Fees, Funding and Loans
Learn more about our fees, funding and VET Student Loans.
Course Fees
Student fees consist of:
- Tuition Fees
- Student Services Fee
- Material Fees
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees cover the costs of your classes and learning, and assessment activities. These fees vary across different courses and different student categories, depending on whether you are eligible for subsidised funding from the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments. Ineligible students will pay full fees. Concession rates can apply for some students. Tuition fees are based on a rate per nominal hour. The number of nominal hours you enrol into depends upon the number and types of units within your course.
Student Services Fee
An annual student services fee contributes to the provision of student engagement, learning and support services. It does not apply to short course participants. This fee is non-refundable.
Material Fees
Some courses may have charges to cover costs of learning materials, online licenses, equipment, consumables, uniforms, books, excursions and incidentals. This fee will vary according to the course being undertaken.
To find out how much your course will cost, refer to www.gotafe.vic.edu.au/study/all-courses for individual course fees, or call 1300 GOTAFE (468 233) or visit a campus and speak to one of our Student Enquiry and Engagement Officers.
Subsidised Funding
When you apply to undertake an accredited course or qualification, you will take part in a Pre-Training Review interview to make sure that the course chosen is the most suitable option for you, and to evaluate your eligibility for a funded course. You will be asked a series of questions about your citizenship and past education history. You will be asked to sign an Application for Skills First Funding and Student Eligibility Declaration Form verifying your eligibility and provide Proof of Identity.
To be eligible for government subsidised training in Victoria, candidates must meet citizenship and other criteria, including undertaking their course within Victoria or some specified border regions.
Use the Eligibility Indicator to see if you are eligible.
Non Funded Course
Most accredited courses and qualifications are government funded. However, there are some courses that are either non-accredited, or are accredited but not listed on the Victorian government’s funded courses list. These courses are “Fee for Service” where the student pays full fees. There are no concessions available for Fee for Service courses.
Ineligible for Funding
Some student groups are not eligible for subsidised funded training, including:
- Those who do not meet the eligibility requirements
- International and interstate students (except those in specified border regions)
- School students undertaking VET courses, unless enrolled in a School-based Apprenticeship or Traineeship
- Students enrolled under Fee for Service arrangements
- Students undertaking non-accredited or non-funded courses.
If it is determined that you are ineligible for a Victorian Government Subsidised place, you will be required to pay full fees for your course.
Free TAFE
There are several courses where the Victorian Government covers the tuition fees for eligible students. You will still be required to pay the Student Services Fee and Material Fees.
Check if the course you are interested in is on the Free TAFE for Priority Courses list www.vic.gov.au/free-tafe. Eligibility for Free TAFE depends on your education history of prior access to Free TAFE. Please discuss this with the Student Enquiry and Engagement Staff.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can access free tuition fees where applicable.
Concession Rates
Students who are eligible for government subsidised tuition and hold (or are listed as dependents on) a current concession card will be able to access concessions on the tuition part of their fees. To receive a concession, you must present a current concession card at the time of enrolment and before your course starts. At the discretion of GOTAFE, concession cards may be accepted if presented within 28 days of the Course Commencement Date. If a concession card is presented after 28 days of Course Commencement, concessions may be applied for units that have not commenced.
Concession cards include:
- Commonwealth Health Care Card
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Veteran’s Gold card
Asylum seekers can access concession fees where applicable.
Concession fees do not apply to:
- Students enrolling into Diploma or Advanced Diploma courses
- Student Services Fees and Material Fees
- Students ineligible for Victorian Government funding
- Courses not subsidised by Victorian Government funding
- Students whose tuition fees are being paid by a Commonwealth Government agency or as part of a Commonwealth program or initiative.
Payment Methods
GOTAFE fees and charges are due and payable on or before the start date of each course.
Students can pay fees at the major campus locations – Shepparton, Wangaratta, Benalla, and Seymour by:
- Cash
- Cheque
- EFTPOS
- Credit card, or
- Payment Plan (through direct debit arrangement)
An employer or third party (sponsor) can pay for the student fees by paying an invoice on behalf of a student. Tax invoices are payable no later than 14 days from the date of issue.
Students are not permitted to commence classes without payment or having a Payment Plan in place. Students may be excluded from classes or referred to a debt collection agency if fees and charges are not paid or they have defaulted on the Payment Plan.
Payment Plans
Payment plans may be provided by GOTAFE to the student for their fees. You will need to bring your banking details to the campus reception to set up your Payment Plan.
Note: If you are under 18 years of age, you will require a parent/guardian signature for the payment plan.
Payment plans are not available for short courses.
Pre-paid Fees
GOTAFE will require you to pay fees that apply to units in the course you are studying for the current calendar year. If your course runs for more than one year, you will be invoiced and asked to pay for the next set of units in the next year.
Where GOTAFE requires, either directly or through a third party, a prospective or current student to prepay fees in excess of a total of $1500 (being the threshold prepaid fee amount), GOTAFE must meet the requirements set out in the Prepaid fee protection measures in the Compliance Requirements Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2025.
If GOTAFE is unable to provide services for which the student has prepaid, the student will
- Be placed into an equivalent course at a suitable location and receive all services for which they have paid at no additional cost to the student; or
- Be refunded the prepaid fees for services yet to be delivered, which are above the threshold prepaid fee amount.
Student Loans
VET Student Loans may be available to students studying approved Diploma qualifications. These are Commonwealth Government income contingent loans and are paid back via the taxation system.
VET Student Loans apply to tuition fees only; students will still pay the Student Services Fee and Material Fees.
Refer to VET Student Loans for further information.
Refunds
Full refunds are available where the course is cancelled by GOTAFE before it commences.
Refunds may be available for students who withdraw from some or all Units in their course.
For Units where the student has not commenced participation in the training associated with the Unit, 100% of the tuition and material fees associated with the Units will be refunded.
For Units that have commenced, 100% of tuition fees and material fees for consumables will be refunded if the withdrawal is requested within 28 days of the Course Commencement Date.
If the withdrawal request is later than 28 days, no tuition or material fee refunds will apply for units that have commenced.
Student Services Fees are not refundable.
Students who withdraw to accept a place of study at another educational institute before starting at GOTAFE will receive a full refund upon presentation of the Letter of Offer from the institution with the Application for Refund form.
Refunds for Short Courses
Full refunds are available where the short course is cancelled by GOTAFE before it commences.
Refunds of 100% will be available to students who withdraw up to 5 days prior to the commencement of the short course.
A refund of 80% will be provided if notification of withdrawal is received within 1 day prior to the commencement of the short course.
Other Charges
Printing Credit
Students accessing printing services at GOTAFE facilities have access to a personal printing account to which they apply print credit. Unused print credit at the end of each calendar year is non-refundable.
Document Replacement Charges
- Certificate replacement $55.00
- Statement of Attainment $30.00
- Statement of results $15.00
- Student ID Card replacement $25.00
GST
Depending on the subject or course selected, and in some cases, the purpose for which the student is undertaking the course, a 10% GST will be charged on that part of the fee.
Skills Recognition
There is no cost for credit transfers.
Where a student is seeking Recognition of Prior Learning, fees will be applicable.
Unpaid Fees
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all fees or debts are paid.
Students may be referred to a debt collection agency if fees & charges are not paid or do not have a Payment Plan in place with regular payments occurring.
Students may not:
- be permitted to attend class, or
- be permitted to enrol into further units or another course, or
- receive Statements of Results, Statements of Attainment or Qualification Certificates.
If you are having difficulty paying fees due to hardship, please speak to a GOTAFE Welfare and Retention Officer.
More Information
Further information can be found in the published policies and procedures on the GOTAFE website.