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Certificate II · national qualification

Certificate II in Animal Care

This is where most people start if they want to work with animals.

Compare 21 providers
Illustration of a person working as animal Attendant
How long it takes
4 to 21 months
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $1,120
Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $7,128
How you can study
Online or on campus
Main job
Animal Attendant
$66,400 median pay
Taught by
21 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate II in Animal Care asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in animals and their wellbeing
  • a calm and gentle approach to handling animals
  • good communication skills with supervisors and colleagues
  • a willingness to follow routines and workplace safety rules

Before you start

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Animal Attendant

    Animal attendants carry out the daily feeding, cleaning and health watching that animals in shelters, vet clinics, kennels and wildlife parks depend on.

    What else you need

    This is an entry level award for animal attendant work in boarding kennels, pet shops, grooming businesses and animal welfare organisations. Employers set their own requirements, so check the provider.

    Median pay$66,400

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list.

What it costs

Subsidised place

From $1,120

at TAFE NSW. Whether you get a subsidised place depends on your state, residency, age and earlier study.

Paying the full fee

$4,920 to $7,128

across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.

  • TAFE NSWNSW

    Subsidised
    $1,120
    Concession
    $160
    Full fee
    $4,920
    How long
    4 to 21 months

  • GOTAFEVIC

    Subsidised
    $2,508
    Concession
    $502
    Full fee
    $7,128

  • The GordonVIC

    Subsidised
    $1,763
    Concession
    $353
    Full fee
    $5,379

Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.

Where you can study this course

There are 21 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

12 units: 7 that everyone takes and 5 you choose.

  • Feeding and watering animals
  • Cleaning and hygiene routines
  • Handling animals safely
  • Basic animal health checks
  • Workplace health and safety
  • Talking with clients and colleagues
See all 7 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

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Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.