Courses in Sydney

As Australia’s most easily recognisable city, Sydney attracts a vast number of students from around Australia and across the globe. They come for the beautiful sights, the eclectic culture and, of course, the world-class standard of education. There is no end to the study opportunities, as Sydney is jam-packed with universities and TAFE institutes, including the University of Sydney (Australia’s oldest university) and Sydney Institute of Technology. TAFE courses in Sydney come courtesy of TAFE NSW, which has institutes in North Sydney, South Western Sydney, Western Sydney, and the heart of Sydney.

The University of Sydney has several campuses dotted around Sydney, including several medical school campuses, a music campus, and campuses devoted to specific fields, such as health sciences and business. There is more than enough room to study an array of courses in Sydney, such as veterinary science, rehabilitation counselling, languages, philosophy, business analysis, chemical and biomolecular engineering, and geoscience.

Certain courses from TAFE NSW can be used as pathways to some universities in Australia, for example, certificate IV in horticulture could take you to Charles Sturt University, a diploma in communication and media could take you to the University of Western Sydney, and a diploma in applied fashion design and technology could take you to the University of Technology Sydney.

Most of the universities, colleges and institutes in Sydney offer online and classroom-base courses. In some cases, certain aspects of certain courses aren’t suited to online learning. In these instances, hybrid courses, or blended learning, are the solution. They combine theoretical online learning with practical lessons, giving students the best of both worlds. While most TAFE courses and university degrees are strictly structured (set registration dates, start dates, exam dates, and closing dates), some courses offer more flexibility. Find out about OTEN courses in Sydney if you don’t like to be dictated to by someone else’s agenda.

Sydney attracts people from all over the world looking for better job opportunities, better education, and a better standard of living. And Sydney delivers. Sydney is Australia’s top ranking global city, considered one of the highest in the world regarding its facilities and quality.

Let’s focus on what Sydney has to offer the hordes of domestic and international students who come flocking to its bright lights every year.

What TAFE Study Options are Available in Sydney?

Aside from some private providers, TAFE in Sydney is managed by TAFE NSW. Of the ten institutes in NSW, four operate in Sydney. These four consist of several campuses which are liberally dotted around the city, so no matter where you are in the city, you’re never too far from an in-class TAFE course.

The courses themselves are also extremely varied and cater to every need imaginable. For example, if you’re still at school and want to gain some practical work experience, then you can register for TVET (TAFE-delivered vocational education and training) courses. On the other end of the spectrum, you could be an experienced professional looking to complete a degree course (or two), in which case you will be interested in the TAFE university articulation pathways.

From floristry to welding, from international financial management to freelance travel photography and writing, there is no end to the variety of TAFE courses in Sydney.

Semester courses

Semester courses from TAFE NSW are all part of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), so you can be sure of their quality. They’re also Nationally Recognised Training (NST) courses, so you can take your credits and your qualifications anywhere in Australia and know that they’ll count for something. In fact, because they are from Sydney’s reputable TAFE institutes, they will count for rather a lot.

Semester courses range from apprenticeships and traineeships to TAFE certificates and graduate diplomas.

Short courses

TAFE Short courses in Sydney are available for people who want to build their skills either professionally or recreationally. For example, you could take a French cooking course to master the art of patisserie, or, you could take a French cooking course so you can add French cuisine to the Spanish, Thai, and Chinese that your small catering business already offers.

Various levels of accreditation are available, including:

• Accredited short courses that are nationally recognised and come with a Statement of Attainment.
• Skill Sets that are nationally recognised unit of competency and also come with a Statement of Attainment.
• TAFE Statement programs that meet specific training needs. They are not nationally recognised, but they are assessed. They only come with a TAFE Statement.
• TAFE Certificates of Attendance are also designed to meet specific training needs. They are not assessed, and they are not nationally recognised, but they do come with a TAFE Certificate of Attendance.

Online courses

Online correspondence courses are available from most of TAFE NSW’s institutes, including all four of the institutes in Sydney. For example, South Western Sydney Institute of TAFE facilitates online learning through the Moodle learning management system, wikis, and web video conferencing. The Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE offers online courses in accounting and finance, business administration, management and human resources, and marketing and property services.

Sydney TAFE Institutions

Four of TAFE NSW’s institutes call Sydney home.

TAFE Sydney

TAFE Sydney (NSW) offers over 800 national accredited courses to students in the city. Located in Sydney’s inner suburbs as well as campus locations in the east and southern suburbs surrounding the city centre; this TAFE NSW is one of the most popular, especially among international students. Among its many high-quality courses are those that are designed specifically to address the skills shortages in Australia. These include trades like refrigeration & air conditioning mechanic, civil engineers, plumbers, pastry cooks, and dental technicians. A variety of highly specialised courses is also available, such as 3D Animation & Digital Effects, Real Estate & Valuation, and Maritime.

NSW TAFE Sydney has a number of campuses including;

• Design Center (Enmore Campus)
• Petersham campus
• Randwick campus
• St George campus
• Sutherland College, Gymea campus
• Sutherland College, Loftus campus
• Ultimo campus

TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute

The TAFE in Northern Sydney (Northern Sydney Institute (NSI) of TAFE) provides over 500 courses to students in the city’s north metropolitan region. It comprises seven campuses and several specialist TAFE learning centres, including Sydney Academy of Hair, Beauty & Make-up, Sydney Wine Academy, Cisco Academy Training Centre (CATC), and the Sydney Gallery School. It has partnerships with Charles Sturt University, Macquarie University and Le Cordon Bleu Sydney Culinary Institute, which provide students with university pathways.

Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE offers the full spectrum of study areas, which allows students to take courses in anything from graphic design to counselling, first aid, and TESOL.

Campus locations of TAFE NSW Northern Sydney include;

• Crows Nest campus
• Hornsby campus
• Meadowbank campus
• Northern Beaches campus
• Ryde campus
• St Leonards campus

TAFE NSW South Western Sydney

TAFE NSW South Western Sydney (South Western Sydney Institute (SWSi) of TAFE) is located in the south- western part of the metropolitan Sydney region and is home to over 72,000 students. TAFE NSW South Western Sydney offers over 700 TAFE courses to domestic and international students, including cooking & catering, interior decoration & design, nursing & health, and manufacturing & engineering. If you prefer short courses, TAFE NSW South Western Sydney has over 400 options available and prides itself on the blend of theoretical and practical training in its standard TAFE certificates and diplomas, as well as its short courses.

If you prefer short courses, TAFE NSW South Western Sydney has over 400 options available and prides itself on the blend of theoretical and practical training in its standard TAFE certificates and diplomas, as well as its short courses.

Campus locations included as part of TAFE NSW Southern Western Sydney are;

• Bankstown campus
• Campbelltown campus
• Chullora campus
• Granville campus
• Lidcombe campus
• Liverpool campus
• Macquarie Fields campus
• Miller campus
• Padstow campus
• Wetherill Park campus

TAFE NSW Western Sydney Institute

TAFE NSW Western Sydney (formerly Western Sydney Institute (WSI) of TAFE)  has won a string of prestigious awards, including the 2011 Australian Skills for Sustainability – Educational Institute and the 2010 Australian Large Training Provider of the Year. In addition to the array of campus-based courses on offer, TAFE in Western Sydney also has over 220 online courses available through OTEN (Open Training and Education Network). OTEN is considered the biggest online course provider in Australia and has long been a pioneer in the distance education.

Campus locations for TAFE NSW Western Sydney include;

• Baulkam Hills campus
• Blacktown campus
• Castle Hill campus
• Katoomba campus (Blue Mountains)
• Kingswood campus
• Mount Druitt campus
• Nirimba campus
• Richmond campus
• Wentworth Falls campus

Sydney for Students

Sydney is a playground for students from all over the world. Not only are the entertainment options virtually endless, but public transport is widely available so that getting to the fun is not a problem. It’s not the cheapest city to live in, but it’s possible to live relatively comfortably if you keep an eye out for bargains and trawl the various food, arts, crafts and clothing markets for great deals. Sydney is one of the most famously multicultural cities in the world, so it’s a great place to experience new sights, sounds, people, and food. Of course, the standard of education is high. All-in-all, it’s difficult to think of any reasons not to come to Sydney to study.