Why not consider the unique opportunity to participate in a supervised work placement at the RSPCA in Malaga WA
About our RSPCA Program →
If you have some experience in animal care and are looking to deepen your knowledge and refine your skills, our ACM30122 Certificate III in Animal Care Services is perfect for you. This online course allows you the flexibility to learn at your own pace.
Upon completion, you’ll be ready to kickstart your career in the animal care industry, enhance opportunities in your current job, or progress to a higher qualification. As a graduate, your nationally recognised qualification will be highly valued, opening up new avenues for employment and professional advancement.
Prefer face-to-face learning? Explore weekly practical training at RSPCA WA and classroom learning at AVT Ascot.
Nationally Recognised Training
ACM30122 Certificate III in Animal Care Services · AVT RTO 5273
Course Structure
Online coursework · Flexible start date · Up to 2 years to complete · Around 10 hours study time per week
Work Placement
Approximately 250 hours at an approved workplace of your choice · Placement not required to start
Entry & Pathways
No prerequisites · Suited to students who have some knowledge or experience in the animal care industry · Provides a pathway towards Veterinary Nursing
This flexible course fits around your life, with no classes to attend and online study available Australia-wide. As part of your course, you will complete:
As a student, you will:
To gain the valuable practical skills required to successfully complete this course, you will be required to complete workplace based training (a Work Placement).
Just keep in mind you need to have access to dogs and cats to complete some of the practical assessments, therefore if you choose a wildlife or zoo related placement, or a workplace where you only have access to one species (either cat or dog), you will need an additional placement to complete your assessments.
For more information, see our Work Placement FAQ’s below or visit Practical Work Placements in Animal Care.
Students must:
You do not need to complete the Certificate II in Animal Care to commence this course, however, we do recommend commencing your study pathway with the Certificate II in Animal Care. Read our FAQ for more information.
The following information outlines what you can expect during the course, including the essential, environmental and psychosocial requirements. If you have any questions or concerns about these expectations, please contact our Student Support team.
Essential requirements
Throughout this course, you will need to:
Environmental requirements
In this course, you will:
Psychosocial requirements
Given the nature of work in the animal care and welfare environments, and the delivery of training within a third-party workplace, you will need to:
Assessment types
You will be assessed on your skills and knowledge in various ways, including:
When you visit your Work Placement you will be required to wear:
You will be required to wear the AVT uniform unless specified by your approved workplace.
International students, please note that we are not registered with the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). Please visit the CRICOS website to view education providers that offer courses to people studying in Australia on student visas. We are unable to offer this course to students currently living overseas or those on a student visa. For more information visit our frequently asked questions below:
Your animal care course can help you take your first step into the animal care industry or build the confidence to pursue new opportunities.
Support veterinary teams with animal handling, cleaning, patient care and daily clinic tasks.
Help care for animals in welfare, rescue, rehoming and rehabilitation environments.
Build practical animal handling skills useful in grooming salons, pet care and retail businesses.
Care for cats and other companion animals in boarding, welfare and animal care environments.
Work hands-on with dogs in kennels, daycare centres, boarding facilities or mobile dog services.
Assist with feeding, grooming, cleaning and day-to-day care in stable or agistment settings.
Thinking ahead? Many students use this course as a stepping stone toward further study in animal care, veterinary nursing, grooming, animal welfare or behaviour.
You will cover a broad range of topics relating to the principles of working in the animal care industry.
All of the skills and knowledge you will learn can be applied across a broad range of animal care facilities. For more information on careers working with animals read our article Top 8 Animal Care Careers.
ACM30122 Certificate III in Animal Care Services online students must complete 17 core and compulsory units.
All students complete the following units:
This qualification provides a pathway into ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing.
Flexible payment plans are available (weekly, fortnightly or monthly)
Initial application fee followed by eleven monthly instalments.
Dedicated Student Support and Trainer Help
Course Content & Materials
Assessments and Certification
Membership in our Private Facebook Community
Practical Training Insurance**
Work Placement Kit: Uniform, Name Badge and Workbook
*Fees, inclusions and payment plan amounts are subject to change. If you decide to withdraw from study for any reason, refunds are not issued. Please see our policies page for full details. Concession rates are not available for this course
** Workplace Practical Insurance Cover only applies to students undertaking practical training whilst in Australia
If you’re based in Perth, check out our RSPCA Program, where you will participate in weekly practical training at the RSPCA WA in Malaga.
Ready to enrol? Simply complete our online application form. Once submitted, we’ll review your application and guide you through the next steps.
If you are in Australia on another type of visa, your eligibility to study depends on the specific conditions attached to your visa. AVT is not able to enrol students in nationally recognised qualifications on a student visa.
Other visas – Some registered training organisations (RTOs), including AVT, may enrol non-resident students who are temporarily visiting or living in Australia on certain visas other than a student visa. See important information about Jobs & Skills WA Funding eligibility including visa eligibility.
Restrictions – Many visas include limits on study or training. Your study and work rights are linked to your visa type.
Your responsibility – You must check your individual visa conditions before applying. Further information is available from the Department of Home Affairs.
Courses shown below are subsidised under the Jobs & Skills WA funding program. Eligibility including visa eligibility, vary by course. Please refer to the links below for details:
ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care – Eligibility details for each stream:
ACM30122 Certificate III in Animal Care Services (RSPCA) – Eligibility details >>
ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing – Eligibility details >>
Related FAQs:
Unfortunately, we cannot assist individuals studying as international students as we do not hold the required CRICOS (The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students) registration.
You may find CRICOS registered training institutions in Australia that can offer qualifications to international students. Some TAFE (Technical and Further Education) institutions hold CRICOS registration and offer Animal Care and Veterinary Nursing courses.
Related FAQ’s:
Tags: international, overseas, visa, CRICOS
AVT is not able to accept international students wishing to study on-campus in Australia on a Student Visa. To enrol students on a Student Visa, training providers must be registered with CRICOS (The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students). AVT does not hold this registration.
If you wish to study on-campus in Australia with a Student Visa, you will need to apply through a CRICOS-registered provider. Some TAFE (Technical and Further Education) institutions are CRICOS-registered and may offer qualifications in Animal Care and Veterinary Nursing.
Related FAQ’s:
Tags: international, overseas, visa, CRICOS
AVT is not able to accept applications for online qualifications from students who reside outside of Australia.
All AVT qualifications require students to learn and demonstrate knowledge of Australian legislation, regulations and industry standards, as well as apply these in practical settings. Because these requirements differ from those in other countries, we are unable to assess and recognise competence for students living overseas.
Related FAQ’s:
CRICOS (The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students) is the Australian official register of training providers approved to deliver courses to international students on a Student Visa. Any qualification undertaken by a Student Visa holder must be listed on CRICOS and delivered by a CRICOS-registered provider.
In some cases, a registered training organisation (RTO) may enrol students who are temporarily visiting or living in Australia on other types of visas (not a Student Visa). However, many visas include restrictions on study or training. It is each individual’s responsibility to check their visa conditions to confirm their study and work rights. You can verify these with the Department of Home Affairs.
Related FAQ’s:
Tags: international, overseas, visa, CRICOS
Because we specialise in animal care, behaviour and veterinary training - everything you will learn is based on real industry needs and demands!
91% of AVT graduates are satisfied with their training experience, and 83% were employed after training (NCVER, 2025).
Students consistently tell us how supported they feel. Our trainers are here to guide you and answer your questions and help you stay on track.
About the RSPCA Program
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