Students are also able to contact their trainer on their direct mobile phone and direct email address any day of the week.

General

• Why should I train with Royal College of Healthcare?

• What kind of resources do I need to study?

• I'm a school leaver/I have no qualifications. Am I eligible to study with Royal College of Healthcare?

• I’m over 45 and am thinking about switching careers. Can I enrol?

• Will my qualification be nationally recognised?

• Will my qualification help if I want to go to university in the future?

• Will my qualification help me to get a job/promotion?

• I have work or other commitments. What if I don't have much time to study?

Course-related

• How do I enrol?

• Is there an enrolment closing date?

• How long will my course take?

• How do I get my course materials if I study by distance?

• What kind of student support is available?

• Do I need to attend classes?

• Are there exams?

• What if I need to stop studying for a while due to other commitments?

• Will I get credit for my previous study/work experience?

• When will I receive my diploma/certificate?

Finance-related

• What do my fees cover?

• Is there any financial assistance/government grant I can apply for?

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Why should I train with Royal College of Healthcare?

Royal College of Healthcare offers you diploma and certificate courses that are nationally recognised and government-accredited. The qualifications you gain may articulate into universities to fast track your education. We specialise in training for the aged care sector, so you can be sure that the training you receive is relevant and practical to working in aged care.

We've also put together workshops and short courses to quickly up-skill in a specific area of interest. This is especially helpful if you're currently working or eyeing a job and need to master relevant skills in a short period of time.

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What kind of resources do I need to study?

We’ll provide you with all of the resources you need to complete your course. It’s all included in your enrolment.

Some units may have suggested complementary texts, which are recommended reading, but not essential.

As part of the course assessment, you’ll need to undertake supervised work placement for approximately 50 hours in a residential or community aged care setting. This placement can be coordinated by Royal College of Healthcare, or you can arrange it yourself. We will need to pre-approve your placement and will provide you with guidelines for this practicum.

You will find it useful to have access to the Internet and an email address which we may use to contact you. From time to time, extra learning materials and feedback reports may be supplied as pdf’s. For a smooth learning experience, we recommend that you have an IBM compatible computer with:

• at least 128MB RAM

• 56K modem or better

• Windows 2000 or later

• Microsoft Office 2000 or later

• MS Internet Explorer 5 or later (recommended browser)

• Adobe Acrobat Reader available free from the Adobe website

• CD ROM drive

• A Pentium I (or better) computer

• A printer.

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I'm a school leaver/I have no qualifications. Am I eligible to study with Royal College of Healthcare?

Our courses are designed to suit everyone, including school leavers and mature age students. Our courses do not have formal pre-requisites, making them accessible to everyone.

However a base level of language, literacy and numeracy is recommended. Students who do not have the recommended experience should discuss the course's suitability with Royal College of Healthcare.

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I'm over 45 and am thinking about switching careers. Can I enrol?

With a predicted decline in the number of young people entering the workforce, now, more than ever, Mature Age Workers are an important part of the Australian workforce. Completing a qualification with Royal College of Healthcare will improve your work opportunities and career options.

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Will my qualification be nationally recognised?

Our qualifications have been developed under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), so they are government-accredited and nationally recognised.

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Will my Royal College of Healthcare qualification help if I want to go to university in the future?

Yes, our qualifications can articulate into universities to fast track your education. Every university is different though, so pathways may vary across qualifications and courses.

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Will my Royal College of Healthcare qualification help me to get a job/promotion?

Because our courses are developed in consultation with the aged care industry and community groups, you can rest assured that your qualification is highly valued by employers, education and training providers and the wider community. The skills and knowledge you gain from our courses are designed to be career-relevant so you can apply them immediately if you are already working or use them to get the job you want.

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I have work or other commitments. What if I don't have much time to study?

With distance learning, you're in charge - you set the pace at which you study. We've designed the courses to be as flexible as possible. Our course pages provide a general guide to show you how many hours per week you need to study to complete the course between 6 months and 2 years. Ultimately, you decide how long you need to complete the course.

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How do I enrol?

Click here to enrol online. Or, give us a call on 07 3355 6168.

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Is there an enrolment closing date?

Our courses are offered via traineeships, workplace based or distance learning so enrolment is available all year round - you decide when to start your course!

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How long will my course take?

It all depends on the amount of time you dedicate to your studies. As a general guide, students have up to three years to complete their course, but because distance learning is flexible, many students complete much sooner than that. You can get your qualification completed in 6 months, a year or two years - it's all up to you.

Certificate course students do need to complete their course within 2 years and Diploma course students within 3 years. These timeframes are ample and include the need for students to break from study from time to time.

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How do I get my course materials if I study by distance?

Once your enrolment has been confirmed, we will provide you with your first portfolio of learning materials by post. If you pay upfront, the materials for the full course will be sent immediately. If paying by instalments, materials will be sent as each monthly payment is cleared.

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What kind of student support is available?

To help you achieve your goals, expert teacher support is on hand. Upon enrolment, you will receive details of your allocated trainer, including their mobile phone number and email address. We encourage you to contact your trainer at anytime, 7 days a week, with any questions you have about your course.

The office is available from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm throughout the year. Emails are responded to within 24 hours.

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Do I need to attend classes?

Our courses are offered via distance learning, so there are no formal classes to attend.

Students enrolled as trainees will have a schedule of workshops to attend.

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Are there exams?

No, we don’t have exams. Our programs adopt a holistic (whole approach) model of assessment. Holistic assessment techniques check the way a range of skills, knowledge and understanding are combined together to successfully complete workplace tasks. Assessment may include: written or oral questions, practical field exercises, written assignments, workplace tasks with observation checklists, work placements, role plays and project work.

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What if I need to stop studying for a while due to other commitments?

Distance learning puts you in charge, so you set the pace at which you study. Because it's flexible, you can complete the course between 6 months and 2 years it all depends on the amount of time you dedicate to your studies. Most courses are completed within 2 years, which is usually more than enough time. If you do exceed this time frame, an additional administration fee may apply.

Students enrolled as trainees will need to negotiate changes to their training plan with their employer and with Royal College of Healthcare.

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Will I get credit for my previous study/work experience?

We recognises the skills and knowledge that you have gained through previous studies, work and life experiences. If you are granted recognition in a unit of competency, you do not have to re-study it. Check out the details on Recognition of Prior Learning in the Student Handbook to find out more.

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When will I receive my diploma/certificate?

Qualifications are issued all year round upon completion of the course.

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What do my fees cover?

Your tuition fees cover all learning materials, assessment as well as student coaching support.

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Is there any financial assistance/government grant I can apply for?

You may be eligible for financial assistance from Centrelink. Applications for assistance are assessed by Centrelink, so you should contact your nearest Centrelink office to discuss your eligibility.

Contact us if you have any other inquiries.