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Diploma · national qualification

Diploma of Building Design

This diploma takes drafting skills further into design.

Compare 8 providers
Illustration of a person working as building Designer
How long it takes
6 to 12 months
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $14,870
Subsidised at TAFE Queensland, full fee up to $19,995
How you can study
Online, on campus or a mix
Main job
Building Designer
$85,800 (estimate) median pay
Taught by
8 providers
5 states and territories

Is this course right for you?

What the Diploma of Building Design asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in how buildings are designed and put together
  • the confidence to manage your own work without close supervision
  • good drafting and drawing skills
  • the ability to gather information from different sources and turn it into a design

Before you start

Entry points which demonstrate a candidate’s potential to undertake the CPP50921 Diploma of Building Design are: CPP40115 Certificate IV in Building Design Drafting, or CPP40121 Certificate IV in Residential Drafting, or 52757WA Certificate IV in Residential Building Drafting, or Demonstrated relevant vocational experience, skills and knowledge commensurate with the scope of work covered in the core units of CPP40121 Certificate IV in Residential Drafting.

Diploma or Bachelor?

The Bachelor of Building Design is at a higher level than this diploma. This diploma takes drafting skills further into design, preparing you to work from a brief, pull together information from several sources and produce drawings, specifications and documentation, and to manage that work yourself rather than under close supervision.

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

  • Architectural Drafter

    An architectural drafter turns a designer's concept into the detailed drawings a builder works from, setting out dimensions, materials and construction details.

    What else you need

    Building designer and drafter jobs are usually reached through a diploma like this, and TAFE NSW lists an entry requirement of a prior Certificate IV or relevant experience. The award alone does not confer any licence or registration, so check the provider's entry requirements.

    Median pay$80,600 (estimate)

  • Building Designer

    A building designer turns a client's brief into the drawings and documentation a builder works from.

    What else you need

    Building designer registration or accreditation varies by state and territory, so check your licensing authority. The award alone does not confer registration.

    Median pay$85,800 (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 $14,870

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

Paying the full fee

$19,995

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

  • TAFE QueenslandQLD

    Subsidised
    $14,870
    Concession
    $13,335
    Full fee
    $19,995

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 8 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

The main topics covered in the Diploma of Building Design.

  • Building design and drafting
  • Applying the NCC
  • Preparing construction drawings
  • Specifications and project documentation
  • New builds and renovations
  • Residential, commercial and industrial projects

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 prepares drafters who design, draft and document plans, specifications and documentation for buildings of all classifications, up to a maximum floor area of 2,000 m2, excluding Type A construction. You work without supervision, managing projects yourself across residential, commercial, public and industrial work, including new buildings and renovations.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

Entry points include CPP40115 Certificate IV in Building Design Drafting, CPP40121 Certificate IV in Residential Drafting, 52757WA Certificate IV in Residential Building Drafting, or demonstrated relevant vocational experience, skills and knowledge matching the core units of CPP40121. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

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

Licensing requirements apply to building design in some states or territories. For further information, check with the relevant regulatory authority.

How is it different from Bachelor of Building Design?

The Bachelor of Building Design is at a higher level than this diploma. This diploma takes drafting skills further into design, preparing you to work from a brief, pull together information from several sources and produce drawings, specifications and documentation, and to manage that work yourself rather than under close supervision.

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.