ECEC Vocational Education and Training Scholarships
The Department of Education is committed to attracting, retaining, growing and developing an engaged and valued early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce to deliver high quality services for children and families in NSW.
Applications for the 2023-24 ECEC VET Scholarships Program closed on 17 December 2023.
The 2023/24 ECEC Vocational Education and Training (VET) Scholarships Program supports this commitment by providing eligible scholars with financial support to complete an ECEC VET qualification.
There are four scholarship streams available under the 2023/24 ECEC VET Scholarships Program:
Certificate III in ECEC (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC30121)
Certificate III in Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - 10983NAT)
Diploma of ECEC (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC50121)
Diploma of School Age Education and Care (SAEC) (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC50221)
Eligibility criteria
Applications will be assessed against the eligibility criteria outlined below.
To be eligible to apply for a 2023/24 ECEC VET scholarships, applicants must:
- be enrolled either part time or full time in a:
- Certificate III in Early Education and Care (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC30121)
- Certificate III in Outside School Hours Care (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - 10983NAT)
- Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC50121)
- Diploma of School Age Education and Care (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC50221)
- be enrolled in an eligible qualification with a Smart and Skilled Registered Training Organisation (RTO)
- be either an Australian citizen, permanent resident, humanitarian visa holder or a New Zealand citizen, residing in NSW*
- expect to complete an eligible qualification by 31 December 2028
- have at least 3 units of an eligible qualification left to complete at the time of application (units can have been commenced)
be intending to work, or continue working, in one of the following NSW ECEC service types: centre-based preschool, mobile preschool, long day care, family day care or outside school hours care, upon qualification completion.
Applications will be assessed on individual merit rather than in comparison to other applications.
*An exemption from the NSW residency criteria may be provided on a case-by-case basis. This will be considered where an applicant resides in a defined interstate border area and has an intention to work, or continue working, in an NSW ECEC service (centre-based preschool, mobile preschool, long day care, family day care or outside school hours care), upon qualification completion.
Scholarship award
Scholars studying a Certificate III level qualification will be eligible to receive up to $3,000. Scholars studying a Diploma level qualification will be eligible to receive up to $5,000.
| Qualification | Total possible award |
|---|---|
| Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC30121). | $3,000 |
| Certificate III in Outside School Hours Care (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - 10983NAT) | $3,000 |
| Diploma of Early Childhood Education (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC50121) | $5,000 |
| Diploma of School Age Education and Care (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC50221) | $5,000 |
Application requirements
The following evidence will be required for your application:
- confirmation of enrolment in an eligible course with a Smart and Skilled Registered Training Organisation (RTO)
- proof of identity
- proof of NSW home address
- proof of Australian citizenship, permanent residency, humanitarian visa holder, or New Zealand citizenship*
The name on your application must match the name on all documentation required for your application unless evidence of a name change is provided.
*Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants do not need to provide evidence.
To be eligible for a 2023/24 ECEC VET scholarship, you must be enrolled with a with a Smart and Skilled Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
Smart and Skilled is a NSW Government program that provides government-subsidised training to help you get skills to find a job and advance your career.
To check you’re enrolled with a Smart and Skilled RTO:
1. Go to Skills NSW's Preschool Education webpage.
2. Search and click the qualification you are enrolled in:
Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30121)
Outside School Hours Care (10983NAT)
Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50121)
Diploma of School Age Education and Care (CHC50221)
3. Check that your RTO is included in the list in the ‘Provider’ section.
A confirmation of enrolment would have been provided to you by your registered training organisation (RTO) upon enrolment into your course, i.e., your letter of offer or training plan.
View examples of confirmation of enrolment (PDF 691KB).
A confirmation of enrolment must include:
your full name
RTO details
- national course code or course name.
Requirements updated on 7 November 2023. Home address is no longer required and national course code and/or course name is now accepted.
A current NSW Drivers Licence (a digital NSW Drivers Licence is accepted), or
a NSW Photo Card,
a student card issued by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), or
a current Medicare card, or
a full birth certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or
a New Zealand birth certificate, or
a current Australian Passport, or one that expired within the last 2 years (passports that have been cancelled are not accepted), or
a current New Zealand Passport, or
a citizenship certificate, or
a Permanent resident visa, or
a Humanitarian visa, or
a registration or drivers licence renewal notice.
A current NSW Drivers Licence (a digital NSW Drivers Licence is accepted), or
a NSW Photo Card, or
a recent utility bill (up to 6 months old) e.g. gas, electricity, home phone etc., or
a current rent or lease agreement, or
a current rates notice, or
a registration or drivers licence renewal notice, or
a recent official letter from government service providers e.g. Centrelink, Medicare notice, conformation of electoral enrolment etc., or
an insurance policy notice e.g. home insurance policy, health insurance policy etc.
Proof of a NSW home address must include:
Your name
Your address
A full birth certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or
a New Zealand birth certificate, or
a current Australian Passport, or one that expired within the last 2 years (passports that have been cancelled are not accepted), or
a current New Zealand Passport, or
a citizenship certificate, or
a Permanent resident visa, or
- a Humanitarian visa.
*Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants do not need to provide evidence.
Payment schedule
Payments will be made to scholars in 2 instalments:
The first instalment will be paid once a scholar has been notified of their eligible outcome and the department has received and accepted all scholarship set up documentation.
Scholarship set up documentation includes a Deed of Agreement (scholarship contract and authority to release form) and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) form (bank account details). This will be sent via DocuSign.
Scholars will receive an email from the department via DocuSign confirming acceptance of scholarship set up documentation. Payment will be made within 30 business days of this email being sent.
The second instalment will be paid once a scholar has provided evidence of qualification completion*, via ecec.scholarships@det.nsw.edu.au, and the department has verified and accepted this evidence. Qualification completion evidence must be:
a transcript demonstrating eligibility for the qualification, or,
- an official certification document that confirms that a qualification has been awarded to an individual.
*From 16 May 2024, a certificate of proficiency is no longer accepted as evidence of qualification completion.
Evidence of qualification completion must be provided by 31 March 2029. Scholars that do not complete their qualification by 31 December 2028 and submit evidence of completion by 31 March 2029 will not be eligible for instalment 2.
Scholars will receive an email from the scholarship team confirming the acceptance of completion evidence. Payment will be made within 30 business days of this email being sent.
| Qualification | Instalment 1 | Payment trigger: Instalment 1 | Instalment 2 | Payment trigger: Instalment 2 | Total value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Certificate III in ECEC (CHC30121) |
$1,000 | Scholarship awarded and completion/ acceptance of set up documentation | $2,000 | Department’s acceptance of completion evidence | $3,000 |
Certificate III in OSHC (10983NAT) |
$1,000 | Scholarship awarded and completion/ acceptance of set up documentation | $2,000 | Department’s acceptance of completion evidence | $3,000 |
Diploma of ECEC (CHC50121) |
$2,000 | Scholarship awarded and completion/ acceptance of set up documentation | $3,000 | Department’s acceptance of completion evidence | $5,000 |
Diploma of SAEC (CHC50221) |
$2,000 | Scholarship awarded and completion/ acceptance of set up documentation | $3,000 | Department’s acceptance of completion evidence | $5,000 |
Use of funds
Funding provided under the 2023/24 ECEC VET scholarships program can be used to offset prospective and retrospective cost associated with studying including, but not limited to, purchasing technology, stationery, internet access and transportation.
Key dates
Applications for this program closed on Sunday 17 December 2023.
In the case that applications exceed the allocated budget, eligible applicants will be prioritised based on date of lodgement.
| Activity | Date(s) |
|---|---|
| Applications open | 9 October 2023 |
| Applications closed | 11:59 pm on Sunday 17 December 2023 |
| Applicants notified of outcome | From 2 months after submission |
| Instalment 1 | From 2 months after outcome |
| Completion evidence submitted | By 31 March 2029 |
| Instalment 2 | 30 business days from acceptance of completion evidence |
This timeline only applies to eligible scholars that have accurately provided all scholarship set up documentation by the due date determined by the department.
Any scholarship application documentation and set up documentation that is submitted incorrectly or after the due date identified by the department may result in a delayed notification or payment.
In the event of significant changes to this timeline, the sector and/or applicants will be notified by the department.
Frequently asked questions
When will I know the outcome of my application?
Once submitted, applications will be checked for eligibility and completeness. The Department may contact applicants during this phase to confirm information.
The department anticipates that applicants will be notified of the application outcome from 2 months after their application was submitted if correct and complete documentation was provided. Incorrect or incomplete documentation may result to delays to this timeline.
In the event of significant changes to this timeline, the sector and/or applicants will be notified by the department.
I have completed my course, how do I submit my confirmation of completion to receive my final payment?
Once you have received your confirmation of completion, please email your course completion evidence to ecec.scholarships@det.nsw.edu.au.
Evidence of course completion* should include either:
a transcript demonstrating eligibility for the qualification, or
an official certification document that confirms that a qualification has been awarded to an individual
*From 16 May 2024, a certificate of proficiency is no longer accepted as evidence of qualification completion.
Once I have completed my course, what can I spend my final payment on?
The final payment can be used to offset any retrospective costs associated with studying.
I am completing my qualification via a traineeship pathway. Am I eligible to apply?
Yes, applicants completing any of the following courses via a traineeship pathway are eligible to apply for a scholarship:
Certificate III in ECEC (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC30121)
Certificate III in Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - 10983NAT)
Diploma of ECEC (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC50121)
- Diploma of School Age Education and Care (SAEC) (Qualification or Traineeship Pathway - CHC50221)
If I receive a scholarship, will I automatically receive a Smart and Skilled NSW Fee Free training?
No, a scholarship does not guarantee a NSW Fee Free training. Visit Skills NSW for information and eligibility on NSW Fee Free training available.
Should Fee Free training not be available, eligible scholars could choose to use their scholarship funding to offset the cost of course fees.
Do I need to be employed in a centre-based preschool, mobile preschool, long day care, family day care or outside school hours care to be eligible for this scholarship?
No, but you must be intending to work in one of these service types listed above upon completion of your qualification
Do I need to get my identification documentation Justice of the Peace (JP) certified?
No, applicants do not need to get their identification documentation certified by a JP.
Contact Us
If you have any enquiries about the 2023-24 ECEC VET Scholarships Program, please contact the department by phone on 1800 619 113 or by email at ecec.scholarships@det.nsw.edu.au.
To ensure a prompt and accurate enquiry support, please include the following details in your email:
name
contact information
scholarship stream
application ID
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants can also contact a First Nations team member by emailing aboriginaleceworkforce@det.nsw.edu.au.