1. What is the difference between Certificate III and Certificate IV courses in aged care qualification?

Both courses are entry-level qualifications, no prior experience or qualification is needed to enrol. However, certificate IV is a more advanced qualification, that includes learning about medication components (if aged care), team building, communication, and coordination that enables you to administer medication (for aged care qualification), be a team leader, and supervise others work.

2. Can I study the course online?

Yes. With the increasing popularity of online learning courses, aged care/disability courses are also offered online. However, the practical and work placement components both needed to learn at the workplacement. Thus, you need to have extra placement hours. Some units of Certificate IV in Ageing Support need to be supervised by a registered nurse. In this case, you need to show us the proof that you were supervised by the registered nurse.

3. Can I study at Advance College if I hold a primary student visa in Australia?

Being a domestic RTO, Advance College does not enrol the students holding the primary international student visa. If you hold such visa and want to know how, when where you can do the course, please contact to our reception.

4. Can I study the disability courses without having a driving license?

Yes, you can study both certificate III and certificate IV disability courses. You can still work unless there is a requirement for a driving license. But many facilities now have a mandatory requirement for a driving license, thus, we are not encouraged to enrol in a disability course if we are not driving.

5. How long does it take to complete the Aged Care course?

We provide you with up to one year to complete the course. We don’t have any concern if the student successfully completes all three-course components: theory, practical, and work placement as quickly as possible.

6. What happens when I cannot complete the course within the given 1-year period?

You need to extend the course before the expiry (within the one-year period) by paying the course extension fee. Otherwise, your enrolment will be cancelled. In some special circumstances, we extend the course duration for 3 months for free.

7. What happens if I cannot attend classes?

Your study mode will be distance, even if you are nearby Sydney or live in Sydney or regional areas. You need to have extra hours during the work placement. You need to provide us the first aid certificate though, if the course you are enrolled to has first aid unit too.

8. What happens if I don’t know the answer because I don’t have any health/nursing background?

Many units are basic that do not require any previous knowledge. Generally, you should be able to answer yourself using the learning guide, other learning resources and published materials. If you are unable to answer the specific question, the trainer/assessor will further explain you the contents so that you are able to write the answer. We are ready to help but answers must be done by yourself.

9. Can I get a qualification certificate in a month? In two months?

All the courses have three components: theory, practical, and placement. If you complete the theory and attend classes, then you can start the work placement. The placement hour is 120 hours for certificate-level courses, with an additional 40 hours for distance students. If you can do these all, we don’t have any concerns to issue the certificate as soon as we can. But we don’t think you would be able to complete the course within one or two months. On average, most of the students finish the course within 4 to 6 months.

10. Do you have weekend/evening placement?

Yes, in a limited number for a few courses. You need to contact the college to make sure whether the weekend placement is available to your interested course. For the change in the placement shifts or adjustment to hours, you can directly talk to the workplace supervisor.

11. Can I get a placement near to my home?

We always try to manage placement near to your home. However, it depends upon where you live and how long you can wait for the placement. In the case of Sydney, you generally do not need to travel for more than an hour while using public transport.

12. Can I manage placement myself because I know someone who can manage my placement?

Yes, we will help you to provide the necessary documentation. But you must allow us to establish communication with the facility and you need to attend the placement orientation.

13. What happens when college cannot organise placement in my requested shift and time?

You should complete the theory and attend classes as soon as possible, after the enrolment. You also need to approach the placement on time. Then, the college will arrange the placement. In the Sydney region, we guarantee you to provide the placement at the morning shift. If you are looking for afternoon/weekend shifts, you may need to wait for longer and we cannot guarantee that we will provide you with the weekend/afternoon shift. For distance students (outside Sydney), we do not guarantee the placement, unless mentioned in written communication.

14. Can I cancel the placement after it is fixed?

No. Once you approach to us for the placement and everything is fixed, you cannot cancel the placement. If you cancel without any genuine reason such as medical emergency, you have to organise the placement yourself. College can ask you to pay for extra charges for re-organising the placement.

15. What happens if I am sick, cannot progress on course?

You need to inform the college as soon as possible to cancel/postpone the course. There are also special circumstances that you can extend the course beyond one year without paying any extra charges.

16. What happens if I will be away for a long time after the enrolment?

You should be able to complete the course in the given duration unless otherwise there is a genuine reason for that. Otherwise, the enrolment will be cancelled after one year of enrolment.

17. Do we need to pay additional charges except for the stipulated course fee?

The course fee includes all the charges, including materials, placement, classes, and certificates. If the course needs to have a Police check, working with children check and NDIS worker’s clearance check, you need to pay for those yourself. If you request a printed theory booklet or request to express post the certificate, you have to pay extra charges. If you need to extend the course beyond one-year period, you also need to pay the course extension fee.

18. I have a plan to move to regional. Can I enrol here now, and continue from the regional NSW or other states I move to?

Yes, but you will be now considered as a distance student. The course fee will not change. But remember, now you will be treated as a ‘distance student’ for the placement if you plan to move to regional without work placement. Please see the course information for distance students.

19. What is a blended mode of study? Distance mode of study?

Blended mode is a combination of face-to-face and distance delivery. This mode is for those who can attend the practical classes to our Burwood campus, and the work placement facility is accessible to our Sydney-based trainers/assessors.

Distance mode is delivery without face-to-face training and support. Those who cannot attend our face-to-face classes at Burwood campus and our trainers/assessors cannot oversee face to face during their work placement are considered as ‘distance’.