Career Boost is the Queensland Government subsidy program for higher-level qualifications and skill sets, effective 1 July 2026. It replaced the earlier Higher Level Skills program name — if you’ve seen “Higher Level Skills” elsewhere, it’s the same funding, current name.
What you can access
Under Career Boost, eligible students can access:
- One Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma qualification through the general training pathway, or one higher-level apprenticeship or traineeship at Certificate IV or above
- Plus, separately, up to two subsidised skill sets in priority industries or sectors
See our seven Career Boost-funded skill sets — Lead and Mentor, Behaviour Support, Case Management and more.
Eligibility criteria
To access the Career Boost general pathway you need to:
- Be aged 15 years or older
- Not be a school student
- Permanently reside in Queensland
- Be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident (including humanitarian entrant), New Zealand citizen, or a temporary resident with a valid visa and working rights on the pathway to permanent residency
- Not already hold a Certificate IV or higher qualification (including tertiary/university qualifications) completed within the last 10 years — school and foundation skills qualifications don’t count against you
- Not currently be enrolled in another Queensland Government-funded qualification, even if on hold or deferred — foundation skills and self-funded / fee-for-service study doesn’t affect this
Skill sets are exempt from the Certificate IV+ restriction above — holding a higher qualification doesn’t rule you out of a subsidised skill set.
Concession rate
You pay the lower concessional rate if you hold a Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card or DVA card (yours, or as a named partner/dependant), identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, have a disability, are from a non-English speaking background, or are an adult prisoner.
What it costs at Sage
Under the general pathway: $15 per unit concessional, $20 per unit non-concessional. Not eligible? The fee-for-service rate is $200 per unit for most courses (some higher-level and specialist courses have different fee-for-service rates — see the course page).
Looking at a Certificate III instead?
See Career Start — it funds your first Certificate III qualification, plus an introductory skill set.
