Graduate certificate courses – study online

A graduate certificate is an ideal stepping stone to get the latest knowledge in your discipline, or start exploring an entirely new area of interest. They are the next level of postgraduate study after a single subject (which if you've done one, you could get credit for in your graduate certificate). They are all available online, so you can update your qualifications while working, and can be completed in as little as 26 weeks.

The Australian Government has provided extra Commonwealth supported places (CSP) for 2021 in a range of postgraduate courses so you can retrain and upskill in growth areas in the economy, including teaching, IT and health. We have 10 graduate certificates you can study as part of the package.

CSP means that the course is offered with significant savings on the fees. If you complete all the subjects for one of the applicable graduate certificates in 2021, you could save between 30 and 80 per cent on the standard course fees. Plus, with a CSP, you may also be eligible to defer the remaining cost of your study through HECS-HELP.

If you complete some of the subjects towards one of the applicable graduate certificates in 2021, those subjects will have the lower fees. Any subjects you study in 2022 will cost the standard fees.

In short – it depends on your course! But you have lots of options. Charles Sturt has multiple session intakes throughout the year, so you can choose to start studying when it suits you.

The three main starting points are March, July and November. However, select courses also have multiple starting points during the year – so whenever you're ready, we're ready.

You could secure a graduate certificate qualification in as little as six months. To graduate you need to complete four 8-point subjects. Subjects are offered at different times of the year, and you can choose how many you take on, but as an average if you do two each in successive session, you’ll have a brand new qualification in half a year. But at Charles Sturt University, we know things can change. Life is more hectic at some times than others. So as things change, you can modify your study to fit them. Take extra subjects when you have a bit more time. Scale back to one or two when things are busier. You can even study over the summer to get ahead.

Absolutely. You can study any graduate certificate online. Charles Sturt University is one of the largest and most experienced providers of online education in Australia. More than 25,000 people are studying with us online right now. So we put everything in place to enable you to advance in your industry, diversify your expertise or start your next career – all from the comfort of… wherever you like. When you study online with Charles Sturt University, everything you need is there at the click of a mouse. Lectures, tutorials, assessments, resources, community spaces. Plus, our extensive digital library is available 24/7, with plenty of online resources and how-to guides to help you find what you need. We’ve even got a dedicated library YouTube channel for all your library learning know-how. And if you need any books sent to you, we’ll post them out free of charge.