Government-funded students and courses - January to June 2026

Description

This publication provides data and insights on Australia’s government-funded vocational education and training (VET) sector, drawing on data reported to NCVER as at 30 June 2026.

The publication covers nationally recognised training funded by state and territory governments, including activity supported through Commonwealth government funding arrangements such as the National Skills Agreement.

Fee Free TAFE activity is included within scope but cannot currently be separately identified in the NCVER data. Information on the program is available from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

Data are revised throughout the year as updated submissions are received from jurisdictions. Additional information, including on non-nationally recognised training, is available through Databuilder, VOCSTATS, and by request to NCVER.

Report

Students in nationally recognised training

In January to June 2026, 783,605 students (or 97.8% of all government-funded students) were enrolled in nationally recognised training in Australia, including:

• Nationally recognised programs, down 61,150 students (or 7.5%) to 755,840
• Locally developed programs, up 6,180 (or 17.4%) to 41,690
• Nationally recognised subject-only delivery, down 250 (or 2.3%) to 10,670

Figure 1 presents a time series of students enrolled in nationally recognised training, alongside the full annual cohort for comparison. Since 2016, the share of annual students first reported in the January to June quarter has generally been increasing, up 7.9 percentage points, to 79.0% in 2025.

Government-funded VET reflects the priorities set out in jurisdictional action plans, which detail how each jurisdiction will deliver on the priorities of the National Skills Plan, the National Skills Agreement, and local skills needs.

Within the eight states and territories 783,605 students undertook government-funded training between January to June 2026. This represents a decrease of 59,425 (7.0%) from the same period in 2025. Increases and decreases in student numbers may reflect changes in students commencing training, students still in training, or both; individual decisions and environmental factors can play a role in these movements.

Student numbers in most states and territories were lower in January to June 2026 than in the same period in 2025. However, the reverse is evident in South Australia (up 0.3% to 56,765), Western Australia (up 2.2% to 93,345) and the Australian Capital Territory (up 2.8% to 8,990) where student numbers increased.

TAFE institutes remained the largest provider type in January to June 2026, accounting for 438,435 students (56.0%), followed by private training providers with 260,515 students (33.2%) and other providers with 95,865 students (12.2%).

Compared with January to June 2025, student numbers declined across all provider types. The largest decrease was for private training providers, down 32,525 students (11.1%), followed by TAFE institutes, down 22,645 students (4.9%), and other providers, down 6,335 students (6.2%).

Provider types varied across states and territories. TAFE institutes accounted for the majority of students in most jurisdictions, while in Queensland most students are with private training providers. In contrast, other providers accounted for most students in the Northern Territory (72.2%), compared with 12.2% nationally - this reflects the use of dual sector providers.

Student priority cohorts

Student numbers declined across most priority cohorts in January to June 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Most cohorts, however, recorded smaller proportional decreases than the overall decline of 7.0%. Students with a disability were the exception, increasing by 3,040 students (3.6%).

Students living in regional and remote areas recorded the largest decrease, down 20,220 students (6.9%), broadly in line with the overall decline. Indigenous student numbers also declined compared with January to June 2025 but remained higher than in the same period from 2021 to 2024.

Figure 4 shows the absolute and percentage changes in student numbers for selected priority cohorts in nationally recognised training compared with the selected comparison period.

Nationally recognised qualifications

Nationally recognised qualifications comprise training package qualifications and VET regulator accredited qualifications. Qualification enrolments include both new and continuing training activity.

Between January and June 2026, there were 777,140 enrolments in nationally recognised qualifications, consisting of 338,680 new commencements (43.6% of the total). Compared with the same period in 2025, qualification enrolments decreased by 67,945 (8.0%), while new commencements decreased by 29,880 (8.1%).

In every jurisdiction, qualification commencements accounted for less than 50% of qualification enrolments in January to June 2026. The Northern Territory had the highest proportion of commencements (48.7%), followed by Western Australia (47.4%). Tasmania had the lowest at 35.7%, while in Victoria it was 37.2%.

Figure 5 presents a time series of nationally recognised qualification enrolments and new commencements from January to June each year, alongside full-year qualification enrolments for comparison.

Qualification commencements

The following table reports on the top 10 qualifications based on commencements. As the supersession of training products is not accounted for, different versions of the same qualification may appear, or a qualification may see a spike in commencements because it had only recently been released.

Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33021) recorded the highest number of commencements, with 16,565, followed by Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30121), with 11,345 commencements. Despite remaining the two most commenced qualifications, both recorded lower commencement numbers than in January to June 2025.

Electrotechnology saw continued growth, with Certificate II in Electrotechnology (Career Start) (UEE22020), up from January to June 2025 by 685 commencements, and Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician (UEE30820), increasing by 565 commencements.

While care and support qualifications remained popular in January to June 2026, several key occupations saw lower commencements than in the same period in 2025. These included Aged and Disabled Carers (20,385 commencements, down by 3,560, or 14.9%), Nursing Support and Personal Care Workers (10,950, down by 765, or 6.5%), and Child Carers (20,910, down by 315, or 1.5%). In contrast, Welfare Support Workers grew to 20,425 commencements, up 865 or 4.4% from January to June 2025.

Patterns in qualification commencements by intended occupation varied across states and territories, reflecting regional differences in workforce demand. Commencements in qualifications for trade and technical occupations were prominent in several states, particularly qualifications supporting Electricians, Building and Plumbing Labourers, Carpenters and Joiners, and ICT Support Technicians. Nationally, commencements increased for Other Miscellaneous Labourers (up 1,070 or 7.7%) and Electricians (up 575 or 7.3%).