NSW Smart and Skilled Funded Training
This training is subsidised by the NSW Government
What is Smart and Skilled?
NSW Smart and Skilled is the NSW Government program for vocational education and training, originally established as a reform of the vocational education and training system. It’s helping people get the skills they need to find a job and advance their careers.
Smart and Skilled provides eligible students with:
- an entitlement to government-subsidised training up to and including Certificate III
- government funding for higher-level courses (Certificate IV and above) in targeted priority areas.
How Much Will Your NSW Smart And Skilled Funded Training Cost You?
| Course | 1st Qual Fee | 2nd Qual Fee | Con Fees |
| CIII in Nail Technology SHB30315 | $880 | $1,040 | $160 |
| CII in Salon Assistant SHB20216 | $880 | $1,040 | $160 |
| CIII in Beauty Services SHB30115 | $2,110 | $2,530 | $240 |
| Diploma in Beauty Therapy SHB50121 | $3,720 | $4,190 | N/A |
Click on a course to see if you’re eligible, then click on ‘Fee Estimate’ and answer the qualifying questions.
Students are required to provide evidence to support their eligibility for the appropriate Smart and Skilled fees. To determine if the student is eligible for one of the following fee categories HBA requires proof of eligibility for a concession.
The following evidence is accepted:
- A letter from the Department of Human Services (Centrelink) confirming receipt of the benefit. The letter should clearly show the Centrelink Reference Number (CRN); or
- A current concession card that shows the CRN; or
- A current Centrelink income statement that clearly shows the benefit or allowance category and the CRN; or
- Any other evidence that clearly shows the CRN and the benefit or allowance category.
For people applying for Austudy or Newstart allowance, an approval letter from Centrelink that shows the CRN and indicates that commencement date of their benefit is within two weeks of their enrolment or two weeks within the date of the first class attendance or participation in training.
Please Note: A student who is seeking a concession as a dependent child, spouse or partner of someone who is receiving a specified Commonwealth benefit or allowance must provide documentary evidence that Centrelink recognises the individual as the dependant. The evidence should clearly show the CRN of the benefit or welfare recipient.
For more information, see the NSW Government Smart and Skilled Funding Website
Commonwealth Benefits And Allowances
The following is a list of commonwealth concession or allowances that are eligible for concession fees:
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Fee Exemptions
Students who qualify for a fee exemption are:
- Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- People with a disability (that is people who meet the disability fee exemption criteria, including the dependent child, spouse or partner of a recipient of a Disability Support Pension).
- Fee-Free Scholarship approved learners*.
Please Note: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students will be exempt from fees for any Smart and Skilled enrolments for which they are eligible regardless of the number of enrolments undertaken within a calendar year. Students with a disability or their dependant, where eligible for the program, are entitled to one exemption per calendar year and a concession for all subsequent enrolments up to Certificate IV in a calendar year.
Fee-Free Scholarships
To be eligible for a fee-free scholarship, individuals must first meet the Smart and Skilled personal and program eligibility rules. In addition, individuals must be:
- Aged between 15 and 30 (inclusive) at the start date for training.
- Eligible for a concession fee (ie either a Commonwealth welfare recipient or a student with a disability undertaking a second qualification in a calendar year).
A social housing resident or person on the NSW Housing Register (waiting list) who seeks a fee-free scholarship will need to confirm, their social housing status on enrolment for the purpose of the fee-free scholarship scheme. Applicants will need to confirm one of the following ‘Social Housing’ criteria’s:
- Public housing (owned and managed by the Government).
- Community housing (owned and/or managed by community housing providers).
- Aboriginal housing (owned and/or managed by the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) and Aboriginal Community Housing Providers).
- Crisis accommodation/supported accommodation (Specialist Homelessness Services).
- Private rental assistance managed by Housing NSW (for example: rental bond loans, Tenancy guarantees, tenancy facilitation and private rental brokerage).
Enrolment Process – 6 Easy Steps
Note: before applying for a Smart and Skill funded course it is a good idea to first check your eligibility by going to https://smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au/are-you-eligible and clicking on are you eligible.
- Hba posts or emails student course information.
- Interview time is made.
- Eligibility is confirmed.
- Fee structure is determined.
- LLN (Language, literacy and numeracy) Skills Set Evaluation is given.
- Discussion about course outline and outcomes. What to expect, what is expected of you and what is included in your course.
- Obtain or create a USI (Unique Student Identifier)
- link a student’s VET achievements, regardless of where in Australia they did the course.
- let students easily access secure digital transcripts of their achievements (transcripts will be available from April 2016)
- give students more control over their VET information.
- Visit HBA and submit your Smart and Skilled course application.
- Student verification and quote is obtained.
- HBA receives Notification notice and sends enrolment status to student (disapproved/approved).
What happens in my interview?
About the Unique Student Identifier (USI)
From 1 January 2015, all students doing nationally recognised training need to have a Unique Student Identifier (USI). This includes students doing Vocational Education Training (VET) in schools.
A USI is a reference number made up of numbers and letters. Creating a USI is free. It creates a secure online record of your nationally recognised training that you can access anytime and anywhere, and it’s yours for life.
The USI is linked to the National Vocational Education and Training (VET) Data Collection, and this means an individual’s nationally recognised training and qualifications gained anywhere in Australia, from different training organisations, will be kept all together.
The USI will:
Go to http://www.usi.gov.au/Students/Pages/default.aspx to create your USI if you do not already have one.
If your application is approved you will be asked to come in to the Academy at an appropriate time to proceed with your placement.
Credit Transfer And Recognition Of Prior Learning
What is it?
The Hair and Beauty Academy recognises the skills and knowledge you have gained in other courses, life experience, work experience and from any training provided at work.
By qualifying for recognition of prior learning (RPL) or Credit Transfer (CT) you may be given an exemption for one or more unit/s of competence, or in some instances a whole course. For example, if you have gained skills or knowledge through on-the-job training or community volunteer work, you may be granted recognition if it is considered relevant to your chosen course.
If you think that you may be eligible for RPL or CT talk to your course coordinator at your interview so that the appropriate forms can be filled in and evidence gathered.
