APPLICATIONS for 200,000 free vocational education and training places are now open under the State Government’s Smart and Skilled fee-free scholarship program, Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall said today.
Mr Marshall said that the government was providing the free training places over the next four years to help young people gain the skills and qualifications they needed to secure a job.
“Applications for fee-free scholarships opened yesterday (1 July) for young people, aged 15 to 30, who receive benefits such as a Newstart Allowance or a Youth Allowance,” he said.
“I encourage eligible people throughout the Northern Tablelands to consider applying.
“The program will allow 200,000 disadvantaged young people to go to TAFE or other vocational education and training providers with paying a single cent in student fees, with priority given to residents of social housing.
Mr Marshall said people who met Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarship eligibility criteria (1) could choose from more than 580 qualifications from Certificate I to Certificate IV level, including Apprenticeships and Traineeships, and would be able complete their training without paying a student fee.
For more information on Smart and Skilled Fee Free Scholarships, including eligibility, see the ‘for students’ pages at www.smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au or contact State Training Services on 1300 772 104 or enquiries@smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au.
To be eligible for a Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarship, the student must commence training in a Smart and Skilled course, on or after, 1 July 2015, be eligible for a concession fee, and meet the eligibility criteria for a government training place under Smart and Skilled.
Smart and Skilled personal and program eligibility
- no longer at school
- living or working in NSW
- an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, Australian permanent humanitarian visa holder or New Zealand citizen
- have not completed a Certificate IV or higher-level qualification (except for Apprenticeships and Traineeships which are available regardless of previous qualifications held)
Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarship eligibility
- Studying a Certificate I – Certificate IV level qualification on the NSW Skills List (see course finder at www.smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au)
- Aged between 15 and 30 years old at the start of training
- Eligible for a Smart and Skilled concession fee.
Smart and Skilled concession fee eligibility
A student must be either a Commonwealth Welfare recipient or the dependant of a Commonwealth Welfare recipient (see table below), or a student with a disability, or the dependant of a disability support pension recipient, who is undertaking a second qualification in a single calendar year and who has received a fee exemption for the first qualification.
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