Graduate certificates

A graduate certificate isn’t a degree, but a short postgraduate qualification designed to enhance your existing undergraduate degree or work experience. You can study a graduate certificate as standalone upskilling course, or as a pathway into a masters degree. 

You can read more about the graduate certificate as a qualification here. 

You can study a graduate certificate in any discipline, from business, law and IT, to health, humanities and education. 

Use Open Universities Australia to compare what’s available online with different universities. 

Entry requirements for graduate certificates vary across universities. Generally, you’ll need a bachelor degree to be eligible for enrolment. International applicants also need to meet English language requirements. 

Yes, it’s possible to apply for entry if you don’t have a bachelor degree, provided you have work and life experience in a related field. Most courses will require you to submit evidence of at least five years’ work experience.  

When you study a graduate certificate, you actually study the first four subjects from a connected masters degree. Once you successfully complete your certificate, you should satisfy the entry requirements for both a graduate diploma and a masters degree. 

You’ll also get full credit for your graduate certificate. This means you can shave four subjects off your masters degree.

A graduate certificate is made up of just four subjects. It takes six months of full-time study (or part-time equivalent) to complete. If you decide to study your graduate certificate online through Open Universities Australia, you can choose how many of those subjects you complete at once. Many students only do one subject per term because they want to continue working full-time. 

The average graduate certificate costs between $2,000 and $15,000. Tuition fees tend to be lower in areas where graduates are sorely needed, like health and education.

During your enrolment, we’ll offer you the option to pay upfront in full, or defer your payment using a FEE-HELP student loan. If you select FEE-HELP, you will only pay your tuition fees through your income tax once you’re earning over the minimum repayment threshold.

Some graduate certificates may offer Commonwealth supported places (CSPs) to Open Universities Australia students. When you enrol in a CSP, the government pays (subsidises) part of your tuition fees, and you don’t have to pay that portion back. You only pay the remaining balance, which you can defer through a HELP loan.

Students who land a Commonwealth supported place graduate with less HELP debt. 

You can ask our student advisors which course are covered, and if you’re eligible for a place. 

A graduate certificate can be worth studying for a variety of reasons. 

• It can help you upskill for a more specialised or senior role in your field.
• It can help you pivot into a new career altogether.
• It will help you satisfy the entry requirements for a graduate diploma or masters degree.
• It can give you a feel for the demands of a masters degree, so you can figure out if you’re ready for the commitment. 

On the Australian Qualifications Framework, a graduate certificate only sits one level below a masters degree, so it’s a well-regarded course. In some cases, the knowledge you gain might be all that you need to progress in your career, making it a fast and cost-effective alternative to a full masters degree. 

Think of us like an unbiased guide, here to support you during your university experience. We will help you compare your options and navigate the trickier aspects of university enrolment, like applying for government funding and supplying the correct documentation. 

We can also help you access extra flexibility with your chosen university. If you’re not quite ready for a full course, you can start with a single subject from that course instead. You can also dictate the number of subjects you take on at a time (your study load) and put your studies on hold between terms. 

We make starting a postgraduate qualification as straightforward as possible.

First, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different courses using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.

Once you've selected your certificate, click ‘Apply now’ and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.

Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether your application has been successful. We’ll still be around to help you manage the administration of your studies, right up until graduation.

*With some courses on offer, you may be directed straight to the website of the university that delivers the course—the university will then enrol you directly.

Reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it. We can even help you apply over the phone. 

You can also read more detailed enrolling instructions here.