Our Veterinary Nursing course (ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing) is the same nationally recognised qualification as TAFE offers.

However, as a private Registered Training Organisation, with over 20 years of experience in the Australian Animal Care training industry, our offering to students is uniquely different to that of TAFE and Tech Colleges.

• We offer a personalised learning experience to students – we know our students by name and get to know each and every one of them!
• If you are a WA based student, we arrange your practical work placement in a reputable veterinary clinic in Perth.  We have long standing relationships with over 120 vet practices in Perth who support our students throughout their studies.
• As a private institution, we have more freedom and include more practical classes and industry visits to make your study more interesting and enjoyable.
• Our training material goes beyond the requirements outlined by the government’s training package. We teach the qualification requirements, and we also teach veterinary nurses many other things they need to know to secure a job and be successful in the workplace.
• Our on-campus class sizes are smaller than larger institutions. This encourages more student participation and also provides more opportunities for students to undertake practical tasks.
• We only deliver and offer animal care related courses at AVT, meaning everything revolves around animals for us! Whereas other training providers may offer a variety of courses from hairdressing to carpentry.
• Veterinary clinics and hospitals request our graduates due to their skills, knowledge and practical experience.
• Our screening process is detailed and extensive as each one of our students is hand-picked from a pool of applicants before being offered a position on the course. This means you will study with a highly motivated and engaged group of people.
• We provide all of our students with mentoring and support outside the classroom to assist each student in successfully completing their course.

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The application process for our RSPCA Animal Studies course are as follows:-

• Step 1 – Apply using our online form found on the course page. If an application period is not open you can register your details and we will contact you when applications are open.
• Step 2 – Your application will be reviewed by one of our AVT Student Liaison Officers. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview.
• Step 3 – Successful applicants will be emailed an offer including payment plan details.
• Step 4 – Applicants are required to activate their payment plan prior to course commencement

For an overview of all important dates and deadlines including details of the next intake for all AVT courses, visit our Timetables and key dates page.

The application process for our Animal Care Intensive courses are as follows:-

• Step 1 – Apply using our online form found on the course page. If an application period is not open you can register your details and we will contact you when applications are open.
• Step 2 – Your application will be reviewed by one of our AVT Student Liaison Officers.
• Step 3 – Successful applicants will be emailed an offer including payment plan details.
• Step 4 – Applicants are required to activate your payment plan prior to course commencement

For an overview of all important dates and deadlines including details of the next intake for all AVT courses, visit our Timetables and key dates page.

To successfully complete our Certificate II in Animal Studies (Animal Care) Intensive courses and the Certificate III in Animal Studies RSPCA based courses, attendance is compulsory on your scheduled on-site/practical training days.

If you are unwell, you will be asked to contact your trainer in advance to arrange a time to catch up.  Due to the intensive nature of the course, if you are absent for more than 2 practical training days, it is unlikely you will be able to successfully complete this qualification.

This is an intensive course and your practical days will be spent at our training facility where tasks will be hands-on and working alongside fellow students. For this reason, it’s important we keep the class size small. 

This is an intensive course and a majority of the days spent at the RSPCA will be hands-on working alongside fellow students, our qualified teaching team and RSPCA representatives. For this reason it’s important we keep the class size small. There will be no more than 12 students in your class.

You are required to commit to one and a half days of training per week during the week.   You will be asked for your preferred days during the enrolment process but please keep in mind due to both class size numbers, interest from all students and availability of resources and space at the individual animal care facilities we can not guarantee your preference.

Due to the intensive nature of this course including the volume of study and practical hours required, all students are expected to meet the 100% attendance requirement for the weekly practical training and on-site training days.

This is an intensive course and a majority of the days spent at the Cat Haven and Greyhounds as Pets will be hands-on working alongside fellow students, as well as practical classroom activities with our qualified teaching team at our Ascot campus. For this reason, it’s important we keep the class size small. There will be no more than 12 students in your class.

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 RTOs including TAFE is often the units contained in the course and the quality of the 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 opportunity to learn about many different animals and most importantly allow you to apply what you learn from our online course material or in the classroom to the workplace.

To find out more about the units offered within each course visit the Course Content section on our qualifications pages.

• ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care
• ACM30121 Certificate III in Animal Care Services (Online)
• ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies (RSPCA)
• ACM20217 Certificate II in Horse Care
• ACM40321 Certificate IV in Animal Behaviour and Training
• ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing

Individuals employed by a business under an Apprenticeship or Traineeship arrangement can nominate any RTO (Registered Training Provider) with the relevant qualifications on scope to provide training for their chosen qualification, provided that RTO has the capacity to deliver the qualification under traineeship conditions.

Often the choice of RTO is a joint decision made between the Employer and the Trainee/Apprentice, to ensure the mode of delivery is suitable for both Trainee and Employer needs,

AVT currently only accepts new entrant traineeship nominations for ACM20117 Certificate II in Animal Studies, where the trainee has an approved training contract registered with the Apprenticeship Office.

Further information about Apprenticeships and Traineeships can be found at www.apprenticeshipsupport.com.au/states/Western-Australia

We are only offering this course in Perth, Western Australia.

Our Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing is offered on-campus at our Ascot training centre. You can choose to study part-time or full-time.

Studying full-time

Our full-time course is 1 year in duration and commences each year in February with a compulsory induction and lecture day held in December. Each academic term runs for approximately 8–10 weeks with a 2–3 week break between terms. Classes run from 9am – 5pm 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 weekday is your personal study day to complete all homework assigned to you for that week, including reading course materials, completing online 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 trainers will assist you in managing your schedule to attend these events.

Studying part-time

Our part-time course is 18 months long and commences mid-year. Each academic term runs for approximately 8–10 weeks with a 2–3 week break between terms. Classes run from 8am – 5pm with a morning, lunch and afternoon break. For the term schedule, including breaks, visit our calendar

You will attend on-campus lectures 1 day a week and you will attend your veterinary work placement for 1 day a week. You will also require approximately 4-6 hours per week for home-based study. During this time you will complete all homework assigned to you for that week, including reading course materials, completing online 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 trainers will assist you in managing your schedule to attend these events.

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

We have a team of highly qualified trainers and assessors who have worked in various areas of the animal industry (take a look at our ‘Meet Our Team’ page). Our trainers and assessors 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 video call.

The units are assessed using various methods.  Throughout your course you may be expected to submit assessments via the following methods:-

• online multiple choice quizzes,
• online tests,
• written assignments and practical assignments submitted online,
• oral testing via phone call,
• online video assessments e.g. Zoom,
• video submissions submitted online; and
• photographic submissions.

All Veterinary Nursing (Certificate IV) and Horse Care students receive a hard copy textbook/s 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. 

If you are studying online, some retired unit textbooks are also available to purchase via our online store. Browse our store here >>

Please read our important information about our courses, lessons and COVID-19 here

Animal Care and Animal Studies

Certificate II in Animal Care and III in Animal Studies are Online Courses with the exception of the on-campus courses below:

• RSPCA based
• Animal Care & Welfare at GAP and Cat Haven
• Veterinary Nursing Pathway
• Zoo and Wildlife Care

For the online courses, you do not need to attend lessons. A majority of your study will take place at home, online. You will also need to attend an approved workplace to complete practical training. All assessments are completed and submitted online.

Horse Care

ACM20217 Certificate in Horse Care is an Online Course. You do not need to attend lessons and you can carry out all of your studies from home. You will also attend practical training at a horse care facility where you will complete assessments and skills worksheets. All assessments are then completed and submitted online.

Veterinary Nursing

Our ACM40418 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 campus each week throughout the term.  If you are applying for the online mode, you do not need to attend classes.

Animal Behaviour and Training

ACM40321 Certificate IV in Animal Behaviour and Training is offered via blended learning.  Your theory and interactive lessons are studied from home via online eLearning and Zoom classes, plus you will attend group training workshops at a training facility in Perth WA.

All online eLearning students from Animal Studies, Animal Behaviour and Training, Horse Care 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 campus in Perth, Western Australia. For more information visit our Workshops Page

We have only one full-time on-campus intake for ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. This commences in February each year with a compulsory induction and lecture day in December.  Applications open in August prior to year commencement.

Alternatively, you can choose our part-time on-campus course which commences in July each year or choose our online study mode, meaning you can commence the course at any time during the year.  For WA based students, we also offer a blended course (online study with live video lectures).

Visit the Apply Now section of our qualification page for dates and more information

We currently offer two modes of study for our Animal Care courses.  You can choose from a self-paced, online eLearning option which includes workplace training at an approved location of your choice.  Our online eLearning options allow you to apply at any time throughout the year. To enrol simply visit our qualifications pages below, to enrol in the online course.

• ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care
• ACM30121 Certificate III in Animal Care Services

We also offer workplace-based courses for each of our Animal Studies courses.  You can choose from our Certificate 3 course based at the RSPCA in Malaga WA, or our Certificate 2 courses either at the Cat Haven and Greyhounds as Pets, our campus in Ascot, or at Conservation Park. Each course has intakes throughout the year.  We recommend visiting our timetable and key dates for the most up to date course start and end dates.  To find out more about our workplace-based courses go simply visit the qualifications pages listed below.

• ACM30117 Cert III in Animal Studies RSPCA based 
• ACM20121 Cert II in Animal Care Intensive (Health & Welfare)
• ACM20121 Cert II in Animal Care Intensive (Zoo and Wildlife Care)
• ACM20121 Cert II in Animal Care Intensive (Veterinary Nursing Pathway)

The table below details the duration and maximum allowable time you can take to complete our courses. Our online courses are self-paced, meaning you can obtain your qualification much sooner if you wish to as long as all assessments and training have been successfully completed.

Extensions are available on a case by case review. For more information about extensions please visit our Student Policies page.

+ The ACM20117 Certificate II in Animal Studies and ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies have been updated by the regulating bodies to meet the Standards for Training Packages. As such, ACM20117 has been superseded by ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care, and ACM30117 has been superseded by ACM30121 Certificate III in Animal Care Services. All students currently studying ACM20117 or ACM30117 will be expected to complete the qualification by their original course end date or 12th April 2023 (whichever is sooner).  No extensions will be granted.

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 the Entry Requirements section on our course page for the latest information on how to apply.

No, you do not need to complete a previous qualification for entry into ACM30121 Certificate III in Animal Care Services or ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies.

For more detailed information about entry requirements for these courses, please visit these “Entry Requirements” section on the following pages:-

• Online eLearning based course
• RSPCA WA based Course

The new ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing qualification requires ACM20117 Certificate II in Animal Studies (Now updated to: ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care)   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 Care  or Certificate III in Animal Studies or Care or a similar course.  You can find out more about the course entry requirements on the Course Entry tab here or our detailed course entry requirements are described here

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• Preparing to submit an application for our Veterinary Nursing course
• Top 7 reasons to pursue a career in the veterinary industry
• What age do I have to be to commence the Veterinary Nursing course?

The minimum age requirements for Certificate II in Animal Care  are based on academic school year.  For the Certificate II in Animal Care, this is Year 10 High School or equivalent. Some exceptions may be possible. Please note the minimum age for our Intensive Courses is 18 years of age due to the policies of our work placement facilities.

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.

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.

The Certificate 3 Guarantee supports eligible students to complete their first post-school certificate III qualification.

The program also supports school students to access training and Queensland’s Year 12 graduates to transition to employment by providing free training in high priority qualifications.

Unfortunately, AVT is unable to assist students under the Queensland Government Certificate III Guarantee Funding Programme at this time. AVT is not a registered provider under the funding programme scheme.  We can only accept general applications from full fee paying students who wish to study online with us.

Find out more about our online course option for Certificate III in Animal Studies here

You may be able to find a local provider and further information by visiting http://www.skillsgateway.training.qld.gov.au

None of the courses currently offered by Applied Vocational Training are eligible for Government HECS-HELP or VET Student Loans (formerly VET FEE-HELP).

HECS-HELP is a scheme that assists eligible Commonwealth supported students to pay their student contribution amount with either a loan or a discount for certain up-front payments. HECS‑HELP loans are available at all public universities and at a handful of private higher education providers.

VET Student Loans is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students studying diploma level and above qualifications to pay their tuition fees. VET Student Loans replaces VET FEE-HELP from 1 January 2017. There are no Government loans available for Certificate IV  and lower levels of study including those offered at AVT.

To find out if you may be eligible for alternative support such as Youth Allowance, we recommend contacting Centrelink .

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 section 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 approaching The Department of Human Services (Centrelink).

Concession fees are available to eligible students only through our courses which have been granted government funding. Currently, this applies to the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing for students that are residing within Western Australia and our Certificate II in Animal Care Intensive (Animal Health and Welfare). For more information on the eligibility criteria please see the fees section of the course page.

We offer flexible monthly payment plans with instalments for all students. We do not require upfront full payment for any of our courses. Total course fees and payment plan structure vary with each course and individual circumstances. Visit the relevant qualifications page for more information or contact us for further details.

ACM30121 Certificate III in Animal Care Services is the latest training package at a Certificate III level in animal care.  ACM30110 Certificate III in Animal Studies and ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies are now superseded by the new course.

Course codes change from time to time because the Government department that oversees the training packages, including the Animal Care Package (ACM10) regularly review courses and revise content guidelines in line with industry feedback.  These guidelines are then provided to Registered Training Organisations such as ourselves so we can revise and update our course material.  This results both in changes to the content within certain units and in some cases, units being replaced.  Some qualifications may change significantly, some others may not.

When qualifications in the Animal Care Package are updated, training providers generally have between 12 and 24 months to transition students to the new course code.  This transition time can differ from time to time depending on extensions permitted by the government.

Change History

• ACM30110 Certificate III in Animal Studies was updated to ACM30117 in 2017: Read More
• ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies was updated to ACM30121 in 2021: Read More
• ACM30121 Certificate III in Animal Care Services is the current qualification.

Each superseded certificate is deemed equivalent to the new qualification.

The Animal Care and Management Package, (ACM10), outlines the qualifications and contents of the individual nationally recognised qualifications.  Over the past years, this package has been updated to reflect the needs of the animal care industry and as a result, the course code and name have evolved over this period.

In November 2017, Certificate II in Animal Studies was upgraded from ACM20110 to ACM20117. The content and requirements for this particular certificate did not change and the newer certificate was deemed equivalent to ACM20110.

In April 2021, ACM20117 Certificate II in Animal Studies was superseded by ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care with changes to core and elective units. For more detailed information about this upgrade and course availability see the detailed post Certificate II and Certificate III in Animal Studies Qualifications to be replaced with updated training packages ACM20121 and ACM30121

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.

Yes, our qualifications in Vet Nursing, Horse Care and Animal Studies/Care are nationally recognised and accredited.

Our company, Applied Vocational Training (AVT),  is fully registered by the Australian Government training registration authority ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority).  Our Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Number is 5273. The qualifications we offer are nationally recognised Certificates.

We are also 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 may be considering.

We follow the national training package for all qualifications. 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.

Many of our Animal Studies and Animal Care 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 submit a Practical Work Placement Approval Kit. Once received, our Student Liaison Officer will assess the organisation to ensure it meets the workplace criteria for your 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.

Commonly asked questions about Workplace Practical Training

• What is workplace practical training?
• How am I assessed during my practical placement?
• Can I complete my workplace practical training in a private, non-business environment? Or with my pet?
• Can I be exempt from the Workplace Practical Training if I have previous experience in a Veterinary Practice?
• How do I know if the workplace I have chosen is acceptable?

Your work placement or practical training work hours can be completed at one or more workplaces. Student placements within clinics are highly sought after so it can prove difficult to find more than one clinic throughout your training.

To complete your placement at two or more workplaces, you must complete and submit the Practical Work Placement Approval Kit for each workplace.

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.

If you have previous experience working in the veterinary industry you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning (RPL). To find out if RPL may be relevant to you please visit our RPL page.

Commonly asked questions about Workplace Practical Training

• • What is workplace practical training?
  • Can I complete my workplace practical training in a private, non-business environment? Or with my pet?
  • How do I know if the workplace I have chosen is acceptable?
  • Can I volunteer in an organisation to meet the required work placement hours?
  • Can I do my Veterinary Nursing practical work placement on weekends?
  • Do I need to do the work placement with the same veterinary clinic or can I work in more than one workplace?
  • Can I choose more than one workplace for my Animal Studies work placement?
  • How am I assessed during my practical placement?

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 ‘Workplace Approval Form’ for each placement to ensure the suitability of the placement for your studies.

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.

Commonly asked questions about Workplace Practical Training

• • What is workplace practical training?
  • How do I know if the workplace I have chosen is acceptable?
  • Can I volunteer in an organisation to meet the required work placement hours?
  • Can I do my Veterinary Nursing practical work placement on weekends?
  • Can I be exempt from the Workplace Practical Training if I have previous experience in a Veterinary Practice?
  • Do I need to do the work placement with the same veterinary clinic or can I work in more than one workplace?
  • Can I choose more than one workplace for my Animal Studies work placement?
  • How am I assessed during my practical placement?

You will receive a Practical Skills Workbook containing a logbook and all the practical assessments you are required to complete during your placement.

Practical assessments include ‘Workplace Assignments’ which include activities such as case studies, photographs, written descriptions of workplace procedures and video evidence of practical tasks. These assessments are designed to see how well you are able to apply the information covered in the theory component of each unit.

Each unit also includes ‘Practical Skills Worksheets’ outlining various tasks that you are expected to complete during your placement, with each task signed off by a supervisor once it has been successfully completed. All practical assessments must be submitted to us via our online learning platform for assessment by one of our tutors.

A student attendance record is also included in the Workbook and this must be signed by your supervisor to confirm that you have completed the required number of hours during a placement.

During your placement, we will also contact your supervisor to obtain feedback on your performance. This feedback will then be relayed to you.

Commonly asked questions about Workplace Practical Training

• • What is workplace practical training?
  • Can I complete my workplace practical training in a private, non-business environment? Or with my pet?
  • How do I know if the workplace I have chosen is acceptable?
  • Can I volunteer in an organisation to meet the required work placement hours?
  • Can I do my Veterinary Nursing practical work placement on weekends?
  • Can I be exempt from the Workplace Practical Training if I have previous experience in a Veterinary Practice?
  • Do I need to do the work placement with the same veterinary clinic or can I work in more than one workplace?
  • Can I choose more than one workplace for my Animal Studies work placement?

For the Certificate II in Animal Care, you are only required to work with two different species as part of your work placement or workplace practical training. One must be a companion animal and one must correspond with the elective ‘Species-specific’ unit you have chosen as part of your course.

Prior to starting your workplace practical placement, you student must submit a signed ‘Workplace Approval Form’.

This form must be signed by the person who will be supervising you during your placement and returned to us BEFORE your placement starts.

The purpose of this form is to highlight the animals, facilities and equipment available to you and the types of work you will be exposed to during your work placement.

You must wait to receive confirmation from us that your work placement has been approved before beginning your practical placement.

If your work placement is not approved by AVT, and it is unsuitable for the purposes of this course, then any hours already completed there will not contribute to the completion of this qualification or any of the units of competency.

Commonly asked questions about Workplace Practical Training

• • What is workplace practical training?
  • Can I complete my workplace practical training in a private, non-business environment? Or with my pet?
  • Can I volunteer in an organisation to meet the required work placement hours?
  • Can I do my Veterinary Nursing practical work placement on weekends?
  • Can I be exempt from the Workplace Practical Training if I have previous experience in a Veterinary Practice?
  • Do I need to do the work placement with the same veterinary clinic or can I work in more than one workplace?
  • Can I choose more than one workplace for my Animal Studies work placement?
  • How am I assessed during my practical placement?

In some cases, registered training organisations (RTOs) may enrol non-resident students who are temporarily visiting or reside in Australia on certain visas, other than study visas. However, some visas include restrictions on training. Most visas and sub-class visas clearly outline what your study rights are in Australia. It is the responsibility of the individual to check their study and work rights according to their individual visa. 

Further information is also available from the Department of Home Affairs.

Visa information for Jobs & Skills WA Funding

Students wishing to be considered for funded places in the ACM40418 Certificate  IV in Veterinary Nursing should visit this page for more detailed information about eligibility. 

Related FAQ’s:

• Can an RTO enrol an overseas visitor into a course and not be CRICOS registered?
• I live overseas, can I still study your courses online?
• Is the Australian Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing recognised worldwide?
• I currently live overseas, can I apply for your on-campus full-time course? Will I need an international student visa?
• I wish to study in Australia on a student visa. Can I study with Applied Vocational Training?

In some cases, a registered training organisation (RTO) may enrol students who are temporarily visiting or reside in Australia on certain visas, other than study visas. However, some visas include restrictions on training. Most visas and sub-class visas clearly outline what your study rights are in Australia. It is the responsibility of the individual to check their study and work rights according to their individual visa* . Further information is also available from the Department of Home Affairs.

*Any course undertaken by a student visa holder must be registered on CRICOS and training must be provided by a CRICOS registered provider (The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students). Applied Vocational Training is not a registered CRICOS provider and as such we are unable to accept applications from individuals wishing to study on a student visa.

Related FAQ’s:

I live overseas, can I still study your courses online?

I am a non-resident visa holder, can I study with AVT?

Is the Australian Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing recognised worldwide?

I currently live overseas, can I apply for your on-campus full-time course? Will I need an international student visa?

Is the Australian Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing recognised worldwide?

Tags: international, overseas, visa, CRICOS

This answer specifically addresses students who wish to study in Australia on a Student Visa.

Unfortunately, we are unable to assist individuals with studying as an international student as we do not hold the required CRICOS registration “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 homeaffairs.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 CRICOS registered training institutions in Australia who can offer qualifications to international students. Some TAFE (Technical and Further Education) institutions hold CRICOS registration and offer courses in Animal Studies and Veterinary Nursing.

Related FAQ’s:

Can an RTO enrol an overseas visitor into a course and not be CRICOS registered?

I live overseas, can I still study your courses online?

Is the Australian Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing recognised worldwide?

I currently live overseas, can I apply for your on-campus full-time course? Will I need an international student visa?

I am a non-resident visa holder, can I study with AVT?

Tags: international, overseas, visa, CRICOS

This answer specifically addresses international students who wish to study in Australia on a Student Visa.

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

To find out more about studying in Australia we recommend visiting the Australian Government website: homeaffairs.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 CRICOS registered training institutions in Australia who can offer qualifications to international students. Some TAFE (Technical and Further Education) institutions hold CRICOS registration and offer courses in Animal Studies and Veterinary Nursing

Related FAQ’s:

Is the Australian Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing recognised worldwide?

Can an RTO enrol an overseas visitor into a course and not be CRICOS registered?

I wish to study in Australia on a student visa. Can I study with Applied Vocational Training?

I live overseas, can I still study your courses online?

I am a non-resident visa holder, can I study with AVT?

Tags: international, overseas, visa, CRICOS

All qualifications offered by Applied Vocational Training require students to learn and demonstrate knowledge and practical application of a significant amount of Australian local and state legislation, regulations and standards.

In other countries, legislation, regulations and standards are often different, making it difficult for us to assess and recognise competence in all areas.

As such, Applied Vocational Training no longer accepts applications from students living overseas*

Important note for students wishing to return or live in Australia

* Individuals who currently live overseas but are intending to return and or/live in Australia may be considered for enrolment. If such enrolment were to occur it would not be possible for any certification to be awarded until the student could be assessed as competent in Australia, regardless of the amount of course work completed overseas.

Related FAQ’s:

I currently live overseas, can I apply for your on-campus full-time course? Will I need an international student visa?

Can an RTO enrol an overseas visitor into a course and not be CRICOS registered?

I wish to study in Australia on a student visa. Can I study with Applied Vocational Training?

Is the Australian Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing recognised worldwide?

I am a non-resident visa holder, can I study with AVT?

Yes. If you have completed and passed the exact same unit as delivered by AVT, you will receive a credit transfer for the unit.  You must be deemed competent and be awarded a PASS in the unit.

At the time of application, you will be required to provide us with a Statement of Attainment from a recognised and approved training provider. We will verify your previous studies with the training provider.

For information about fees and charges that apply to credit transfers, please see our student policy page.

Credit transfer fees do not apply for students who have completed a previous qualification with AVT.

To receive a credit for a unit of competency that you have previously been awarded, you must be able to supply a verifiable Testamur (certificate) or Statement of Attainment obtained from the issuing provider.

A Testamur or Statement of Attainment must either contain the wording ‘The qualification is recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework’ or the AQF logo authorised by the AQF Council.

A Record of Results or Statement of Academic Record by itself is not sufficient when applying for a credit transfer of a nationally recognised unit of competency.

If you do not have a copy of your Testamur or Statement of Attainment you are responsible for requesting a copy from the issuing provider, we are unable to do this on your behalf.

For more information about RPL see our frequently asked questions here.

Students with eligible credit transfers may apply, however, due to the course delivery format, 100% attendance is required for induction and practical training/on-site days and therefore full course fees will apply.

Yes. You can use units of competency received from a prior qualification even if the unit is different from an elective unit required by AVT.  You can claim a credit transfer (CT) for these units as long as:-

• the unit is current and relevant to work undertaken in the animal care and management industry and
• you hold a Statement of Attainment from the issuing provider.

If this is the case, then you may use previous units of study to fulfil the elective component of the qualification.

You will be required to provide us with a Statement of Attainment from a recognised and approved training provider at the time of application. We will verify your previous studies with the training provider.

For information about fees and charges that apply to credit transfers, please see our student policy page. 

Please note, we are unable to offer RPL or Train and Assess any other elective unit of competency other than the ones provided in the courses offered on our website.

For a full list of our qualifications visit our Qualifications Overview page 

In meeting the required rules of evidence and principals of assessment, AVT is unable to provide recognition of prior learning (RPL) to candidates who can not demonstrate recent and current skills and knowledge.

Applicants need to be able to demonstrate that they meet the competency requirements of the current training package including application of current industry techniques using the latest technology, equipment and supplies in accordance with the current standards and regulations.

If you wish to gain certification as a veterinary nurse or animal carer without having current experience, you will need to enrol in and complete the full course.

Read more about RPL here

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is available to enrolled students of AVT qualifications.  The prior learning may be in the form of previous studies or completed qualifications (including superseded qualifications), on the job experience or volunteer work.

To find out more detailed information about RPL visit our RPL page.