If you are thinking of studying as a mature age student, there are a wide variety of courses available. Returning to study as a mature age student can equip you to take the next step in your career or start a brand new vocation. While it can feel a little overwhelming to return to school, studying as a mature age student is a rewarding experience. In this article we will explain what a mature age student is, courses available, how to apply and how to manage the challenges of returning to study.
What is a mature age student?
A mature age student is anyone over the age of 21. The term covers a large number of people and experience levels with mature being categorised anywhere from those in their 20s to 80s. Some mature age students will be only a year or two older than school leavers, while others may be returning to study after 50 years.
Why return to study as a mature age student?
Returning to study as a mature age student could be a way to advance your career, change careers or even study for the first time if you have never had tertiary education. Whether you're returning after having kids, seeking a career change or upskilling your talents to aim for a promotion, studying remains an enriching experience regardless of age.
What courses are available for mature age students?
TAFE Gippsland has a variety of courses from online study to classroom and practical work like apprenticeships. As a mature age student you can apply for most of these courses and may be eligible for Free TAFE as well. The types of courses that are available at TAFE for mature age students include:
Short courses
TAFE Gippsland has a range of short courses across industries like hair and beauty, construction, agriculture, work health and safety, business and plumbing. By undertaking a short course as a mature age student, you can gain skills and knowledge within a variety of industries. A short course like Apply Eyelash Extensions is a six day course to extend beauty skills. If you want a career in the healthcare industry, Individual Support Skillset (Disability) is a four month course which helps develop skills in providing person-centred support to people with disability.
Apprenticeships
Mature age apprenticeships offer a second chance to pursue a new career. If you are interested in pursuing an apprenticeship after the age of 21, you are considered mature. Mature age apprenticeships cover a variety of industries like automotive, hospitality, plumbing and carpentry. They provide a pathway for those who may not have had the opportunity to undertake an apprenticeship earlier in life, or who wish to find long-term employment in an area of interest or passion, and will usually take between three to four years to complete.
Online courses
Studying online is a convenient way for mature age students to balance work, study and life commitments. By undertaking an online course, you can have the flexibility of studying from home or even at work in breaks. Online courses at TAFE Gippsland include everything from business to accounting, electrical contracting and mental health to enhance your career or start a new one.
Free TAFE
With the government’s Free TAFE program, mature age students have access to over 40 fee free courses even if they have a prior VET qualification or degree. Free TAFE courses allow eligible mature age students to get hands-on training and qualifications in a wide variety of industries including agriculture and nursing.
How to apply as a mature age student?
After deciding on the right course to pursue, there is an application process for applying as a mature age student. Follow these steps to apply for a course at TAFE Gippsland.
- Find a course: To begin applying as a mature age student, you need to first find a course that suits your needs. With so many courses available from animal sciences and early education to short courses, trades and apprenticeships, there is a wide range to choose from. To work out what is the best course for you, take into account your strengths and passions, the career you want to pursue, methods of study and objectives to see if they can be applied to a particular course.
- Read the entry requirements: On the course page are the entry requirements. This will indicate whether you are eligible to do the course. Entry requirements may be age, previous academic achievements, English language standards or personal attributes. In the case where entry requirements are not met, you can look at other pathways to doing the course.
- Check funding eligibility: Check to see if you have any eligibility for funding for the chosen course. This might mean using government concessions or funding, eligibility for Free TAFE, or eligibility for a loan to cover the costs for returning to study.
- Prepare your application: Fill in your application form online. When filling in the application you will need to supply documentation on things like proof of eligibility, proof of citizenship, your unique student identifier (USI) and course specific requirements. You will also want to include any funding eligibility documents.
- Submit your application: Submit your application online. If you don’t have all the original documentation you need, you can still submit and then supply the required paperwork.
- After you submit your application: Once the application is submitted, you will be contacted by the university via email. You may be asked to supply more documentation or complete an online language, literacy and numeracy assessment (LLN).
Challenges of a mature age student
Returning to study as a mature age student is an exciting and rewarding experience but it can have its challenges. Some potential challenges and solutions are listed below.
- Balancing work, life and study: This is the most common challenge of being a mature age student. Often mature age students have other responsibilities and commitments like families or full time work. It can be difficult to find an area to study when surrounded by children or in a work environment.
- Solution: Set up a study area that is free from distractions. Aim to be structured with your study and ensure you leave time during the day or evening to do course work. If you set up a study area at home, it could be in a separate room for privacy. If that is not possible, invest in noise cancelling headphones to keep the sound out.
- Managing time effectively: Dedicating time to study as a mature age student with other commitments means time will need to be managed effectively. Whether an online or on campus course, time needs to be dedicated to reading, research, writing essays and preparation for exams. This can be a juggle when a mature age student has other responsibilities that require time commitment.
- Solution: Look realistically at the amount of time other commitments require when choosing a course. If your time is limited, consider part time study or a short course online or after hours.
- Polishing up your study skills: When returning to study after a long time, it can be difficult to learn how to study again. Like anything, it will just take practice but it can be mentally challenging to learn to research and write essays after an extended period.
- Solution: There are courses and study groups you can attend to polish up your study skills. These groups can help make studying much easier. If English is not your first language, you can also attend programs like the Adult Migrant English program or Volunteer Tutor program.
- Feel out of place: Sometimes mature age students will feel alone and out of place in a TAFE course when surrounded by younger people. The feeling of having nothing in common with students that have just left school can be alienating.
- Solution: Joining a study group or stepping outside of your comfort zone can help with feelings of alienation. It can be a challenge to talk to other students or try and make friends as a mature age student but it is possible.
Getting help with TAFE fees as a mature age student
Before returning to study as a mature age student it is important to consider the TAFE fees. To help students with expenses to do with studying, there is a range of options like subsidies, Austudy and Free TAFE. Help with TAFE fees includes:
- Free TAFE: For those students eligible for Free TAFE, the Government pays your TAFE fees. This could also include services fees and some materials and textbooks.
- Skills First: This helps students pay for classes where jobs are in demand. Skills First makes it easier to access courses when returning to study.
- Loans: VET student loans, apprenticeship loans and bank loans are potentially a way to get help paying for TAFE fees.
- Payment plans: To help with TAFE fees, payment plans like an installment arrangement or Centrelink deductions are available.
- Concession fees: If you are enrolled in a certificate IV level qualification or below and are eligible for a government concession, you may be eligible for a reduced TAFE fee.
- Scholarships: You can apply for a TAFE Scholarship if you're enrolled in VCE/VCE-VM,VPC, certificate I, II, III, IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma Courses.
- Reconnect program: This program is being delivered by TAFE Gippsland in partnership with Gippsland Employment Skills Training (GEST). It has been established to assist disadvantaged people to overcome the barriers preventing them from engaging in education and training by providing free training.
Returning to TAFE as a mature age student opens the world to career change, advancement, returning to the workforce or simply wanting to study, with a variety of courses available for professional growth or pleasure. For further details on TAFE courses, contact TAFE Gippsland.