All of our courses have different costs depending on a range of factors. These are, broadly speaking, mainly determined by the type of funding the course is delivered under, if available, and which state or territory the student is from. Many of our students access government funding to complete some or all of their studies. It is important to point out that government funding does not cover all of the costs of their training and students are expected to make some financial contribution to the cost of obtaining their chosen qualification.

Below are a series of links with information about costs specific to each qualification we offer, for each state and territory we currently train in. This information is current at the time of publishing, however costs are continually updated by government departments throughout the year. We endeavour to keep the information on this website as up to date as possible, but please ensure you confirm any costs with our office before enrolling by calling 02 4822 7109 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  

Australian Capital Territory

Australian Early Childhood College (Recognition First) can be found on the Qualifications Register in the ACT.  Potential students have the option to study under a Fee For Service Arrangement or alternatively under an approved Training Contract may be eligible for a Government subsidised training place through the ACT Government Education and Training Directorate.  Please contact the main office to discuss your eligibility for these programs.

Qualifications offered in ACT include:

• CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
• CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
• CHC50213 Diploma of School Age Education and Care

ACT Fee Structure Trainees 

South Australia

Australian Early Childhood College (Recognition First) currently offers the following qualification in South Australia:

• CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
• CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

Potential students have the option to study under a Fee For Service Arrangement or alternatively under a Government susbsidised training place through the SA WorkReady Program.  Please contact the main office to discuss your eligibility.

SA Fee Schedule

New South Wales

Australian Early Childhood College (Recognition First) are an Approved Smart and Skilled Provider.  Potential students have the option to study under a Fee For Service Arrangment or if they meet eligibility requirements through a program subsidised by the NSW Government.  Please contact the main office to discuss your eligibility.

Qualifications offered in NSW include:

• CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
• CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

NSW Smart and Skilled Fee Information

Self Funded Students

For all enquiries about payment of fees please contact our Finance Team on 02 4822 7109 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please also refer to our Fees and Refunds Policy

As an adult learner you are expected to take responsibility for your own learning. This means that you must make ongoing progress in your qualification and be an active and engaged student. Students who are not active and do not make progress in their course will not be successful in attaining their qualification, which could be essential to remaining employed. Students must:

• contact Australian Early Childhood College with any questions about their study
• submit assessments on a regular basis, and meet any due dates that have been negotiated
• ensure submitted work is at an acceptable standard and conforms to the Requirements For Written Assessments
  

This document has been developed to provide students with an understanding of their responsibilities and what will be expected of them when undertaking a training and assessment program with our organisation. Australian Early Childhood College (Recognition First) typically provides training programs that are often called distance, or flexible delivery mode, and while this program does not require you to attend classes you will need to allocate time to your study. This document outlines the study and practice activities students will need to undertake, as well as a guide to how much time should be allocated to a typical qualification.

This document outlines a "typical" program and will be familiar to many of our students. It must be remembered though that Australian Early Childhood College also works very closely with organisations, employers and students to create individualised training and assessment programs. Your program may be one where you attend workshops and complete in-class tasks. This document should be read with this in mind. 

Clustered Training and Assessment

Australian Early Childhood College were one of the first RTOs to be able to offer the new Children's Services Qualifications, which were introduced in late 2013. We have clustered certain units together where they are similar and/or fit logically together into meaningful groups. This means that repetition of assessment is avoided where possible.

Recognition First has changed its trading name to the Australian Early Childhood College and continues to work with children's services around Australia. Our systems,procedures and resources have been designed to ensure staff are trained and supported to achieve best quality graduates for the sector. We are also a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and our registration is regulated by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).

Our Program Methodology

The College only works with students who are employed in regulated early childhood services. We have thousands of graduates across Australia supporting early childhood programs.

Research tells us that the best training happens as coaching models within organisations. We refine and master our skills and behaviours by working within our role not by being taken away to complete "training". We believe that “preservice training” does not graduate work ready staff, while work based training and assessment allows skills to be embedded in practices.

Many current programs require only minimal work practice hours Certificate III complete only 120 hours practice and Diploma only 240 hours. Our students work on average for 12 months for Cert III and 2 years for Diploma, as staff they learn and practice to work standards not merely student levels, directed activities target and focuses student skill development.

Our training and assessment program is broken into three main areas:

• Part 1 Theory – focus on underpinning knowledge, research and understanding
• Part 2 Work skills – student reflection and third-party report from workplace supervisor
• Part 3 National standards – regular visits allow quantitative assessments over time, assessor can provide independent feedback on skill level across sector, also supports young/inexperienced supervisors/managers as they bring a broader view.

Mentoring and professional conversations with colleagues and managers supplement this. Theory makes sense as links are drawn to practice, theory now has meaning we know this enhances how people learn and retain information. Workplace culture and pedagogy is embedded in their learning and development.

We believe contact for reflection, discussion and introduction of ideas and research is the key to success in learning, to support this the College provides the following supports:

• Regular planned visits– for training discussion, to check on work completed, observation of skill development. Visits also allow for regular feedback discussions and reporting on progress to student, service manager and lead educators.
• Phone – we recommend regular contact with trainers, students are encouraged to call, study time can then be supported and targeted. AECC ensures a trainer is always available in the office for support between 8.30 and 4.00 Monday to Friday (this will be available across all States)
• Email/ Texts are generally responded to very quickly our commitment is within 24 hours Monday to Friday
• Skype is an increasingly valuable resource, especially with high needs students
• NEW night contact times are being trialed in coming months, so students can call or join a skype session of an evening.

Australian Early Childhood College is committed to creating our program, in partnership with the workplace/employer. We train in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland and have trainers who support and visit students in their workplaces while they complete workbased distance training and assessment programs in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Our History

RTO

Enrolment Process

Skills Recognition

Our Policies and Procedures

Student Handbook