Community Services Qualifications Online
Nationally recognised · 100% online
Compare Upskilled's online community services and health courses across four care areas: ageing and disability support, community services and case management, counselling and mental health, and alcohol and other drugs. Choose from 11 nationally recognised qualifications, Certificate III to Advanced Diploma, all self-paced with payment plans from $49 per week. Two bachelor degrees delivered by ACAP are also available.
Choose your care area, then your level.
Four care areas across the community services and health faculty. Switch areas, then pick the level that fits: Certificate III to start, Certificate IV to specialise, Diploma and above to lead.
Ageing & Disability Support
Three streams of the same nationally recognised qualification, CHC33021. Choose ageing, disability, or the combined stream that covers both.
View all ageing and disability support qualifications →Community Services & Case Management
The generalist pathway, Certificate III to Advanced Diploma, plus a social work degree delivered by ACAP.
View all community services and case management qualifications →Counselling & Mental Health
Certificate IV and Diploma level counselling and mental health qualifications, plus a counselling degree delivered by ACAP.
View all counselling and mental health qualifications →Alcohol and Other Drugs
A specialist Certificate IV, or the dual Certificate IV that pairs alcohol and other drugs with mental health.
View all alcohol and other drugs qualifications →Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing and Disability)
- Nationally recognised (CHC33021)
- 100% online, self-paced, no exams
- Payment plans available
Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)
- Nationally recognised (CHC33021)
- 100% online, self-paced, no exams
- Payment plans available
Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability)
- Nationally recognised (CHC33021)
- 100% online, self-paced, no exams
- Payment plans available
Certificate III in Community Services
- Nationally recognised (CHC32015)
- 100% online, self-paced, no exams
- Payment plans available
Diploma of Community Services
- Nationally recognised (CHC52025)
- 100% online, self-paced, no exams
- Payment plans available
Diploma of Community Services (Case Management)
- Nationally recognised (CHC52025)
- 100% online, self-paced, no exams
- Payment plans available
Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management
- Nationally recognised (CHC62015)
- 100% online, self-paced, no exams
- Payment plans available
Bachelor of Social Work
- Delivered by ACAP
- On campus, not online
- Entry requirements apply
Certificate IV in Mental Health
- Nationally recognised (CHC43315)
- 100% online, self-paced, no exams
- Payment plans available
Diploma of Counselling
- Nationally recognised (CHC51015)
- 100% online, self-paced, no exams
- Payment plans available
Bachelor of Counselling
- Delivered by ACAP
- Blended delivery, not fully online
- Entry requirements apply
Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs
- Nationally recognised (CHC43215)
- 100% online, self-paced, no exams
- Payment plans available
Dual Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs and Mental Health
- Nationally recognised (CHC43215 and CHC43315)
- 100% online, self-paced, no exams
- Payment plans available
Which care area fits?
Every area is nationally recognised training, delivered 100% online and self-paced. Pick by the work you want to be doing, not by the level that sounds most impressive.
| Care area | Start here if you want to.. | Qualification levels |
|---|---|---|
| Ageing & disability support | do hands-on personal care work with older people or people with disability | Certificate III, three CHC33021 streams |
| Community services & case management | work with clients, coordinate cases and services, then lead programs and teams | Certificate III to Advanced Diploma, plus an ACAP degree |
| Counselling & mental health | support people through mental health challenges and life change | Certificate IV and Diploma, plus an ACAP degree |
| Alcohol and other drugs | work in alcohol and other drugs support, harm reduction and referral | Certificate IV, or the dual Certificate IV with mental health |
What makes a qualification different from a short course?
A nationally recognised qualification is an AQF credential with a national code, delivered by a Registered Training Organisation and recognised by employers across Australia. Non-accredited short courses and bootcamps teach a specific tool or skill and award a certificate of completion instead. If your goal is a formal credential for a career move, a qualification such as the Certificate IV in Mental Health (CHC43315) is the product built for it.
Why study community and health with Upskilled
From short courses to bachelor's degrees, explore sectors across mental health, aged care, social work, and more.
Build the experience, knowledge, and skills you need through practical courses guided by qualified experts.
Access available government funding options to support your student journey.
Take part in role-playing activities that parallel common tasks in community services, keeping you "work-ready" for the job market.
Gain hands-on experience through industry work placements, helping enhance your readiness for the field.
Ditch the exam stress and opt for assessment methods that suit your learning style.
Meet our Trainers
Our expert community and health trainers bring extensive industry experience in counselling, disability services, case management, and more. With nationally-recognised qualifications and CEP credentials, they provide top-tier education and continuous support.
Join over 42,000 success stories with Upskilled
The Cert IV in Mental Health was comprehensive and very worthwhile. I'm so thankful to our trainer Ronnie who was always available when I got stuck to help me keep moving forward. Friendly, professional, patient, kind, explained why it was repetitive at times and had full belief I'd pass.
The course was well structured, practical, and very relevant to working in the disability support sector.
The trainers and support staff have been excellent throughout the whole process. Travis Hackett, Jacqui Salvage, and Erica Harris have all been outstanding to work with. They are professional, supportive, and always willing to help when you need guidance or clarification. Their encouragement and knowledge really made a difference during the course.
I felt well supported the entire time and gained valuable skills and confidence to work in the industry.
If you’re looking to study Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability), Upskilled Training is a great choice with a fantastic team behind it.
Product Review
One of the major contributing factors was the ongoing support from my trainer, Ronnie Lynch. Ronnie has been incredibly understanding, compassionate and supportive. The level of support I received made a significant difference for me and kept me motivated, despite facing personal hardships. He was patient, and gave me the extra time I needed to work through units thoroughly to complete my work. I am very grateful for his level of support, consistent guidance and reassurance. Ronnie brings valuable insight from his own experiences, which is one of the things I appreciated the most about him. He provided an added level of depth to the learning which makes the content more real and practical.
I truly appreciated the understanding, patience and knowledge Ronnie has brought to the experience. I am extremely thankful for all the support I have received throughout my studies. If there is anyone out there reading this with a chronic illness, this is to you; yes you can do this, and yes the support is there for you!
Product Review
I had wonderful support from Rosan throughout the course time and he was always so responsive whenever I had a question/query. Rosan was great through the RPL process too. The feedback I received was really empowering and encouraging which gave me more motivation throughout the time. It kept me wanting to do more and learn more and really solidified why I am doing what I am doing. I really recommend Upskilled for those who are time poor due to their full time jobs and it really improves time management skills too. If I was to go back to studying, I would definitely do this through Upskilled again!
Product Review
What career outcomes can you achieve in Community Services and health
Studying community services equips you with the skills for roles like social worker or youth worker, enabling you to make a positive impact on people's lives.
Community services and health course FAQs
Upskilled offers 11 nationally recognised online community services and health qualifications across four care areas, from the Certificate III in Community Services (CHC32015) to the Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management (CHC62015), with specialist qualifications in individual support, counselling, mental health, and alcohol and other drugs. Two bachelor's degrees delivered by ACAP, the Bachelor of Counselling and the Bachelor of Social Work, are also available.
Choose by the work you want to do. Ageing and disability support suits hands-on personal care with older people or people with disability. Community services and case management suits client work, case coordination and, at Advanced Diploma level, running programs and teams. Counselling and mental health suits supporting people through mental health and life challenges. Alcohol and other drugs suits harm reduction, support and referral work.
For hands-on personal care work, such as showering, dressing, mobility and medication support, you need a nationally recognised qualification such as CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support. Non-accredited short courses and introductory care courses do not replace it, and they are not a substitute for the Certificate III. Upskilled offers three CHC33021 streams: ageing, disability, or the combined ageing and disability stream.
Yes. The 11 CHC qualifications on this page are nationally recognised training delivered by Upskilled (RTO 40374), from Certificate III to Advanced Diploma, and every course page shows its national code. The Bachelor of Counselling and the Bachelor of Social Work are higher education degrees delivered by ACAP, not by Upskilled, and they carry ACAP's own entry requirements.
Upskilled’s courses are some options that can prepare you for various in-demand roles, including:
- Counsellor – Best suited for those completing the Diploma of Counselling (CHC51015).
- Disability Support Worker – Relevant to the Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) (CHC33021).
- Case Manager – Ideal for students of the Diploma of Community Services (Case Management) (CHC52021).
- Aged Care Worker – Covered under the Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) (CHC33021).
- Community Sector Manager – A pathway from the Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management (CHC62015).
Both are CHC52025 and sit at the same AQF level, so the difference is the elective focus, not the qualification. The Diploma of Community Services (CHC52025) is the generalist option, designed to prepare you for broad community services practice. The Diploma of Community Services (Case Management) (CHC52025) concentrates on assessing client need, coordinating services and managing a caseload.
Yes! Whether you’re looking for a career change or want to specialise in aged care, disability support, or mental health, courses like the Certificate IV in Mental Health (CHC43315) and the Diploma of Community Services (CHC52021) provide industry-relevant skills to help you grow in the sector.
Upskilled offers dedicated trainers with industry experience, responsive student support, and career guidance across all courses, including the Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing and Disability) (CHC33021) and the Diploma of Community Services (Case Management) (CHC52021).
Entry-level qualifications such as the Certificate III in Community Services (CHC32015) ask for basic literacy and numeracy, around a Year 10 to 12 level, and no prior experience. The Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management (CHC62015) may ask for prior qualifications or sector experience. Every CHC qualification here is online and self-paced with no exams, so you set the study hours around work.
Travis Hackett
Head of Vocational Education — CHC, Upskilled
Travis leads the CHC Community Services stream at Upskilled and brings more than 28 years of frontline and leadership experience across the sector. His career spans disability services, child protection casework with FaCS, youth services, harm minimisation programs with NSW Health, youth justice conferencing, and counselling. Travis is also a registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner with the Attorney-General's Department. He reviews Upskilled's CHC course content to ensure it reflects current sector practice and prepares students for meaningful, impactful work in Community Services roles.
View full profile