Free Nursing
The Queensland Government is fully funding Free Nursing places in 2024.
Free Nursing allows eligible Queenslanders who are passionate about healthcare to study the Diploma of Nursing for free in 2024.
Free Nursing is part of the Free TAFE initiative, which also includes:
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'Free' means we will cover the cost of training, so you don't have to pay tuition fees. However, you might need to pay costs such as uniforms and resources.
Free Nursing is only available at:
- TAFE Queensland – phone 1300 308 233
- CQUniversity – phone 13 27 86
- Mater Education – phone 1300 070 350.
Student numbers may be capped, so places are limited. Funding for Free Nursing will cease once capped places are exhausted.
Eligibility
Free Nursing enables Queenslanders to gain new skills or enhance existing skills.
To be eligible, you must:
- permanently live in Queensland
- be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrant), temporary resident with the necessary visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency, or a New Zealand citizen
- be aged 15 years or older, and no longer in school (school students are not eligible)
- not currently be enrolled in a qualification (not including foundation skills training)
- not have completed a qualification previously under Fee-Free TAFE.
Additional eligibility requirements will be based on industry advice or requirements under the relevant national training package.
Check with your preferred Free Nursing training provider for any additional eligibility requirements.
Visa holders
If you hold a visa, you must ensure your visa subclass is eligible for subsidised training.
Employment status and prior qualifications
You can enrol in Free Nursing regardless of your current employment status or the number of qualifications you've previously completed. If you've completed a qualification subsidised under a different funding program, you're still eligible.
However, you can only completed 1 qualification under Free Nursing or Fee-Free TAFE.
Other free and subsidised training
If you're not eligible for Free Nursing, you may be eligible for Higher Level Skills. You can also learn about our other free and subsidised training programs.