Subsidised training for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Smart and Skilled qualifications are subsidised by the NSW Government. Eligible Aboriginal students are entitled to fee-free government subsidised training in priority skill areas with approved training providers.
This training gives you the chance to gain the skills you need to get a job and advanced your career.
Am I eligible for Smart and Skilled?
To be eligible for Smart and Skilled training you must:
- be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, New Zealand citizen, humanitarian visa holder and
- be aged 15 years or older, and
- live or work in NSW, (or be an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person living in specific defined interstate NSW border areas) and
- no longer be at secondary school, and
- be the holder of a valid Unique Student Identifier (USI) or an applicant for one.
Home schooled students
Eligibility for Smart and Skilled is extended to registered home schooled students whose training commenced on or after 1 January 2017.
Home schooled students registered with the NSW Education Standards Authority until 5th May 2025 and with the NSW Department of Education from 6th May 2025, are eligible for Smart and Skilled.
How do I prove I am Aboriginal?
When you enrol with your training provider you will be asked if you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This means you identify as Australian Aboriginal (or Torres Strait Islander), are Aboriginal by descent and your community recognises you as Aboriginal. You may be asked to provide documentary evidence of these three areas.
What about student fees?
Eligible Aboriginal students do not pay a fee for any Smart and Skilled qualification they undertake, regardless of the number of qualifications in which they enrol, or the level of the qualification.
Where can I get training?
If you are eligible for Smart and Skilled you can choose an approved training provider that best meets your needs, including TAFE NSW.
Find a course and provider
Use Skills NSW to search for qualifications and registered training providers.
What qualifications can I study?
The NSW Skills List covers the subsidised qualifications, from Certificate II to Advanced Diploma, selected Foundation Skills courses, all apprenticeships and traineeship and all the qualifications where their units can be selected for part qualifications.
Qualifications on the Skills List are those that will lead to jobs and further career options.
What other support is available?
Additional assistance is given to training providers to support training for Aboriginal people. Training Services Aboriginal staff can provide advice and assistance on vocational training pathways, and apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities.