Fees & financial assistance

When you enrol at Northern Sydney Institute, you will need to pay the TAFE NSW fee, unless you qualify for a fee exemption or a fee concession.

When your enrolment is complete and you have paid or are exempt from payment of the TAFE NSW fee you are entitled to:

• attend class
• sit for examinations
• receive educational awards
• use amenities and services (including travel concessions and childcare places)
• receive an active TAFEcard (which provides access to library resources).

Non-Australian citizens, non-permanent Australian residents and non–New Zealand citizens may be required to pay a tuition fee in addition to the TAFE NSW fee.

Temporary visa holders should contact the college coordinator prior to enrolment to determine eligibility to study, details of fees and conditions that may apply. TAFE NSW will conduct an audit of your residency status following enrolment.

Existing worker trainees and school-based trainees are covered by separate funding arrangements and are not required to pay the fee.

Fees for NSI Plus, fee-for-service courses such as TAFE delivered HSC vocational education and training (TVET),and international students are priced differently.

Some students may be eligible for a Fee Waiver (PDF, 50KB) under certain programs, which currently includes the Diploma of Children’s Services (Early Childhood Education and Care) Course No.18208.

In addition to the TAFE NSW fee, some programs have course-related charges associated with them. Course-related charges cover the cost of materials, resources, equipment or services directly used in your course of study. Details of any course-related charges payable are listed on this site with each course.

TAFE NSW does not accept cash as a means of paying fees. You can pay the TAFE NSW fee and any other enrolment-related charges by:

• EFTPOS
• credit card (Visa or MasterCard)
• personal cheque, bank cheque or money order (payable to TAFE NSW – Northern Sydney Institute).

Note: If you are enrolling in a course which requires an application, you will have the option of paying the TAFE NSW fee (and other enrolment-related charges) via the internet. All re-enrolling students will be given the option of paying their TAFE NSW fees (and other enrolment-related charges) via the internet.

Enrolment-related charges may include course-related charges, licence fees, college association membership, commercial recognition, temporary visa holder tuition fees or fees for commercial courses.

The TAFE NSW fee applies to government-subsidised courses. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are exempt from paying the TAFE NSW fee.

Students in receipt of a disability support pension and students with a disability (clients of a TAFE disability consultant) are entitled to one full TAFE NSW fee exemption for one TAFE NSW course per year and are eligible for the $53 concession fee for subsequent enrolments in that calendar year.

Students who receive a Commonwealth benefit or allowance (see below) at the time of their enrolment may be eligible to pay a concession fee of $53 per course enrolment, rather than the full TAFE NSW fee.

• Age Pension
• Austudy including Veterans' Children Education Scheme
• Carer Payment
• Disability Support Pension
• Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment
• Family Tax Benefit Part A (maximum rate)
• Farm Help Income Support
• Mature Age Allowance
• Newstart Allowance
• Parenting Payment (Single)
• Sickness Allowance
• Special Benefit
• Veterans' Affairs Payments
• Veterans' Children Education Scheme
• Widow Pension including Widow 'B Pension
• Wife Pension
• Youth Allowance

Note: Students who are recognised as a dependant child, spouse or partner of a recipient of an eligible benefit or allowance may also be eligible for the concession fee.

If you are enrolled in the Higher School Certificate course, you may be given an exemption to do a vocational course related to your Higher School Certificate studies.

For certain Access courses identified as TAFE NSW introductory learning courses, you pay no TAFE NSW fee.

These Access courses teach skills in:

• community training
• employment skills
• literacy
• numeracy
• reading and writing
• school mentoring
• signed language
• volunteer tutoring
• work readiness

To find out if you are eligible for a full-fee exemption or concession fee, please contact the administration section of your local college or email nsi.study@tafensw.edu.au.

If you are eligible for a full-fee exemption or concession fee you will be required to complete an Exemption or Concession Application Form and supply documentary evidence supporting your application.

Financial assistance may be provided by Centrelink for students studying full-time and part-time. Contact your local Centrelink office for an application form to receive Austudy, Youth Allowance, New Start and other types of payments. TAFE NSW counsellors can provide you with application and information packs. Contact Centrelink on 132 490.

Some courses are eligible for VET FEE-HELP. VET FEE-HELP is a loan scheme introduced by the Australian government to assist students to pay tuition fees for certain higher level courses. See VET FEE-HELP for more information

Free travel is available to full-time students studying more than 20 hours a week, who are under 18 years of age and do not work. The student administration section can also provide other eligible students with concessions for public and private transport. You should check your eligibility for travel concessions with the administration section of your college.

Contact us for more information.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) may allow you to deduct expenses for self-education under certain circumstances. Information about eligibility conditions for claiming a deduction is available on the ATO website.

You should keep your receipts to support claimable expenses.