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Certificate IV · national qualification

Certificate IV in Business

This qualification suits people who already handle a mix of administrative and operational work and want to take on more responsibility, including supervising or guiding others.

Compare 50 providers
How long it takes
6 to 12 months
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $1,580
Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $7,840
How you can study
Online, on campus or on the job
Taught by
50 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

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

It helps to have

  • an interest in solving everyday business problems
  • confidence to share your reasoning with others
  • an interest in working with people and clients
  • good written communication skills

Before you start

The qualification has no set entry requirements, but each provider can add its own.

Certificate IV or Diploma?

The Diploma of Business is a higher level. This Certificate IV covers a mix of specialist and moderately complex administrative or operational tasks, applying solutions to unpredictable problems and analysing information. It may include leadership and guidance to others with limited responsibility for their output.

See the course

Where this course can take you

No job needs this course on its own, but it can help with the work below.

Jobs this course can help with

None of these jobs needs a set qualification.

  • Account Manager

    Account managers look after a set of existing clients, keeping them satisfied and finding ways to grow the revenue each account brings in.

    Median pay$104,200

  • Bid Manager

    Bid managers run the response to a tender or proposal, coordinating the people, pricing and paperwork that go into a competitive submission.

    Median pay$87,400 (estimate)

  • Business Development Manager

    Business development managers find new customers, markets and partners for a business, then negotiate the deals that turn those leads into revenue.

    Median pay$104,200

  • Business Development Representative

    Business development representatives find and qualify new sales leads, turning cold contacts into meetings the rest of the sales team can close.

    Median pay$65,000 (estimate)

  • Customer Service Officer

    Customer service officers answer customer questions, sort out problems and process requests for a business, usually by phone, email or live chat.

    Median pay$54,600 (estimate)

  • Customer Success Manager

    Customer success managers look after a client once the sale is done, helping them get real value from a product so they renew and stay.

    Median pay$70,200 (estimate)

  • Executive Assistant

    An executive assistant runs a senior leader's diary, inbox and paperwork so their time goes where it matters most.

    Median pay$95,300

  • Grant Writer

    Grant writers research funding programs and write the applications that bring money into an organisation's projects.

    Median pay$78,000 (estimate)

  • Key Account Manager

    Key account managers look after an organisation's largest customers, protecting the revenue they bring in and finding ways to grow it over time.

    Median pay$87,400 (estimate)

  • Partnership Manager

    Partnership managers build and manage the commercial relationships a business has with other organisations, and are judged on what those relationships deliver over time.

    Median pay$111,800 (estimate)

  • Personal Assistant

    A personal assistant manages the diary, correspondence and daily admin of one executive, manager or business owner, protecting that person's time.

    Median pay$95,300

  • Project Administrator

    Project administrators keep a project's schedule, budget and paperwork in order so the project manager and the team can focus on delivery.

    Median pay$110,800

  • Sales Coordinator

    A sales coordinator keeps orders, quotes and customer accounts moving between the sales team and the rest of the business.

    Median pay$59,800 (estimate)

  • Secretary

    Secretaries keep an office's correspondence, schedules and records in order so the people around them can get on with their work.

    Median pay$84,600

  • Tender Writer

    Tender writers turn technical, financial and compliance information into the proposal documents that businesses and agencies submit to win contracts.

    Median pay$66,800 (estimate)

  • Territory Manager

    A territory manager looks after sales and customer relationships across a defined patch, usually for a wholesaler, manufacturer or retail supplier.

    Median pay$84,200 (estimate)

If you study further

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

What it costs

Subsidised place

From $1,580

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

Paying the full fee

$5,777 to $7,840

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

  • TAFE NSWNSW

    Subsidised
    $1,580
    Concession
    $240
    Full fee
    $7,840
    How long
    6 to 12 months

  • Chisholm InstituteVIC

    Full fee
    $5,777

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 50 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: 6 that everyone takes and 6 you choose.

  • Critical thinking at work
  • Writing complex business documents
  • Working with digital collaboration tools
  • Building client and supplier relationships
  • Work health and safety duties
  • Workplace communication strategies
See all 6 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?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It suits people who already handle a mix of administrative and operational work and want more responsibility, including supervising or guiding others. It can formalise existing skills or be a step up for someone with office experience.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

The qualification itself has no entry requirements. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

How is it different from Diploma of Business?

The Diploma of Business is a higher level. This Certificate IV covers a mix of specialist and moderately complex administrative or operational tasks, applying solutions to unpredictable problems and analysing information. It may include leadership and guidance to others with limited responsibility for their output.

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.