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TAFE and VET Courses in Australia for Indian Students: Fees, the 18-Month Graduate Visa and the Visa Risk

Vocational education and training (VET), taught at public TAFE institutes and private colleges, costs far less than university: an engineering technology or construction diploma runs A$18,000–21,000 a year. The catch is the visa. In late 2025 Home Affairs granted only 41.8% of offshore VET student visa applications, against 85.8% for higher education.

Leonid Kurza, co-founder of EdumappleBy Leonid Kurza · co-founder of Edumapple · checked

  • 41.8%offshore VET grant rate, Oct–Dec 2025
  • 85.8%higher education, same quarter
  • 18 months485 vocational stream
  • 53 daysmedian VET visa decision

Fees at a public provider

Course (Melbourne Polytechnic, 2026)LengthTuition
Diploma of Engineering Technology (Civil)1 year₹12 lakh (A$18,600)
Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)1 year₹14 lakh (A$21,280)
Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care15 months₹16 lakh (A$23,250) in total
Diploma of Hospitality Management6 months₹6.7 lakh (A$9,980)
Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping6 months₹6 lakh (A$8,900)

Melbourne Polytechnic asks IELTS 6.0 for its VET courses and offers international students up to 30% off tuition. TAFE NSW lists its Diploma of Information Technology at A$16,200–16,690.

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The honest picture

A vocational course after an Indian bachelor's is a step down in level and is one of the patterns case officers question under the Genuine Student requirement. VET applications also wait longer and are refused far more often. The graduate visa afterwards is 18 months, against two to four years after a degree, and needs a skills assessment in a listed occupation. For most Indian students a degree, or a diploma that leads into one, is the safer route.

When VET makes sense

For a trade or a regulated vocational career, such as early childhood education, construction or engineering technology, where the occupation is on the skilled list and the course is the recognised entry qualification.

Questions from Indian students: TAFE and VET in Australia

Is TAFE good for Indian students?
TAFE is cheaper and practical, but the student visa for VET is much harder to get: 41.8% of offshore VET applications were granted in October–December 2025. A VET course also leads only to an 18-month graduate visa tied to a skilled occupation.
How much does a TAFE diploma cost?
At Melbourne Polytechnic for 2026: Diploma of Engineering Technology (Civil) A$18,600 for a year, Diploma of Building and Construction A$21,280, Diploma of Hospitality Management A$9,980 for six months, Certificate IV in Accounting A$8,900.
What is the 485 Post-Vocational Education Work stream?
An 18-month visa for graduates of a diploma, associate degree or trade qualification closely related to an occupation on the skilled list, with a skills assessment applied for or held. It cannot be extended and is granted only once.
How long does a VET student visa take?
In 2026, a median of 53 days, with 25% of decisions over seven months; higher education was decided in a median of 16 days.
Can I move from TAFE to a university?
Yes. From 2026 students who move to a public university from TAFE are not counted in the university's planning-level allocation.

Sources we checked