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.

Certificate II and III in Animal Studies are Online Courses with the exception of the RSPCA based course. For the online courses, you do not need to attend lessons and you can carry out all of your studies from home. All the course material is available online, this can also be downloaded if you wish to print the study materials. You will also attend a practical work place where you will complete assessments and skills worksheets. All assessments are then completed and submitted online.

Our Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing course is offered in either an online eLearning mode or on-campus mode.  If you are applying for the on-campus mode, you will be expected to attend classes at our Bentley Campus each week throughout the term.  If you are applying for the online mode, you do not need to attend classes.

All online eLearning students from both Animal Studies and Veterinary Nursing qualifications are invited to attend workshops throughout the year. These helpful training sessions provide practical experience and give you face to face access to our lecturers and tutors. Workshops are held at our Bentley campus in Perth, Western Australia. For more information visit our Workshops 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.

Our Animal Studies courses are available online, so you can study from anywhere around Australia or overseas.  As long as you have access to a reliable internet connection via a PC or electronic device, you are proficient in speaking and writing in English and can secure a workplace for your practical training where your supervisor can also read English then you can complete our qualifications from any location.

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.

We have students enrolled in our VET in Schools program around Australia, so it is likely your VET Co-ordinator may consider introducing our animal care program at your school.

If your school does not offer our courses as part of their VET in Schools program we advise that you speak with your careers adviser or VET co-ordinator.  We encourage you to direct them to this website and contact us via our website. We can send them our VET in Schools information pack and answer any of their questions in relation to your interest in studying Animal Care.

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.

• Certificate II in Animal Studies
• Certificate III in Animal Studies
• Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing

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

Our Animal Studies courses are self-paced and offered via online eLearning. This means you can apply at any time throughout the year. To enrol simply go to the bottom of the page and complete our online enrolment form or click here.

Please note: this does not apply to the RSPCA based course which has set start and end dates. Learn more here

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

No, there are no pre-requisites for general entry into ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies. However, if you are a VET in schools program student please visit the VET in schools program page for specific requirements.

General requirements for ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies are as follows:-

• Experience with animals is not required. The course includes practical training which will require you to complete a practical work placement within an area of the animal industry, providing you with some practical experience to compliment the theory units.
• The minimum age requirements for Certificate III in Animal Studies are based on academic school year. For the Certificate III in Animal Studies, this is Year 11 High School or equivalent. Some exceptions may be possible. Please note the minimum age for the RSPCA based course is 18 years of age due to RSPCA policy.
• We also ask that all students can speak and write English.

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

Our Animal Studies courses are available online, so you can study from anywhere around Australia or overseas.  As long as you have access to a reliable internet connection via a PC or electronic device, you are proficient in speaking and writing in English and can secure a workplace for your practical training where your supervisor can also read English then you can complete our qualifications from any location.

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.

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.

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.

• Certificate II in Animal Studies
• Certificate III in Animal Studies
• Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing

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.

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.

Yes, you can complete your practical training at more than one establishment if you have the opportunity to do so.  Whilst it is not compulsory, training at two different workplaces can be very beneficial and provide you with valuable experiences.  However, in saying this we would recommend that you limit your practical training to no more than 2 different organisations.

Also keep in mind, when choosing these workplaces, your practical placement must correspond with the species specific unit that you choose as your elective unit.

Finally, we will still need a signed ‘Practical Work Placement Approval form’ for each placement to ensure the suitability of the placement for your studies.

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.

Many of our Animal Studies students, unless employed at a suitable workplace, complete their required hours in a voluntary position whether that be as a volunteer in an animal or wildlife shelter or an animal related business.

Prior to commencing your work placement, you will need to complete the practical workplace approval form to our Student Liaison Officer to ensure the voluntary organisation is suitable for the course requirements and is likely to be approved for your workplace training.

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.