HomeCoursesCertificate III in School Based Education Support
Certificate III in School Based Education Support
Education support staff work alongside teachers in primary and secondary classrooms, helping students follow the lesson and stay engaged.
- Duration: 6 months to 1 year
- Study mode: Online, on campus and blended
- Course code: CHC30221
Where you can study this course
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Melbourne Polytechnic
- Campuses
- 13 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
A number of students find the organisation and admin frustrating, and opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching, while some rate the facilities and campus highly.
- Campuses
- 11 campuses
- Duration
- 6 months to 1 year
- Study mode
- Varies by campus
- Full fee
- $8,410
- Eligible students: subsidised from $1,600, concession $240
What students say
Many students speak well of the facilities and campus, and some rate the trainers and teaching highly, though opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching and student support, and some found the organisation and admin frustrating.
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
Charles Darwin University
- Campuses
- 12 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Students often praise the facilities and campus, while some value student support and course content. Some found organisation and admin frustrating, and opinions are mixed on trainers and teaching, with communication also a concern.
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TAFE Gippsland
- Campuses
- 11 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
- Visit course page → (opens in a new tab)
TAFE Queensland
- Campuses
- 10 campuses
- Duration
- Not stated by provider
- Study mode
- On campus with some online
- Full fee
- $4,905
- Eligible students: subsidised from $1,590, concession $1,170
What students say
Many students rate the facilities and campus highly. Some found course content and organisation and admin frustrating, while opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching.
- Campuses
- 26 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Students rate the trainers, teaching, facilities and campus highly, though some found the organisation, admin and communication frustrating; opinions are mixed on facilities and campus.
- Campuses
- 2 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Some students found the course content frustrating and the trainers and teaching lacking, and a number questioned the cost and value, while many value the student support, though opinions on the content are mixed.
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Box Hill Institute
- Campuses
- 4 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Students speak highly of the trainers and teaching, with the campus and facilities also well regarded. Many found student support frustrating, along with organisation and communication.
Last reviewed 20 September 2026.
Is this course right for you?
Entry requirements
Entry requirements are set by each provider, so check the ones you are considering.
- Providers can set their own conditions, such as a minimum age or a current job in the industry, and practical training may need a workplace placement. Check each provider above.
Entry recommendations
To be prepared for this course, it helps to have:
- patience when working with students at different levels
- an interest in helping children learn to read and write
- comfort working alongside teachers in a busy classroom
- respect for student privacy and school rules
What will you learn?
This qualification covers how to run small group and one to one activities, build students' reading, writing and maths skills, and adjust your approach for children with additional needs. You also learn the legal and ethical side of the job, including keeping student information confidential, following school policies and reporting concerns through the right channels. At least 100 hours in an Australian school classroom are built into the course, so you finish having supported real students under a teacher's guidance.
- Literacy and oral language
- Numeracy support
- Students with additional needs
- Supporting student behaviour
- Health, safety and wellbeing
- Legal and ethical obligations
Units of competency (10 core, 5 elective)
The qualification is made up of 15 units. Everyone completes the 10 core units below, and the remaining 5 are electives chosen from the list on training.gov.au, so they vary by provider. Select a unit to see what it covers.
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Career pathways
Roles this qualification is a recognised route into, and what else you need.
A recognised route into Teacher Aide
Teacher Aide
Teacher aides work alongside a classroom teacher, supporting students one to one or in small groups so the rest of the class can keep learning.
Explore this career →- Weekly pay
- $1,342
- Full-time share
- 22%
- Employment size
- 74,800 workers
- Average age
- 46 years
- Average full-time hours
- 39 hours
- Gender share
- 88% female
- Future growth
- +9.7%
- Job market
- Not in shortage
Complete the classroom placement and applicable school and jurisdiction screening requirements; this is not teacher registration.
Where this fits
Certificate III in School Based Education Support and the qualifications around it.
Before
No earlier step listed.
You are looking at
Certificate III in School Based Education Support
Data from training.gov.au and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (CC BY 4.0).