Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33021): Units, Placement, Cost and Where It Leads
The Certificate III in Individual Support is the entry qualification for aged care and disability work in Australia. Here is what the 15 units cover, the 120-hour placement, the ageing and disability specialisations, what it costs (often nothing), and the jobs it opens.
What the qualification is
The Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33021) is the nationally recognised entry qualification for personal care and support work with older people and people with disability. It replaced the older CHC33015 in 2022 and is the credential aged care and NDIS providers look for on a first application. It is also the most searched care course in Australia, which tells you something about how many people are considering the same move. The working in care guide puts it in context of the other paths.
Structure: 15 units
The qualification has 9 core units and 6 electives. The core covers what every support worker needs regardless of setting:
- Providing individualised support and supporting independence and wellbeing
- Communicating and working with diverse people, including culturally safe practice
- Working legally and ethically, and recognising healthy body systems
- Following safe work practices, including infection control and manual handling
- Working with people at risk of harm, and reporting concerns
Electives are where you specialise. At least three come from the specialisation groups:
- Ageing specialisation - supporting people living with dementia, palliative approaches, delivering care to older people, meeting personal support needs
- Disability specialisation - facilitating community participation and social inclusion, supporting people with disability in the community, working with people with behaviours of concern, supporting the empowerment of people with disability
- Combined Ageing and Disability - electives from both groups, the most common enrolment
Some providers also offer a Home and Community specialisation. The full unit list is on training.gov.au.
The 120-hour placement
The qualification requires at least 120 hours of supervised work placement in a real service - a residential aged care home, a home care provider, a disability day program or supported accommodation. Placement is where most people either confirm they want the work or discover they do not, and it is also the most common route to a first job: providers use it as a working interview and many graduates are offered casual shifts before they finish.
Ask a provider three things before enrolling: do they arrange the placement or do you find your own, how long is the wait for a placement spot, and which employers they place with. Providers that struggle to place students are the main reason a nominal six-month course takes a year.
Duration and study modes
- Part-time or self-paced: 6 to 12 months, the common option for people working or caring while they study
- Full-time intensive: around 20 weeks at TAFE and some private providers
- Traineeship: 12 months or more, employed and paid while studying, with the employer arranging the practical component
- Online theory: widely available, but the placement and practical skills assessment must be done in person, so no version is fully online
What it costs in 2026
| Route | Typical cost to the student |
|---|---|
| Free TAFE (Victoria), Fee-Free TAFE (Queensland) | $0 tuition for eligible students |
| Smart and Skilled (NSW) | Fee-free as a traineeship; otherwise subsidised fees around $1,450 to $1,750, or $240 concession |
| Other state subsidies (WA, SA, TAS, ACT, NT) | Fee-free or low-fee at TAFE for eligible students; check the state list |
| Full fee at a private provider | About $2,000 to $5,000, with some up to $9,000 |
Eligibility typically requires being an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible visa holder, living in the state, and not already holding a higher qualification in the same field. Most programs allow one fee-free qualification per person, so if you plan to go on to a Diploma, check which one to use the entitlement on. Materials, uniforms, first aid and screening checks are usually extra ($200 to $400 in total).
Choosing a provider
- Check the provider is a registered training organisation with CHC33021 on its scope (training.gov.au lists every RTO for the code)
- Ask about placement arrangements and graduate employment, in writing
- Compare total cost including materials, not just tuition
- Look for trainers with recent industry experience, small practical classes and a simulation lab
- For online theory, ask how assessments are done and how quickly trainers respond
What it leads to
Graduates work as personal care workers, aged care workers, home care assistants, disability support workers, community support workers and residential support workers. Award minimums from 1 July 2026 are $34.42 an hour (level 2) rising to $36.23 (level 3) under the Aged Care Award, and $36.22 an hour at SCHADS level 2 pay point 1 for disability support, with casual loading of 25% and substantial weekend penalties. See care worker pay rates 2026.
The natural next steps are the Certificate IV in Disability Support or Certificate IV in Ageing Support for senior and team leader roles, and the Diploma of Community Services for coordination and case management. Employers are listed in the aged care directory and the NDIS provider directory by suburb.
Course structures are from training.gov.au and pay rates are award minimums from 1 July 2026, current as at August 2026. Fees, subsidies and fee-free eligibility change by state, provider and intake, so confirm with the provider and your state training authority before enrolling. Employers often pay above award. This guide is general information, not careers or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does the Certificate III in Individual Support take?
- Most providers run it over six to twelve months part-time, with intensive full-time options of around 20 weeks. The pace is usually set by the 120-hour work placement rather than the theory, so students who can do placement quickly finish sooner.
- Can I do the Certificate III in Individual Support online?
- The theory can be done online with most providers, but the qualification cannot be completed entirely online because it requires at least 120 hours of supervised work placement in a real aged care or disability setting, plus practical assessment of skills such as manual handling.
- What is the difference between the ageing and disability specialisations?
- Both share the nine core units. The Ageing specialisation adds electives on dementia, palliative approaches and supporting older people; the Disability specialisation adds electives on individualised support, community participation and behaviour support. Many providers offer a combined Ageing and Disability stream that covers both, which keeps every employment option open.
- Is the Certificate III in Individual Support free?
- For eligible students in 2026 it is fee-free under Free TAFE in Victoria and Fee-Free TAFE in Queensland, and subsidised (often a few hundred dollars, or free as a traineeship) under Smart and Skilled in NSW. Full-fee prices at private providers range from roughly $2,000 to $9,000. Eligibility rules and course lists change, so check your state list.
