in priority areas.

Training under NSW Fee Free is fee free and fully funded by the NSW and Commonwealth governments

You can find out more information about government subsidised training here: https://education.nsw.gov.au/skills-nsw

Smart and Skilled student eligibility criteria

A person who is eligible to receive subsidised training in all Smart and Skilled Programs (except

Smart and Skilled Entitlement Apprenticeships and Traineeships Program) is a person who, at

the time of enrolment in a qualification or course on the NSW Skills List or a “short course” with

a Smart and Skilled provider:

(a) lives or works in NSW (determined by postcode of the usual place of residence or

place of work); or

(b) an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student who does not live or work in NSW

but lives in specific defined interstate NSW border areas.

(c) is:

(i) an Australian citizen; or

(ii) a permanent Australian resident; or

(iii) a New Zealand citizen; or

(iv) a humanitarian visa holder or a partner visa holder whose sponsor is a

humanitarian visa holder. This includes:

  • Permanent visas
  • Emergency rescue visa (Subclass 203)
  • Global special humanitarian programme visa (Subclass 202)
  • In-country special humanitarian programme visa (Subclass 201)
  • Protection visa (Subclass 866)
  • Refugee visa (Subclass 200)
  • Woman at Risk visa (Subclass 204)
  • Temporary visas
  • Bridging Visa A (BVA)
  • Bridging Visa B (BVB)
  • Bridging Visa C (BVC)
  • Bridging Visa D (BVD)
  • Bridging Visa E (BVE)
  • Safe Haven Enterprise visa (Subclass 790)
  • Temporary Humanitarian Concern visa (Subclass 786)
  • Temporary Humanitarian Stay visa (Subclass 449)
  • Temporary Protection visa (Subclass 785)
  • Partner Visa
  • Partner (Provisional and Migrant) visa (subclass 309 100)
  • Partner visa (subclass 820 801)

(d) is aged 15 years or older; and

(e) is no longer in secondary education – except for registered home school students

(f) Permanent residency

For some programs under Smart and Skilled subsidised training, the student may also need to meet the following criteria:

  • Job seeker. This includes someone who is unemployed, on income support payments or expected to become unemployed 
  • Young person (including school leaver) aged 16-24, regardless of employment status 
  • NSW veteran and their recognised partner or spouse 

Talk to SIIT to discuss your situation and we will be able to help work out your eligibility for subsidised training.

SIIT delivers government subsidised training in:

Training under NSW Fee Free is fee free and fully funded by the NSW and Commonwealth governments.

For more information on NSW Government subsidised training, click here: https://education.nsw.gov.au/skills-nsw

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