Veterinary Nursing

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.

1. We offer a personalised learning experience to students – we know our students by name and get to know each and every one of them!
2. 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.
3. As a private institution, we have more freedom and include more practical classes and industry visits to make your study more interesting and enjoyable.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Veterinary clinics and hospitals request our graduates due to their skills, knowledge and practical experience.
8. 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.
9. 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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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 below.

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

Individuals employed by a business under an Apprenticeship or Traineeship arrangement can choose any RTO (Registered Training Provider) to provide training for their chosen qualification. Often this is a joint decision made between the Employer and the Trainee/Apprentice.

Some RTOs receive funding from the Government to subsidise the tuition cost to the student for the qualification.

At this time, AVT is not a recipient of funding for Traineeships and as such full fee for service would apply should Trainees and their employers choose AVT as their training provider.

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

Our Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing is offered on-campus at our Bentley 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.

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:

• Cert III RSPCA based course,
• Cert II Intensive course (Animal Care & Welfare)
• Cert II Intensive course (Veterinary Nursing Pathway).
• Cert II Intensive course (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

Our 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 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.

All online eLearning students from both Animal Studies, 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 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

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.
++ High school students (enrolled in High School or equivalent) may take up to 2 years to complete this course.

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.

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?

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?

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?

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.

The Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing is a nationally accredited and recognised qualification throughout Australia. It is important however to be aware that, to our knowledge, no arrangement for formal recognition of the Australian qualification in any country other than Australia exists.

We do know some countries do not have formal qualifications for Veterinary Nursing and the Australian qualification is highly regarded across and often results in employment in these countries. In addition, some countries may consider part or all of Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing as eligible to apply for recognition for prior learning or equivalency to their own qualification. For example, this is the case in the United Kingdom (UK).

Graduates of the Australian Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing who are considering applying for veterinary nursing positions overseas will need to investigate potential pathways for recognition by contacting the relevant registering bodies in the country concerned. AVT is unable to advise on the particular requirements for qualifications in countries other than Australia.

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?
• I live overseas, can I still study your courses online?
• I am a non-resident visa holder, can I study with AVT?

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?

The Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing is a nationally accredited and recognised qualification throughout Australia. It is important however to be aware that, to our knowledge, no arrangement for formal recognition of the Australian qualification in any country other than Australia exists.

We do know some countries do not have formal qualifications for Veterinary Nursing and the Australian qualification is highly regarded across and often results in employment in these countries. In addition, some countries may consider part or all of Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing as eligible to apply for recognition for prior learning or equivalency to their own qualification. For example, this is the case in the United Kingdom (UK).

Graduates of the Australian Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing who are considering applying for veterinary nursing positions overseas will need to investigate potential pathways for recognition by contacting the relevant registering bodies in the country concerned. AVT is unable to advise on the particular requirements for qualifications in countries other than Australia.

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