Skip to content
careertips

HomeCoursesCertificate IV

Certificate IV · national qualification

Certificate IV in School Based Education Support

This qualification prepares you to work alongside a teacher in primary or secondary classrooms, supporting students' learning rather than leading the class.

Compare 25 providers
Illustration of a person working as teacher Aide
How long it takes
6 to 18 months
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $1,990
Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $13,478
How you can study
Online, on campus or a mix
Includes a work placement
Main job
Teacher Aide
$69,800 median pay
Taught by
25 providers
7 states and territories

Is this course right for you?

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

It helps to have

  • an interest in how children and young people learn
  • patience and a calm manner with students
  • respect for diverse cultures and backgrounds
  • willingness to follow a teacher's direction

Before you start

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

Certificate IV or Certificate III?

The Certificate IV is the higher level. It prepares you to work with limited direct supervision and to guide other education support staff, and includes a supervised placement of at least 100 hours in an Australian classroom.

See the course

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

  • 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.

    What else you need

    Complete the classroom placement and applicable state or territory school-support requirements; this is not teacher registration.

    Median pay$69,800

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

$5,885 to $13,478

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

  • TAFE NSWNSW

    Subsidised
    $1,990
    Concession
    $240
    Full fee
    $9,470
    How long
    6 to 18 months

  • Chisholm InstituteVIC

    Subsidised
    $6,578
    Concession
    $1,316
    Full fee
    $13,478

  • TAFE QueenslandQLD

    Subsidised
    $3,115
    Concession
    $2,280
    Full fee
    $5,885

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 25 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

17 units: 13 that everyone takes and 4 you choose.

  • Classroom learning support
  • Literacy and numeracy support
  • Supporting students with disability
  • Autism spectrum support
  • Behaviour plan support
  • Child safety reporting
See all 13 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 prepares you to work alongside a teacher in primary or secondary classrooms, supporting students' learning rather than leading the class. You may work with limited direct supervision and could guide other education support staff.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

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

How is it different from Certificate III in School Based Education Support?

The Certificate IV is the higher level. It prepares you to work with limited direct supervision and to guide other education support staff, and includes a supervised placement of at least 100 hours in an Australian classroom.

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.