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Certificate IV · national qualification

Certificate IV in Ageing Support

This course prepares people to work as support workers in aged care, whether in a residential facility, a client's home or a community program.

Compare 26 providers
Illustration of a person working as aged Care Worker
How long it takes
7 to 12 months
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $1,990
Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $18,075
How you can study
Online, on campus or on the job
Includes a work placement
Main job
Aged Care Worker
$91,600 median pay, In demand
Taught by
26 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate IV in Ageing Support asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • a genuine interest in older people and their wellbeing
  • patience and a calm approach to daily support
  • good communication skills with clients, families and colleagues
  • a willingness to work as part of a care team

Before you start

N/A

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

  • Aged Care Worker

    Aged care workers help older people with the daily tasks that frailty or illness make hard, from showering and dressing to meals and getting around, in a care home or in the person's own home.

    What else you need

    Complete the course's workplace requirements and applicable employer checks.

    Median pay$91,600

    In demand

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 $1,990

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

Paying the full fee

$13,230 to $18,075

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

  • TAFE NSWNSW

    Subsidised
    $1,990
    Concession
    $240
    Full fee
    $13,230
    How long
    7 to 12 months

  • Chisholm InstituteVIC

    Subsidised
    $7,230
    Concession
    $1,446
    Full fee
    $18,075

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 26 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

74 units, and everyone takes all of them.

  • Rights and empowerment of older people
  • Individual service planning
  • Dementia and palliative care
  • Personal support and daily living
  • Falls prevention and safe work
  • Working with carers and families
See all 74 core units

Core units

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

  • Loading the details for CHCADV001…

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. Who arranges the work placement, and how many hours does it involve?
  5. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It prepares people to work as support workers in aged care, in residential, home or community settings. You will plan and deliver individualised care, support independence and wellbeing, and respond to dementia, chronic disease and palliative care needs.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

The qualification itself has no entry requirements, but individual providers can set their own conditions. Check with the provider you choose before you enrol.

Is a licence, registration or check required to work in this area?

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this qualification at the time of publication.

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.