Early Childhood Scholarships are available for eligible people who are commencing study or are already studying an approved course to become a registered early childhood teacher. This includes educators who are looking to upskill.

The new Certificate III Upskill Support Program is open for Educators who currently hold a Certificate III in Early Childhood and Care and wish to upskill to a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care in 2024. The program provides educators who work at a Victorian early childhood education service delivering a funded kindergarten program with up to $7,000 (before tax) in financial support to study the diploma. This support is in addition to Free TAFE, for students who choose to study the diploma at a TAFE. The application round for this program is now open and will close on Sunday 21 January 2024.

Diploma qualified educators looking to take the next step in their career can apply for a place in the Early Childhood Innovative Initial Teacher program, with a range of supported, employment-based courses.

The following scholarships are available under this program (all amounts listed are before tax):

• for Bachelor degrees: up to $25,000
• for Graduate diplomas: up to $12,000
• for Masters degrees: up to $18,000

For further information about the scholarships and how to apply, please visit Financial support to study and work in early childhood.