There's never been a better time to study, with fees heavily subsidised and HECS-HELP loans available for select graduate certificates in 2022, and a range of new undergraduate certificates on offer that let you qualify within six months. This is thanks to the Federal Government's initiative to support Australians affected by COVID-19, as part of its Job-ready Graduates Package.

Enhance your expertise, skills and employability with our range of future-focused university short courses. In just six months (full time), you'll gain a qualification that could refocus – or reinvent – your career.

These certificates may also provide credit towards further studies, including master and bachelor degrees. 

Undergraduate Certificate in Diet and Health

Take advantage of government subsidies to study in 2022!

Why study a VU certificate course in 2022?

Expand your potential

Reskill, upskill or specialise.
One semester duration

Study full time and get your qualification in six months.
Affordability

Government subsidies in 2022 and HECS-HELP student loans available.
Multiple intakes

February, May and July intake options available. See courses for enrolment dates.
Online classes

Graduate classes held online. (Undergraduate in-person.)
Award-winning VU Block Model

Courses delivered in the VU Block Model in four- and eight-week blocks.

Arts & research

Graduate Certificate in Research Skills

Graduate Certificate in Research Skills

Launch a career in research or prepare for a research degree with essential understanding of research methods, analytical skills, ethics, academic writing and communication.

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Graduate Certificate in Planetary Health

Learn how to design and apply innovative responses to ecological and social issues in your workplace and community, to create healthier, fairer, more sustainable environments.

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Graduate Certificate in Digital Content Creation

Explore the potential of digital media, graduating with a portfolio of innovative video, virtual reality, augmented reality and web design.

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Business

Undergraduate Certificate in Entrepreneurial mindset

Undergraduate Certificate in Entrepreneurial Mindset

Learn to identify business opportunities, develop ideas for ventures or start-ups, evaluate market information and pitch your ideas to gather support.

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Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics

Build on your professional experience with the skills to interpret algorithms and use machine learning techniques to capture important trends, predict anomalies and forecast business outcomes.

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Graduate Certificate in Transport Systems

Expand your transport-systems knowledge and skills, and prepare for further postgraduate study or a leadership position in the field.

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Education

Certificate IV in Education Support

Undergraduate Certificate in Education (P12) STEM

Make an informed assessment about education as a career, focusing particularly on in-demand science, technology, engineering and maths teaching.

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Undergraduate Certificate in Education Studies

Discover a career path in community education, local government, not-for-profit organisations and other learning environments.

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Undergraduate Certificate in Early Childhood Education

Discover learning theory and national frameworks, gain professional-development opportunities, and take a step towards a bachelor qualification.

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early childhood training

Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Education

Progress in the field of early childhood, with knowledge of responsive teaching focused on different ways of knowing, being and doing in the Australian context.

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Graduate Certificate in Teaching (Primary Education)

Gain foundational knowledge of teaching in primary education, including core skills in literacy, numeracy, science, and approaches to teaching and learning.

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Graduate Certificate in Education

Develop your knowledge of learning with a graduate program tailored to trainers and teachers in education, community, government and industry.

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Graduate Certificate in Digital Learning and Teaching

Graduate Certificate in Digital Learning & Teaching

Gain in-demand skills in digital-learning design and development to create effective online learning activities and content, graduating ready to work in this ever-expanding field.

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Engineering, science & IT

Undergraduate Certificate in Information Technology

Develop foundational knowledge of the Information Technology (IT) industry with the technical skills for an entry-level position.

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Undergraduate Certificate in Engineering Fundamentals

Graduate with a solid foundation in engineering concepts and the underlying skills, so that you can investigate and solve basic engineering problems using the latest technologies.

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Brady Hamilton

Undergraduate Certificate in Science & the Environment

Fuel your interest in science with a strong understanding of biological and ecological systems, human interactions with the environment, and outcomes for planetary health

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Cyber security students

Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security

Upskill in IT with sought-after knowledge in cyber threat detection, risk management, law and regulations.

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Pepper the Robot (Softbank Robotics)

Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence

Transform the future of work with a solid foundation of AI technologies and skills for application development.

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Graduate Certificate in Information Technology Project Management

Prepare for a rewarding role managing IT projects, or learn new skills for your current project-management position.

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Graduate Certificate in Construction Project Management

Graduate Certificate in Construction Project Management

Learn the fundamentals of project management for the construction industry. This course is designed to meet the needs of current and aspiring project managers.

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Graduate Certificate in Building Surveying.

Graduate Certificate in Building Surveying

Develop your skills in building surveying and prepare for success, with in-demand expertise in building regulations, construction compliance and inspection processes.

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Health & sport

A student of the Undergraduate Certificate in Health Science.

Undergraduate Certificate in Health Science

Get started on your career in the health industry, with knowledge of the Australian healthcare system and the people we care for.

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Undergraduate Certificate in Psychological Studies

Develop foundational understanding of key psychological areas, such as memory, language and cognition, personality, health, stress, and social psychology.

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Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics for Sport Performance

Gain a formal qualification in data science with a unique sports context, learning an essential programming language with insights from true industry leaders.

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Graduate Certificate in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (8 months)

Gain a strong understanding of child and adolescent mental health and wellbeing in this 8-month, fully online course.

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Graduate Certificate in Mental Health (8 months)

Drive positive impact in mental health with our fully online 8-month degree for allied health, welfare and social care professionals.

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Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing (8 months)

The demand for specialist nursing in mental health has never been greater. This 8-month, online course will give you a strong foundation in mental health nursing with four units of study to help you build your career.

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Course essentials

In 2022, the Federal Government is extending its subsidies on select graduate certificate courses for domestic students, making them significantly more affordable.

They're also offering the HECS-HELP loan scheme – so you can study now, pay later through your tax.

So, what are you waiting for? Apply for a higher education certificate and boost your CV in 2022!

Postgraduate study is ordinarily charged full fees, without access to government loan schemes.

For 2022, the postgraduate courses listed here are government-subsidised for eligible students – a significant saving. Undergraduate certificates are also government-subsidised for eligible students

These Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) are a response to the financial hardship faced by people affected by the COVID-19 crisis, and who are looking to upskill or retrain in 2022. After 2022, further study for incomplete units will be charged at the current standard rates.

Loans are also available, so you can study now, pay later through tax. Eligible students enrolled in a CSP may be able to get help paying their student contribution through the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP).

Download fees for these courses.

Learn more about course tuition fees.

  • This scheme is available to domestic students only (not to international students).
  • To study the graduate certificates, you must hold an Australian Bachelor degree in any discipline (or demonstrate equivalent, relevant work experience).
  • For both undergraduate and graduate certificates, standard VU admission requirements still apply. See the relevant course for more details.

The majority of these courses will be offered over four units via VU’s award-winning Block Model – one unit at a time over four weeks, or two over eight, across one semester (less than six months). This means that rather than juggling multiple units, you focus on each unit before moving on to the next.

With its focused timetables and smaller, collaborative classes, VU’s Block Model gives you more time to connect with your peers, lecturers and industry partners, helping you to build strong professional networks.

Postgraduate classes described here are delivered predominantly online real-time, where you attend Zoom classes. 

Government regulations permitting, undergraduate classes will be delivered in person.

Read about our delivery modes.

  • February, May or July for most undergraduate certificates.
  • February or July for most graduate certificates.
  • You must complete your HE short course before the end of 2022.

At the completion of your course, you will receive an award certificate.

You also have the option to progress (pathway) to a higher qualification with credits towards further studies, reducing your course duration by six months.

Each unit you undertake equates to 12 credit points (some units are 24 points). This means:

  • with all undergraduate certificates you can progress into a bachelor degree with 48 credit points
  • with most postgraduate certificates you can progress into a graduate diploma or masters degree with 48 credit points.

Other 6-month courses

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Apply

You can apply for or enquire about any of our higher-education certificate courses on the relevant course page, which you can access via the links in the sections above.

When the course is open, you will see an 'Apply' button on the page. When applications are closed, you can still register your interest in the course.

For further information:

Discover more courses

Can't find what you're looking for? We offer many other courses that can be completed in less than 6 months.

Browse our full range of courses below.

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