Study Modes
  • On-Campus
  • Online
Duration
  • On-Campus 1 year
  • Online up to 2 years
Cost
  • On-Campus from $2,003
  • Online from $1,279
Applications
  • Online - Register
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Our nationally recognised Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills required to commence your career as a veterinary nurse or to gain a national qualification as an experienced professional.  Taking your love of animals and a desire to seek a professional career in caring for animals, this course will provide you with the necessary hands on skills and theoretical knowledge to work in the veterinary and animal care industry.
Veterinary Nursing Course Online and On-campus in Australia

Modes of delivery

ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing formerly ACM40412 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing is offered via two study methods including our one year full-time on-campus course based in Bentley, Western Australia as well as our one to two year online eLearning course. Our online eLearning course offers a more flexible approach to learning, all you need is access to a veterinary practice, an English speaking and writing workplace supervisor as well as a reliable internet connection. Learn more about our study modes here

Work placement

Whether you choose to study online or on-campus all students are required to complete a minimum of 500 hours of workplace practical training. If you are based in Perth, Western Australia we will organise a placement for you at no extra cost. If you are not based in Perth, you will be required to secure a work placement location for your practical training. Learn more about work placements here

Your animal care career pathway and entry

Certificate IV in Veterinary nursing is a natural progression pathway from either ACM20117 Certificate II in Animal Studies (previously ACM20110) or ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies (previously ACM30110) and ACM40317 Certificate IV in Companion Animal Studies providing you with the vital skills to undertake and assist in clinical duties such as pathology, radiology and procedures relating to managing medical cases. Additionally the Certificate II in Animal Studies OR a relevant Certificate III or higher level qualification in an animal science discipline (OR equivalent skills or knowledge) is now a pre-requisite for this course. Learn more about entry requirements here

The AVT Difference

Due to the intensive nature of this program, our students consistently enjoy a high graduation rate with very strong employment prospects. You will be recognised as a qualified and registered veterinary nurse in Australia.

Here's just a handful of reasons why students choose AVT:-
  • We organise your work placement in a reputable veterinary hospitals (for Perth, Western Australia WA based students)
  • Your peers are like-minded because we thoroughly screen and review our applicants to maintain a high level of academic success
  • Our team members know our students by name not by number! They are friendly and approachable and are available throughout the course to provide expert advice and coaching. They will also monitor and guide your progression
  • We are a dedicated animal care college. No plumbing or hairdressing courses here!
  • We are proud of the high graduation and employment rate of our students
  • We are trusted and respected by industry - employers request our graduates
  • Our course material is written by Veterinarians and Animal Scientists who are employed directly by AVT
  • Our insurance arrangements ensure our students are protected throughout their training programs - both on-campus and in work placements (Australia based students only)
  • We are an independent animal care and veterinary nursing registered training organisation. We do not have third party arrangements with other training providers to acquire content or distribute qualifications. We take pride in developing and delivering our own course material.

At AVT, we combine a high standard of theoretical knowledge taught in our facility located in Bentley or available online and combine it with intensive practical training. This allows you to gain the competence and confidence required for an exciting and rewarding career in a variety of animal care careers.

Are you choosing a registered training organisation?

AVT NRT RecognisedAVT is fully registered by the Australian Government training registration authority ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) and the qualification offered is the nationally recognised Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. We are supported and endorsed by the Australian Veterinary Association. Our registration authority can be viewed on the training.gov.au website, which is the Australian Government’s website for details of registered courses and training providers –  View our details here. We strongly recommend you search the training.gov.au website for any training organisation you maybe considering.




Looking for more information visit: Study Modes | Course Content | Fees and Payment Plan | Entry Requirements | Career & Outcomes |

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Vet Nursing – eLearning 2019
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Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a question about the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing?  Choose a tab below and select a question to read the relevant answer. If you are unable to find an answer, feel free to contact us via our contact us page.

The new ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing qualification requires ACM20117 Certificate II in Animal Studies OR a relevant Certificate III or higher level qualification in an animal science discipline OR can demonstrate equivalent skills and knowledge in a relevant animal science discipline to any of the above qualifications. This means if you do not have any prior experience working with animals you will need to complete either a Certificate II in Animal Studies or the Certificate III in Animal Studies or a similar course.  You can find out more about the course entry requirements on the Course Entry tab here
We do not hold a formal Open Day, however we often attend careers expos and events organised by schools. Throughout the year we conduct information sessions which are offered by invitation. If you are interested in attending one of these sessions please contact us
All Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing students receive a hard copy text book at the commencement of the course. If you are studying via our online course you will be given access to the units and additional study materials digitally via our Online Learning System. For students studying on-campus, hard copies of the study materials are also supplied and included in the overall course cost. Please note: all course material for Animal Studies courses are provided digitally.  
The units are assessed using various methods. These include multiple choice quizzes, tests, written assignments and practical assignments such as video and photographic evidence.
The qualification that you receive (Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing) is the same as that awarded by TAFE, and are both nationally recognised. However, as a private RTO, we are able to offer our students a personalised learning experience.

We arrange your practical work placements for you, within a reputable veterinary clinic in Perth that we can guarantee provide the training and mentoring required to learn the ins and outs of working within a clinic. We understand the stress that can be involved in having to secure yourself a work placement in a few short weeks once you have been accepted onto a course. By studying with us you can rest assured that we will arrange this for you using our fantastic relationships with over 120 vet practices in Perth.

In terms of the theory components of the course; we teach the qualification requirements but we are also able to teach the extra areas that we, as veterinarians, feel would be valuable for a vet nurse to know. We are a private institution, so we are able to have more freedom to include many more practical classes, industry visits, teach particular areas to make our nurses a lot more employable. We also only deliver and offer animal care courses at AVT meaning everything revolves around animals for us! Whereas other training providers may offer a variety of courses from hairdressing to carpentry.

We also like to provide all of our students with as much support as we can towards completing their certificate. Our class sizes are much smaller here which allows and encourages more student participation and more opportunities to do practical tasks at AVT. This also allows you experience of studying with us to be much more personalised – all lecturing and support staff members know all the students very well and are there to support our students throughout the course.
Yes absolutely, non- Perth based students including those living in Australian rural areas and in the Australian eastern states are encouraged to apply. Although, please be aware that to be accepted onto the online learning course from outside WA, you must have a practical work placement arranged. Please see our Course Entry tab for the latest information on how to apply.
This answer specifically addresses international students who wish to reside in Australia whilst studying at our Bentley campus.

Unfortunately we are unable to assist you with studying as an international student in Australia as we do not have the necessary registration with our government to enrol overseas students in Australia on a Visa. The required registration for this is CRICOS ‘The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students’.

The following link outlines the main steps to be taken to be able to study in Australia -www.border.gov.au. This will require applying for a student visa under the Vocational Education and Training Sector. However, you will need to have been accepted into a full-time study course by a CRICOS approved provider and then apply for the student visa. These normally take approximately 46 days to process. 

You may find other institutions in Australia that offer qualifications as an on-campus (in school) option who do have CRICOS registration.

We have a team of highly qualified lecturers who have worked in various areas of the animal industry (take a look at our ‘Meet Our Team’ page). Our lecturers are always on hand to answer any questions or provide further support, explanations or clarification of any of the course material. They will mentor and coach you through the course material when required.  You can contact our lecturers via phone, email or Skype.
Our Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing is a nationally recognised qualification throughout Australia and by the governing bodies, the Veterinary Surgeons Board (VSB) and the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA). We have had correspondence students graduate from all over the world including Japan, Singapore, England, Ireland and South Africa. It is important however to be aware that no arrangement for recognition of the Australian qualification in any country other than Australia exists. Many countries do not have formal qualifications for Vet Nurses. And those countries that do have local qualifications, often employ nurses that hold the Australian qualification. Before applying to do your study with us – please carefully review the following points:
  • You will need to investigate for your yourself whether your country has a board or registering authority (ie veterinary) that can advise you on which Vet Nursing qualifications are recognised by them (your local vet should also be able to assist you with information)
  • You will need to check with your own country's registering body whether you will be permitted to conduct 'acts of veterinary nursing' (eg injections, monitoring anaesthetics etc) while under supervision by the co-operating veterinary practice.
  • You should talk to your local Veterinary Practices, explain you are considering obtaining the qualification from Australia, to find out what your employment prospects might be
  • You will need to organise a work placement in a general veterinary practice where they perform routine small animal (dog and cats) procedures/surgery etc and this practice must have a gaseous anaesthetic machine and monitoring equipment, radiography equipment (xray and ultrasound) and be English speaking to prevent miscommunication.
  • AVT does not organise student visas
Yes, our qualifications in Vet Nursing and Animal Studies are nationally recognised and accredited.  Our company is fully registered by the Australian Government training registration authority ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) and the qualification offered is the nationally recognised Certificate. We are supported and endorsed by the Australian Veterinary Association. Our registration authority can be viewed on the training.gov.au website, which is the Australian Government’s website for details of registered courses and training providers –  View our details here.We strongly recommend you search the training.gov.au website for any training organisation you maybe considering.
AVT offers high quality study material written, reviewed and delivered by Veterinarians, Animal Scientists and Veterinary Nurses with formal training qualifications. Our in-house training team have spent hundreds if not thousands of hours creating course resources for our units of competency across all courses.

The difference between registered training providers course content across all RTO's including TAFE is often the units contained in the course and the quality of material. There are many units that can be included in a course and training providers nominate a selection of units they will offer to students.

Our courses are broad based and give an excellent introduction to working with animals across all species. They provide a fantastic is opportunity to learn about many different animals and most importantly allow you to apply what you learn in the classroom to the workplace.

To find out more about the units offered within each course visit the Course Content tab on our qualifications pages below.
Due to the nature of the qualification including exposure to radiology equipment, pharmaceuticals, procedures and situations that require a high level of maturity, we require Veterinary Nursing students to be a minimum of 18 years of age or be turning 18 during the academic year.
For more information about the changes to ACM40412 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing to ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing we recommend reading Important changes to the National Qualifications in Animal Studies and Veterinary Nursing Please note the new course code is ACM40418. ACM40417 was not released.
The table below details the maximum allowable time you can take to complete our courses. Extensions are available on a case by case review. For more information about extensions please visit our Student Policies page. [table id=12 /] + The above time frames do not apply to students enrolled in the VET in Schools program. All VET in schools program students have up to 2 years from course commencement to complete either the Certificate II or Certificate III in Animal Studies whilst remaining a student of an Australian high school. After the initial two year period, extensions may be granted on a case by case basis. Fees will apply as outlined in the fees table. However the expected time frame for each course will be determined by each individual school according to the curriculum and school expectations. ++ACM40412 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing has been updated by the regulating bodies to meet the Standards for Training Packages. As such, ACM40412 has been superseded by ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. All students currently studying ACM40412 will be expected to complete the qualification by December 11th 2019 which is the cutoff date for issuing this qualification. No extensions can be granted. Students who do not complete ACM40412 by this date may be given the opportunity to transition to the new qualification. Due to the significant changes in the qualification and assessment guidelines, this will likely involve a significant amount of additional work for students who need to be transitioned.
Our Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing is offered on-campus at our Bentley training centre. This is a year long course that commences each year in February. Each academic term runs for approximately 8–10 weeks with a 2–3 week break between terms. Classes run from 9am – 4pm with a morning, lunch and afternoon break. For the term schedule including breaks visit our calendar

You will attend on-campus lectures for 2 days a week and you will attend your veterinary work placement for 2 days a week. The remaining week day is your personal study day to complete all homework assigned to you for that week, including reading course materials, completing on-line assessments and assignments, study and revision for any in-class tests and revision of your practical skills workbook and assignments.

You will also be required to attend excursions throughout the year. Your lecturers will assist you in managing your schedule to attend these events.
None of our courses require up front payment, we offer flexible monthly payment plans with instalments for all students. Total course fees and payment plan structure vary with each course and individual circumstances. For more information, contact us.
Concession fees are available to eligible students only through our courses which have been granted government funding. Currently this only applies to the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing for students that are residing within Western Australia. For more information on the eligibility criteria please see the Fees tab on this page.
WA based students, studying the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing may be eligible for a government subsidised place (Jobs and Skills WA). You can find out more information by visiting the Fees and Entry tab on the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing page. You may also be able to apply for financial or government assistance such as Austudy. You can find out more information by approachingThe Department of Human Services (Centrelink).
HECS‑HELP (formerly HECS) is a loan scheme for eligible students enrolled in Commonwealth supported places to pay their student contribution amounts. Unfortunately HECS-HELP loans are only available to students of approved Universities. Whilst, VET Student Loans (formerly VET FEE-HELP) is available for some Diploma levels and above students and above, there are no Government loans available for most Certificate IV level study including those offered at AVT. To find out if you may be eligible for alternative support such as Youth Allowance, we recommend contacting The Department of Human Services.   For more information about our fees visit the Fees and Entry tab on this page
No, the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing commences in February each year with applications open in August prior to year commencement. Alternatively, if this option suit you can choose our online study mode, meaning you can commence the course at any time during the year. For more information on how to apply visit our "Course entry" tab.
This answer specifically addresses international students who wish to reside in Australia whilst studying at our Bentley campus.

Unfortunately we are unable to assist you with studying as an international student in Australia as we do not have the necessary registration with our government to enrol overseas students in Australia on a Visa. The required registration for this is CRICOS ‘The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students’.

The following link outlines the main steps to be taken to be able to study in Australia -www.border.gov.au. This will require applying for a student visa under the Vocational Education and Training Sector. However, you will need to have been accepted into a full-time study course by a CRICOS approved provider and then apply for the student visa. These normally take approximately 46 days to process. 

You may find other institutions in Australia that offer qualifications as an on-campus (in school) option who do have CRICOS registration.

Yes absolutely, non- Perth based students including those living in Australian rural areas and in the Australian eastern states are encouraged to apply. Although, please be aware that to be accepted onto the online learning course from outside WA, you must have a practical work placement arranged. Please see our Course Entry tab for the latest information on how to apply.
We do not hold a formal Open Day, however we often attend careers expos and events organised by schools. Throughout the year we conduct information sessions which are offered by invitation. If you are interested in attending one of these sessions please contact us
The new ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing qualification requires ACM20117 Certificate II in Animal Studies OR a relevant Certificate III or higher level qualification in an animal science discipline OR can demonstrate equivalent skills and knowledge in a relevant animal science discipline to any of the above qualifications. This means if you do not have any prior experience working with animals you will need to complete either a Certificate II in Animal Studies or the Certificate III in Animal Studies or a similar course.  You can find out more about the course entry requirements on the Course Entry tab here
Our Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing is a nationally recognised qualification throughout Australia and by the governing bodies, the Veterinary Surgeons Board (VSB) and the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA). We have had correspondence students graduate from all over the world including Japan, Singapore, England, Ireland and South Africa. It is important however to be aware that no arrangement for recognition of the Australian qualification in any country other than Australia exists. Many countries do not have formal qualifications for Vet Nurses. And those countries that do have local qualifications, often employ nurses that hold the Australian qualification. Before applying to do your study with us – please carefully review the following points:
  • You will need to investigate for your yourself whether your country has a board or registering authority (ie veterinary) that can advise you on which Vet Nursing qualifications are recognised by them (your local vet should also be able to assist you with information)
  • You will need to check with your own country's registering body whether you will be permitted to conduct 'acts of veterinary nursing' (eg injections, monitoring anaesthetics etc) while under supervision by the co-operating veterinary practice.
  • You should talk to your local Veterinary Practices, explain you are considering obtaining the qualification from Australia, to find out what your employment prospects might be
  • You will need to organise a work placement in a general veterinary practice where they perform routine small animal (dog and cats) procedures/surgery etc and this practice must have a gaseous anaesthetic machine and monitoring equipment, radiography equipment (xray and ultrasound) and be English speaking to prevent miscommunication.
  • AVT does not organise student visas
Yes, our qualifications in Vet Nursing and Animal Studies are nationally recognised and accredited.  Our company is fully registered by the Australian Government training registration authority ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) and the qualification offered is the nationally recognised Certificate. We are supported and endorsed by the Australian Veterinary Association. Our registration authority can be viewed on the training.gov.au website, which is the Australian Government’s website for details of registered courses and training providers –  View our details here.We strongly recommend you search the training.gov.au website for any training organisation you maybe considering.
The qualification that you receive (Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing) is the same as that awarded by TAFE, and are both nationally recognised. However, as a private RTO, we are able to offer our students a personalised learning experience.

We arrange your practical work placements for you, within a reputable veterinary clinic in Perth that we can guarantee provide the training and mentoring required to learn the ins and outs of working within a clinic. We understand the stress that can be involved in having to secure yourself a work placement in a few short weeks once you have been accepted onto a course. By studying with us you can rest assured that we will arrange this for you using our fantastic relationships with over 120 vet practices in Perth.

In terms of the theory components of the course; we teach the qualification requirements but we are also able to teach the extra areas that we, as veterinarians, feel would be valuable for a vet nurse to know. We are a private institution, so we are able to have more freedom to include many more practical classes, industry visits, teach particular areas to make our nurses a lot more employable. We also only deliver and offer animal care courses at AVT meaning everything revolves around animals for us! Whereas other training providers may offer a variety of courses from hairdressing to carpentry.

We also like to provide all of our students with as much support as we can towards completing their certificate. Our class sizes are much smaller here which allows and encourages more student participation and more opportunities to do practical tasks at AVT. This also allows you experience of studying with us to be much more personalised – all lecturing and support staff members know all the students very well and are there to support our students throughout the course.
We follow the national training package for Veterinary Nursing. The latest version of the training package can be viewed here.  training.gov.au is the Australian Government Website for registered training courses and providers.
For more information about the changes to ACM40412 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing to ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing we recommend reading Important changes to the National Qualifications in Animal Studies and Veterinary Nursing Please note the new course code is ACM40418. ACM40417 was not released.
Unfortunately no, it does not matter how much time you have spent in practice or amount of experience you have prior to starting the course, you still need to enrol in each unit to enable us to verify your practical skills. Your workplace supervisor may decide that you have the skills required based on previous observations, but we need to ensure you are completing the practical tasks with the theoretical knowledge you are obtaining during your studies. The only exception to this is if you have undertaken some previous practical training whilst enrolled in another accredited Veterinary Nursing Course. In this case you need to discuss this with your tutor. If you are working within a veterinary clinic then you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning (RPL). An application for RPL can be submitted at the time of application to the course.
It is a general rule that we prefer you to do your practical work placement during the week. Often weekend practice is quiet and might only see emergency cases. If the practice you are considering offers a full service, including sterilisations on weekends, then it might be a possibility. You can discuss this with our Student and Industry Liaison Officer.
Your work placement or practical work hours can be completed at one or more veterinary clinics if the option is available to you. Student placements within clinics are highly sought after so could prove difficult to find multiple placements, although it is more likely to occur over a longer duration study such as the online stream. To complete your placement at 2 or more work places, you must ensure all paperwork is completed by both work places and submitted to AVT.

All of our courses are vocational, which means that they are specifically designed to provide students with the skills, experience and knowledge to enter the animal care workplace. Working in an animal care facility, where you are responsible for a number of different animals and sometimes a range of different species on a daily basis is very different to caring for your own pets at home.

Therefore to successfully complete your qualification you will need to secure a formal workplace practical training placement in a pet related business or organisation.

Below are just a few examples of the types of skills and knowledge that must be covered in all of our courses, which cannot be learned from caring for your own animals –

  • Being able to understand and interpret the behaviour of animals that you are not familiar with.  This is an essential skill in order to ensure that the animal is approached and handled in the most appropriate and safest way so as to minimise stress to the animal and reduce the risk of injury to the handler.
  • The ability to accurately assess the health of an animal that you are not familiar with.  As we know our own animals so well, we can often pick up on the early signs that something is wrong.  However, being able to do this with animals that you do not know particularly well and may be in an unfamiliar environment such as boarding facility, rescue shelter or vet clinic requires a completely different set of skills and knowledge.
  • Understanding of hygiene and infection control practices.  In a facility where numerous animals are housed, it is vital to have a good understanding of the correct hygiene practices to ensure that all animals are kept healthy and to minimise the risk of the spread of disease and cross-contamination.
  • Health and safety practices – working with animals can present a very unique set of risks and therefore it is vital that students are aware of not only the possible risks but also how to ensure they can minimise these risks at all times.

Student Testimonials

“I began studying the Certificate IV of Veterinary Nursing as a full time student at AVT at the beginning of 2017. I went into the course having never worked in a vet clinic before, and unsure if I would even be a good vet nurse. Luckily AVT has the most incredible lecturers who encouraged and helped me every step of the way & got me into an awesome clinic for my work placement. My work placement clinic ended up hiring me and I am now working my dream job and doing things I would never of thought I’d be able to do in such a short amount of time. The personalised support and encouragement I received from all of the staff at AVT is second to none and I can not thank them all enough for everything they have done for me. Studying at Applied Vocational Training was definitely the best decision of my life!”
-Facebook Review by Rachel Gray ~ 2017 Course Graduate

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About AVT

We are a registered training organisation based in Perth, Western Australia run by veterinarians, animal scientists and veterinary nurses who combine outstanding industry knowledge with extensive experience in teaching.

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