Lower fees, local skills (WA)
Check Your Eligibility
What is Lower Fees, Local Skills?
Lower Fees, Local Skills offers young Western Australians free and reduced-fee qualifications to help them gain job-ready skills for rapidly growing industry areas.
The Lower Fees, Local Skills program allows Western Australians to study nationally recognised and accredited courses for significantly lower costs.
This program offers free courses, half-price course fees, and an annual fee cap — this means that students will only pay a certain amount of their course fee cap per calendar year, no matter how much the total course fee amount is.
All short courses include units of competency from accredited qualifications, so you’ll learn the relevant skills needed to enter the workforce in your desired industry without needing a full qualification.
This scheme has been developed by the Western Australian state government and the Department of Training and Workforce Development.
Courses in Western Australia
Diploma of Community Services (Perth Only)
Certificate III in Process Manufacturing (Perth Only)
What courses does Lower Fees, Local Skills subsidise?
Lower Fees, Local Skills offers over 200 low-fee courses, including certificate II, certificate III, certificate IV, diploma level and advanced diploma level qualifications, as well as various specialised skill sets.
These courses are available in industries that play a strong role in WA’s economy, including:
• Aerospace, maritime and logistics
• Aged care and disability care
• Agriculture, animals, science and the environment
• Automotive
• Beauty and fitness
• Building and construction
• Business and finance
• Creative industries
• Commercial cookery
• Community services and support services
• Defence
• Education and education support
• Engineering and mining
• English, languages and foundation studies
• Health care and infection control
• Hospitality, tourism and events
• Information technology, cyber security, library and digital
Courses under Lower Fees, Local Skills are available from TAFE colleges, RTO’s and a selection of private training providers in Perth and wider WA.
Search for your desired course at: https://www.jobsandskills.wa.gov.au/skillsready
Am I eligible for Lower Fees, Local Skills?
There are different sets of eligibility criteria depending on whether you’re looking for free training or subsidised training. It’s a good idea to check both sets of criteria, because even if you’re not eligible for one, you might be eligible for the other.
Subsidised training
To be eligible for Lower Fees, Local Skills courses, you must have left school* and your primary place of residence is Western Australia. You also must be:
• an Australian citizen; or
• a permanent visa holder or holder of visa subclass 309, 444, 785, or 820;
• a dependent or spouse of the primary holder of a visa subclass 457; or
• a Bridging Visa E holder (subclasses 050 and 051) and you have made a valid application for a visa of subclass 785 or 790.
*In 2022, Year 12 school students who are leaving school can access a subsidised training place from 24 October 2022.
Interstate apprentices and trainees may be eligible for publicly funded training in WA.
Find out more about eligibility requirements here.
Free training
Everyone who is a permanent resident of Western Australia can access free training.
Temporary residents
If you hold one of the following types of visa’s then you are also eligible:
• holders of a sub-class 309, 444, 785, 790, or 820 visa;
• secondary holders of a temporary visa of sub-class 457; and
• holders of a Bridging Visa E (subclasses 050 and 051) where the visa holder has made a valid application for a visa of subclass 785 or 790.
Who is not eligible
• Those who live outside of Western Australia, or Australia
• International students and people on a student visa
• Students who are still at school*
*In 2022, Year 12 school students who are leaving school can access a subsidised training place from 24 October 2022.
Fee course cap
• For concession students, the course fee cap is $400 plus resource fees from the date the new fee applied*.
• For non-concession students, the course fee cap is $1,200 plus resource fees from the date the new fee applied.
*Students aged between 15-24 years of age qualify for the concession rate.
Others Government Funding Schemes in Western Australia
Jobs and Skills
JobTrainer provides low-cost vocational education and training courses to help Western Australians upskill or reskill in fields with rapid job development.
Learn More
Skills Checkpoint
Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers assists Australians over 40 in retraining and upskilling so they can advance in their professions or find new jobs.
Learn MoreFAQ
How do I get a job with no experience?
Not all entry-level, full-time jobs require a completed qualification. The Lower Fees, Local Skills program helps young people in WA who have left school to build the skills that are most in-demand right now. Completing a skill set will put you in good stead to show future employers that you’re the best fit for the role and the wider business, even without prior experience.
