“Fee-Free TAFE” gets talked about like it’s one national thing, but it isn’t. It’s a Commonwealth-state funding deal, and every state and territory runs its own version — different courses, different age limits, and in a couple of places apprentices are actually left out of the “fee-free” label and pointed to a separate subsidy instead.
That matters because whether your training costs $0, a few hundred bucks, or the full RTO fee can come down to which state you’re in and which trade you’ve signed up for — not just whether “Free TAFE” exists where you live.
This guide covers the national picture first, then goes state by state on what’s confirmed for apprentices and trainees as at July 2026. Where an official page didn’t spell out an exact course list, we’ve said so — click through to the state link for current detail.
The short version (TL;DR)
- Nationally — Fee-Free TAFE runs under a Commonwealth-state agreement (Dec 2022–June 2027, $1.05 billion), coordinated by DEWR. Government has flagged making it permanent from 2027 (100,000 places/year), separate from each state’s everyday apprentice subsidies.
- NSW — Fee-free apprenticeships (120+ qualifications) via Smart and Skilled, starting before 30 June 2027.
- VIC — Free TAFE covers many pre-apprenticeship certificates and some traineeships; the full trade qualification is usually funded separately.
- QLD — Two free apprenticeship schemes: under-25s in priority trades, and construction apprentices 25+ who started between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2026.
- WA — Mix of fully fee-free and half-price (“Lower Fees, Local Skills”) courses, including some apprenticeship/traineeship qualifications and construction pre-apprenticeships.
- SA — Apprenticeships/traineeships are generally subsidised, not automatically free — check the subsidised qualification list.
- TAS — Fee-Free TAFE explicitly excludes apprentices/trainees, who instead get the state’s Apprentice and Trainee Training Fund (subsidised, not necessarily free).
- NT & ACT — Least detailed public offerings. NT funds RTO delivery and runs general free courses; ACT requires a minimum training fee (currently $350), plus a separate cost-of-living payment.
The national picture: what “Fee-Free TAFE” actually is
Fee-Free TAFE isn’t a single Centrelink-style payment from Canberra. It’s funded through a national skills agreement between DEWR (Department of Employment and Workplace Relations) and every state and territory, with the Commonwealth providing money and each state deciding which courses it applies to and how it’s delivered through its own TAFE and RTOs.
The current agreement runs December 2022 to June 2027 and is worth $1.05 billion nationally. Government has said it intends to make Fee-Free TAFE permanent from 2027, funding around 100,000 places a year — as at July 2026 this is a stated intention, not yet locked-in law, so check the DEWR page for the latest status.
The bit that trips people up: “Fee-Free TAFE” and “fee-free apprenticeships” aren’t always the same program. In several states, Fee-Free TAFE mostly covers standalone certificate and diploma courses (and sometimes pre-apprenticeship certificates), while the on-the-job apprenticeship qualification is funded through a separate state subsidy that may or may not bring the cost to zero — hence the state-by-state look below.
New South Wales
NSW covers course fees for new apprentices across 120+ apprenticeship qualifications — construction, cooking, automotive, aviation and more — via Smart and Skilled, for training commencing before 30 June 2027. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students with disability get separate fee exemptions. Check the official page for the current list.
Victoria
Free TAFE covers 80+ courses in construction, healthcare, community services, cyber security and agriculture, through Victorian TAFEs only. For apprentices it mainly shows up at pre-apprenticeship level — Certificate II courses in carpentry, bricklaying, plumbing and electrotechnology are listed free, plus some traineeships like dental assisting and early childhood education. The full on-the-job trade qualification is usually funded through Victoria’s broader training subsidy arrangements rather than Free TAFE itself — check with your TAFE or the Victorian Skills Gateway.
Queensland
Queensland’s general Fee-Free TAFE (standalone priority courses, extended to 31 December 2026) is separate from two apprentice-specific schemes: Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s, covering priority trades like automotive, building and construction, electrotechnology, engineering and hospitality; and Free Construction Apprenticeships for Over 25s, covering around 30 construction trades for apprentices who started between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2026. Both run through TAFE Queensland or CQUniversity — check the current list on the Queensland Government site.
Western Australia
WA runs a two-tier system: over 130 courses are fully fee-free (healthcare, IT, building and construction, hospitality), while around 160 more sit under “Lower Fees, Local Skills” — roughly half-price, capped annually at $400 for jobseekers, under-25s and concession holders, or $1,200 for everyone else. Apprenticeships and traineeships can fall under either tier depending on qualification, and construction pre-apprenticeship courses have been fee-free since January 2025. Check Jobs and Skills WA before assuming a trade is covered.
South Australia
SA’s Fee-Free TAFE (around 15,000 general places 2024–2027, 1,500 for First Nations students, plus dedicated 2025–26 construction places) is separate from everyday apprenticeship subsidies. For apprentices and trainees, SA maintains a Subsidised Traineeship and Apprenticeship List setting out which qualifications get subsidy and at what rate — not necessarily $0, so check your qualification against that list and confirm with your employer or RTO who covers any remaining fee.
Tasmania
The one to watch: Fee-Free TAFE explicitly excludes apprentices and trainees — it’s for other students doing standalone qualifications. Tasmanian apprentices are instead covered by the state’s own Apprentice and Trainee Training Fund, which pays grants to RTOs to subsidise delivery of approved qualifications. This brings costs down but isn’t automatically $0 — covered qualifications are listed on Skills Tasmania’s approved and funded courses page.
Northern Territory
The NT’s published “free training courses” cover general VET places through providers like Charles Darwin University and Batchelor Institute, in priority areas such as hospitality, care work, construction, agriculture and digital industries — apprenticeships aren’t specifically called out under that scheme. Apprentice and trainee training in the NT is instead supported through separate government funding paid to RTOs. Check the NT Government’s apprenticeship pages for current arrangements for your trade.
Australian Capital Territory
The ACT is upfront that apprenticeship training isn’t entirely free: Skills Canberra requires RTOs delivering Australian Apprenticeships training to charge a minimum fee of $350. Separately, the ACT has run one-off cost-of-living payments for apprentices and trainees (in past rounds, $250 for those active in their training contract on a set date), plus short free pre-apprenticeship taster programs to help people get construction-ready before starting a trade. Check Skills Canberra’s site for what’s currently running.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fee-Free TAFE the same everywhere in Australia?
No. Each state decides its own course list, eligibility rules and whether apprentices are included at all — Tasmania, for example, specifically excludes apprentices and funds them a different way.
If my state doesn’t list my trade as “fee-free,” do I pay full price?
Not necessarily. Most states still subsidise apprenticeship training even where it isn’t labelled “fee-free” — the subsidy might just reduce the fee rather than zero it out. Check the subsidised or approved qualification list on your state’s training authority page.
Does fee-free training cover tools or textbooks too?
Generally no — these programs mostly cover tuition/course fees only. Textbooks, uniforms, PPE and other resources are usually separate.
Will these programs still exist next year?
Some already have set end dates (NSW’s 30 June 2027 cut-off, Queensland’s construction apprentice scheme to 30 June 2026), and the national agreement runs to June 2027 with a stated but not yet finalised plan to make it permanent after that. The official page for your state is the only reliable way to confirm what’s current.
This guide is general information only — not financial or legal advice. Amounts and rules change and vary by state and trade. Always confirm with the official sources linked above before making decisions. Information correct as at July 2026.
Official sources: DEWR — Free TAFE, Federal Financial Relations — Fee-Free TAFE Skills Agreement, NSW Department of Education — Fee-Free Apprenticeships, Victorian Government — About Free TAFE, TAFE Queensland — Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s, Queensland Government — Free Construction Apprenticeships for Over 25s, Jobs and Skills WA — Apprenticeships and Traineeships, South Australia My Training — Fee-Free TAFE, South Australian Skills Commission — Apprentices and Trainees, TasTAFE — Fee-Free TAFE, Skills Tasmania — 2026 Apprentice and Trainee Training Fund, NT Government — Free Training Courses, Skills Canberra — Australian Apprenticeships.