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Certificate IV · national qualification

Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work

This qualification is for people who have lived experience of mental illness, either as a consumer or as a carer, and want to use that experience to support others.

Compare 14 providers
Illustration of a person working as mental Health Worker
How long it takes
1 year
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $1,990
Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $9,210
How you can study
Online or on campus
Includes a work placement
Main job
Mental Health Worker
$65,000 (estimate) median pay
Taught by
14 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

Before you start

Each provider sets its own entry requirements, so check the ones you are considering.

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

  • Mental Health Worker

    Mental health workers support people living with mental illness, helping them manage daily life, access services and stay connected to their community.

    What else you need

    This route is specifically peer work and requires the lived experience described by the qualification.

    Median pay$65,000 (estimate)

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 $1,990

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

Paying the full fee

$7,815 to $9,210

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

  • TAFE NSWNSW

    Subsidised
    $1,990
    Concession
    $240
    Full fee
    $9,210
    How long
    1 year

  • TAFE QueenslandQLD

    Subsidised
    $3,255
    Concession
    $2,265
    Full fee
    $7,815

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 14 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

15 units: 8 that everyone takes and 7 you choose.

  • Using lived experience at work
  • Trauma informed care
  • Supporting people's wellbeing
  • Self advocacy skills
  • Working with diverse people
  • Improving mental health services
See all 8 core units

Core units

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

  • Loading the details for CHCDIV001…

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 is for people who have lived experience of mental illness as a consumer or carer and want to support others. You learn to draw on that experience purposefully and safely while working in mental health services, including government, private or community organisations.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

Entry requirements are set by each provider, so check with the provider you choose.

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.