HomeCoursesCommunity servicesDiploma of Community Services
Diploma of Community Services
This diploma is for people who want to work in community services, supporting individuals, families and groups through difficult periods and helping them make changes in their lives.
- Duration: 6 months to 2 years
- Study mode: Online, on campus and blended
- Course code: CHC52025
Where you can study this course
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Melbourne Polytechnic
- Campuses
- 13 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
A number of students find the organisation and admin frustrating, and opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching, while some rate the facilities and campus highly.
- Campuses
- 15 campuses
- Duration
- 6 months to 2 years
- Study mode
- Varies by campus
- Full fee
- Not stated by provider
What students say
Many students speak well of the facilities and campus, and some rate the trainers and teaching highly, though opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching and student support, and some found the organisation and admin frustrating.
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
Victoria University
- Campuses
- 11 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Most students praise the student support, while others find it frustrating. Many rate the facilities and campus well, and some criticise the organisation and admin.
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
Stanley College
- Campuses
- 4 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Most students rate the student support highly, while many also praise the trainers and teaching. Opinions are mixed on organisation and admin, and some found communication frustrating.
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
Swinburne University of Technology
- Campuses
- 8 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Some students praise the facilities and campus, while some criticise organisation and admin for being frustrating, and opinions are mixed on course content. A number also mention student support and teaching positively or negatively.
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
TAFE Gippsland
- Campuses
- 11 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
RMIT University
- Campuses
- 15 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Students often find organisation and admin frustrating, and opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching, while some praise the facilities and campus and student support.
- Visit course page → (opens in a new tab)
TAFE Queensland
- Campuses
- 3 campuses
- Duration
- Not stated by provider
- Study mode
- On campus with some online
- Full fee
- $13,300
- Eligible students: subsidised from $9,500, concession $8,340
What students say
Many students rate the facilities and campus highly. Some found course content and organisation and admin frustrating, while opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching.
Last reviewed 20 September 2026.
Is this course right for you?
Entry requirements
Entry requirements are set by each provider, so check the ones you are considering.
- Providers can set their own conditions, such as a minimum age or a current job in the industry, and practical training may need a workplace placement. Check each provider above.
Entry recommendations
To be prepared for this course, it helps to have:
- an interest in supporting people through difficult periods
- patience and calm when someone is in crisis
- respect for people from all backgrounds and cultures
- good communication skills for working with individuals and families
What will you learn?
You learn how to assess a person's needs, manage a caseload, run and review service programs, and respond calmly when someone is in crisis or facing domestic and family violence. The course also covers the parts of the job that keep services accountable, such as legal and ethical obligations, work health and safety, cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, and working with people from many backgrounds. A supervised work placement is part of the qualification, so you spend time in a real service alongside experienced staff before you finish, and graduates often go on to supervise other workers or volunteers.
- Assessing client needs
- Case management
- Crisis response
- Domestic and family violence
- Running service programs
- Cultural safety practice
Units of competency (12 core, 8 elective)
The qualification is made up of 20 units. Everyone completes the 12 core units below, and the remaining 8 are electives chosen from the list on training.gov.au, so they vary by provider. Select a unit to see what it covers.
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Where this fits
Diploma of Community Services in community services: the study that leads into it, the study that follows, and other routes at the same level.
You are looking at
Diploma of Community Services
After
No later step listed.
Data from training.gov.au and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (CC BY 4.0).