In a quick response to COVID, 320 short courses are now available
COVID-19 short courses are accredited at university level and discounted fees, but must be done full-time and online.
Higher education providers have responded quickly to a federal government call to provide discounted short courses in response to the coronavirus, with 320 six-month-long credentials offered in areas where there are expected to be job opportunities.
The short online courses — being offered by both universities and independent higher education providers — are fully accredited with federal government subsidies and highly discounted fees.
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The cost of a full-time six-month course at degree level is only $1250 or $2500, depending on the field of study.
There is another major advantage for students: those who are normally eligible for a HECS-HELP loan are able to use the scheme to pay for a short course.
This means they will pay nothing upfront but make repayments out of their salary if or when their annual income rises above a threshold set by the federal government. In the 2020-21 income year, the threshold is $46,620.
In the two months since the short courses initiative was announced by Education Minister Dan Tehan higher education providers have created 320 of them, a and more are likely. In the past week alone 47 more have been made available.
But students who do them need to be aware of some key things. Because the courses are particularly aimed at people who have lost their jobs, or been stood down, or found their plans interrupted by COVID-19, all of the discounted short courses must be studied full-time.
They are also fully online to meet the requirements for social distancing during the pandemic. And to pay the discounted rate, rather than the full cost for the course, students must complete before the end of the year. In all, 20,000 course places will be available.
UTS vice-chancellor Attila Brungs said one of the main missions of universities was to help society, and even more so in times of trouble such during the pandemic.
His university is offering 17 short courses in science, engineering, IT, architecture and building, health and education.
“UTS has worked diligently to bring our course work online to support our student community in their learning needs, but we can leverage this to provide additional courses to support the workforce as it adapts and changes rapidly,” Professor Brungs said.
“We are committed to supporting students and workers displaced by the COVID-19 crisis who are looking to retrain or upskill.”
Some education providers have limited enrolment in the discounted short courses to workers who have been affected by COVID-19, and it is recommended that students check this when seeking information about a course. The short courses are listed at courseseeker.edu.au.
Another advantage of the short online courses, which are offered at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, is that they can offer academic credit for the first six months of a bachelor or master degree. Effectively a student can do part of their degree at a discounted cost if they start with a short course.
But students who are already enrolled in a bachelor or master degree cannot use a short course to reduce their tuition fees for one semester. The discount only applied to new students.
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