RMIT College of Vocational Education

RMIT College of Vocational Education is the part of RMIT University that teaches certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas in Melbourne, Victoria. RMIT is a dual-sector university, so it teaches both vocational courses and degrees. Its heritage page says it began in 1887 as the Working Men’s College. It is one of the options in our guide to studying in Australia from Nepal and our list of colleges and TAFE in Australia.

This profile is for Nepali students considering RMIT’s vocational courses, also called TAFE or VE. It covers why students choose it, where its campuses are, what it costs, when courses start, work rights, scholarships and a few courses open to international students. The courses open to you, with level, length and campus, are in our RMIT vocational courses guide. Entry requirements, documents and the application steps are in our RMIT vocational admissions guide.

Why do Nepali students choose RMIT College of Vocational Education?

RMIT College of Vocational Education offers hands-on certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas in IT, business, accounting, nursing, engineering, building and design, mainly at its Melbourne City campus.

• Practical training. The Diploma of Nursing includes at least 400 hours of work placement. The Diploma of Laboratory Technology includes 80 hours with an industry laboratory, and you find that placement yourself with help from a coordinator.
• Courses after +2. Most diplomas accept a qualification equal to Year 12, so a +2 graduate with the right marks can apply directly. Some ask for a certificate first, such as the Diploma of Accounting.
• A route inside one university. RMIT says finishing the Diploma of Business gives you entry to its Bachelor of Business with one year of credit. The Advanced Diploma of Engineering (Mechanical) leads to its engineering degree with three semesters of credit.
• The city. You would live in Melbourne, and most courses we read run in the city centre. RMIT’s cost guide gives living costs for Melbourne, and our guide to the best cities in Australia for Nepali students helps you compare.

Where are RMIT College of Vocational Education’s campuses?

RMIT teaches vocational courses for international students at three Melbourne campuses, and most of those courses run at Melbourne City.

We found no partner-run campus teaching RMIT’s vocational courses in Australia. RMIT University Pathways (RMIT UP) is a related company with its own CRICOS code, 01912G, and it teaches English and Foundation Studies. Its locations page lists two campuses in Vietnam and programs through partners in Asia and Europe, and none of those we read is in Nepal.

The college has no CRICOS code of its own. It teaches under RMIT University’s CRICOS provider code, 00122A, so look for that code and your course’s code on the CRICOS register before you pay.

How much does RMIT College of Vocational Education cost for international students?

RMIT publishes a fee for the whole course, not a yearly fee: one-year diplomas are about AUD 16,250 to 27,500, and two-year courses about AUD 41,750 to 64,250.

That is roughly Rs 15 to 25 lakh for a one-year diploma, and Rs 38 to 58 lakh for a two-year course. To see what these amounts are worth today, use our AUD to Rs forex converter. Each course page shows its latest published fee, and RMIT’s fee page says fees may rise by up to about 7.5% each calendar year.

Certificate IV courses we read run from about AUD 13,500 to 28,250, roughly Rs 12 to 26 lakh. The Diploma of Nursing is about AUD 41,750, roughly Rs 38 lakh, and the Advanced Diploma of Building Design (Architectural) is about AUD 64,250, roughly Rs 58 lakh. Tuition doesn’t include the Student Services and Amenities Fee, OSHC, books or material fees. If your diploma needs a certificate first, add both fees together.

You pay the deposit shown in your offer letter, and RMIT’s acceptance steps say it may include tuition and OSHC. If your visa is refused, RMIT’s refund guidelines list this under full refunds, less any outstanding charges or administrative fees. You need the Home Affairs refusal letter, and enrolled students must cancel before the census date.

VET student visa applications from Nepal face tough assessment, so read our page on the Australia visa success rate from Nepal before you pay anything.

Living costs come on top. RMIT’s cost guide lists Melbourne living expenses at about AUD 30,000 to 45,000, roughly Rs 27 to 41 lakh.

For the student visa, Home Affairs asks you to show AUD 29,710 for a year of living costs. You also show first-year tuition and AUD 2,000 for travel; the Australia student visa requirements page explains how. See the total cost to study in Australia and the cost of living in Australia for a full budget.

When are RMIT College of Vocational Education’s intakes?

Most RMIT vocational courses for international students start in February and July, and some start only in February.

Semester 1 starts in late February or early March, and semester 2 starts in mid-July, on RMIT’s intakes page. Its application dates page shows that first-semester vocational applications usually close in February. Intakes can close early, so check your course’s page.

The Diploma of Information Technology and the Diploma of Nursing start in February or July. The Diploma of Screen and Media and the Advanced Diploma of Electronics and Communications Engineering start in February only.

RMIT says to apply and accept your offer at least 4 to 8 weeks before your course starts. We suggest you aim for 6 to 9 months before your start date, so there is time for the offer, the CoE, OSHC and your visa.

If you track document dates in Bikram Sambat, our Nepali date converter turns B.S. dates into A.D. dates. For the full calendar, read our guide to Australia intakes.

Can you work while studying at RMIT College of Vocational Education and after you graduate?

Yes. You can work up to 48 hours a fortnight in session and without a limit in official breaks, and some graduates can then get a 485 visa.

Our guide to working hours for students in Australia explains the fortnight rule, and Home Affairs sets the 485 rules:

• Diploma and trade graduates can look at the Post-Vocational Education Work stream, up to 18 months. The qualification must relate to an occupation on the skilled list, and you need a skills assessment.
• Degree graduates can look at the Post-Higher Education Work stream, usually 2 to 3 years, if you later finish an RMIT degree.
• For both streams you must be 35 or under, and the fee starts from AUD 5,750.

No course gives you the visa automatically. Your study must be CRICOS registered and add up to at least 92 weeks. Many RMIT certificates and diplomas run 6 to 12 months, so one short course won’t meet that alone.

RMIT’s vocational education guide tells you to check a course’s CRICOS information and confirm it suits your visa plan. We didn’t find an RMIT page listing which vocational courses suit a 485. Its working in Australia page also confirms the 48-hour limit and says you can’t work before your course starts.

Our Australia 485 visa page explains each stream, and PR courses in Australia explains why no course promises PR.

Which scholarships can Nepali students get at RMIT College of Vocational Education?

RMIT’s Future Leaders Scholarship for Nepali citizens covers bachelor’s and master’s programs, not vocational courses, but its Medibank grant of AUD 2,000 has been open to vocational students.

How the main award for vocational students works:

• Amount: A one-off AUD 2,000, about Rs 1.8 lakh, plus an industry experience opportunity with Medibank. Up to 15 grants are available.
• Who can get it: New international students with an offer for a listed intake in a vocational, associate degree, bachelor’s or master’s by coursework program.
• What you have to do: Apply on the Medibank Student Success Grant page. Grants are offered on a rolling basis until they run out, so don’t count on it for your visa funds.
• When: The page says applications will reopen, so check it for the next round.

The Future Leaders Scholarship takes 20% off tuition for citizens of Nepal and nearby countries, and can apply once you move into an eligible bachelor’s. Details are on RMIT’s scholarships page. Our guide to scholarships in Australia for Nepali students lists other awards.

What do you need to get into RMIT College of Vocational Education from Nepal?

RMIT asks for +2 or a Proficiency Certificate with 70% or CGPA 3.2 for diplomas, and usually IELTS 5.5 with no band under 5.0.

PTE Academic 42 is the usual equivalent. The Diploma of Nursing asks for IELTS 7.0 with writing at 6.5, as set out in RMIT’s English test list. The student visa has its own minimum, so check that too.

To see where your +2 grades stand, convert your NEB GPA to a percentage with our NEB GPA calculator. Then compare with our page on requirements to study in Australia from Nepal.

RMIT’s certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas are VET courses, and VET student visa applications from Nepal face tough assessment. Recent Home Affairs data shows very few VET visas granted to applicants from Nepal; the visa success rate page linked in the cost section above has the data.

A +2 graduate choosing a diploma must explain why it fits their study and career plan under the Genuine Student requirement. RMIT’s bachelor’s and associate degrees are not VET courses, but the visa isn’t easy for them either. If your marks are low, read about study in Australia after +2 with a low GPA.

What can you study at RMIT College of Vocational Education?

RMIT lists about 30 certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas for international students, in areas such as IT, business, accounting, nursing, engineering, building, design and media.

The cards below are a selection, each read on RMIT’s own course pages. Registered nursing needs a bachelor’s, and a Diploma of Nursing leads to enrolled nurse. RMIT says you may be eligible for its Bachelor of Nursing with 2 semesters of credit. The Diploma of Graphic Design also asks for a pre-selection kit with your application.

For each type of course, see our guides to diploma courses in Australia, information technology courses, accounting courses and nursing courses. Our guide to diploma vs bachelor’s in Australia after +2 compares the two routes. Our guide to nursing in Australia for Nepali students covers registration.

Program Details

Where do RMIT College of Vocational Education students live?

RMIT students use purpose-built student housing, share houses or homestay, and the housing pages we read publish no rent figure of their own.

RMIT’s student accommodation page lists buildings such as Scape Carlton, a 4-minute walk from the City campus, and UniLodge @ RMIT Bundoora, on the Bundoora West campus. Rooms include studios and shared apartments. RMIT calls a share house generally the cheapest option. A full board homestay usually includes a furnished room, meals and utilities.

If you will be under 18, RMIT lists approved accommodation providers and you have separate welfare rules, so read that part first. RMIT suggests arriving at least two weeks before classes. See its housing options page and our guide to student accommodation in Australia, and don’t travel before you have somewhere to stay.

Our counselors in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari and Pokhara can look at your marks and budget with you. Get in touch with a Goreto branch if you want a second opinion on RMIT’s vocational courses.

Official RMIT College of Vocational Education links

• International students at RMIT
• How to apply
• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements
• Vocational course finder
• College of Vocational Education

Frequently asked questions about RMIT College of Vocational Education