Holmesglen Institute（霍姆斯格兰学院）Australia Study Guide: Programs, Entry Requirements, Costs and Student Life

Holmesglen Institute（霍姆斯格兰学院）is a Victorian government TAFE institute based in Melbourne that also delivers higher education degrees, so international students can move from a vocational certificate or diploma to a bachelor degree within one institution. Everything in this guide comes from the school’s own website as opened on 5 August 2026; fees and entry requirements are reviewed regularly and the latest official pages remain authoritative.

About Holmesglen Institute

Holmesglen Institute describes itself as an education provider with more than 40 years of experience and around 160,000 graduates. It is registered with CRICOS under provider code 00012G (RTO 0416) and offers more than 500 courses across five campuses: Chadstone, Moorabbin, Glen Waverley, Bourke Street in the city centre, and Drummond Street. Courses are organised into nine study areas — arts and design, building and construction, business and finance, computing and IT, English and education, horticulture and environment, hospitality tourism and events, nursing community and health sciences, and sport fitness and wellbeing — at levels from short courses and apprenticeships through TAFE/VET certificates and diplomas to higher education degrees.

Programs and study levels

Holmesglen Institute’s bachelor degrees include applied digital business, business accounting, digital construction and management, early childhood education, hospitality management, information systems, nursing, oral health, sport business and sports media. In computing and IT, international students can choose from 10 courses: the Bachelor of Information Systems (CRICOS 095613G, three years full-time, February and July intakes, Chadstone campus), the Certificate IV in Cyber Security (CRICOS 119398G, 12 months, October/February/April/July intakes), six-month Certificate IV qualifications in programming, web development or gaming development (CRICOS 106251M), and one-year IT diplomas in cloud engineering, cyber security, advanced programming and related streams (CRICOS 106852H).

In health, Holmesglen Institute offers the Bachelor of Nursing (CRICOS 103159J, three years, March intake, Moorabbin campus), the Diploma of Nursing (CRICOS 108196H, 18 months, February/April/July intakes at Bourke Street and Moorabbin), the Bachelor of Oral Health (CRICOS 077426D, Chadstone), the Diploma of Dental Technology (CRICOS 099310A, two years) and shorter laboratory and pathology qualifications. Diplomas and degrees are designed to connect: the official website states that graduates of the Diploma of Information Technology (Advanced Programming and Back End Web Development) can receive credit towards the first year of the Bachelor of Information Systems, and Diploma of Nursing graduates can articulate into the Bachelor of Nursing.

International entry requirements

Holmesglen Institute requires bachelor applicants to be at least 18 years old at commencement and to hold a Year 12 qualification equivalent to the Victorian VCE, or a relevant Australian diploma or advanced diploma, or partial or completed higher education study; every application is assessed individually. English requirements are tiered by course. Standard VET certificates and diplomas (except nursing) and standard bachelor degrees need IELTS Academic 6.0 overall, or PTE Academic 50, TOEFL iBT 64 or Cambridge C1 Advanced 169, with OET not accepted for those two tiers. The Bachelor of Early Childhood Education needs IELTS 6.5 (no band below 6.0). Nursing courses set the highest bar: IELTS 7.0 (listening 7, reading 7, speaking 7, writing 6.5), or PTE 63, TOEFL iBT 91, Cambridge C1 178 or C2 185; OET with listening 350, reading 360, speaking 360 and writing 350 is also accepted for nursing.

If you fall short of the standard scores, Holmesglen Institute publishes an ELICOS pathway: a principal course combined with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS accepts IELTS 5.5, and at least 20 weeks accepts IELTS 5.0 — but this pathway does not apply to nursing programs, which always require the full nursing English standard. Citizens of Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States are exempt from English testing (again excluding nursing). Since 23 March 2024, student visa applications are assessed under the Genuine Student (GS) requirement, and Holmesglen’s international course pages are kept up to date to reflect it.

Application process and timing

The official application process at Holmesglen Institute has eight steps: choose a course, prepare documents, decide whether to apply through an approved education agent, complete the application form, receive the outcome, confirm enrolment, apply for the visa and start studying. Supporting documents include academic transcripts (with English translations where applicable), proof of English proficiency, a statement of purpose addressing the Genuine Student requirement, a scan of the passport photo page and, if relevant, a work experience letter. Applying directly without an agent attracts an application fee of A$500; the form must be completed in BLOCK letters. Successful applicants receive a Letter of Offer with a Fee Schedule; paying the first fee instalment and returning the acceptance form leads to an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment(eCoE), which is used for the Student visa (Subclass 500) application lodged with the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

Intakes vary by course: most IT courses start in February and July, the Certificate IV in Cyber Security also has October and April intakes, the Diploma of Nursing starts in February, April and July, and the Bachelor of Nursing has a single March intake. Holmesglen encourages early acceptance and fee payment so that visa processing time can be planned.

Tuition and fees

Holmesglen Institute publishes fees per course rather than one flat international price, and states that fees are reviewed annually with the rate applying at the start of the next study period. On the official course pages in August 2026, the Bachelor of Information Systems lists an international tuition fee of A$21,400 per year (GST-free) plus a one-off course cost of A$650; the Bachelor of Nursing lists A$33,200 per year with a materials fee of A$1,100 per course and around A$2,500 in additional costs over three years; and the Diploma of Nursing lists A$39,090 for the whole course, a materials fee of A$1,100 per course and a General Services Fee of A$80 per semester. Nursing programs cost noticeably more than business and IT courses because of clinical training.

Tuition is due each semester two weeks before classes begin. Payment can be made online through the my.Holmesglen student portal or in person at campus information offices; cash is only accepted at Moorabbin, Glen Waverley and Chadstone, with all other campuses cashless. Under the Australian Government’s Tuition Protection Service (TPS), if Holmesglen Institute cannot deliver a course for which fees were prepaid, students can transfer to another course or provider or receive a refund of unspent tuition.

Campuses and student life

Holmesglen Institute’s campuses each specialise in different fields. Chadstone hosts the building and construction training facilities, fashion studios, IT labs and dental technology facilities; Moorabbin is home to the health precinct, the Renewable Energy Centre for Excellence and the Cilantro student training restaurant; Glen Waverley offers hospitality, early childhood, environment and fitness facilities in a leafy setting with the Zest restaurant; Bourke Street in the city centre runs the Diploma of Nursing; and Drummond Street houses the Victorian Tunnelling Centre for electrical, civil and industrial training. The institute also runs an events venue at Eildon in the Rubicon State Forest.

Student life support is organised around dedicated international services: the website has pages for international student orientation, accommodation and housing support, student wellbeing and general support services, plus a “Why Melbourne” section describing the city’s safety and livability. Melbourne’s public transport connects all campuses, and the city centre campus is directly accessible by tram and train.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an agent to apply? No. Holmesglen Institute accepts direct applications; the official website notes that a A$500 application fee applies when you apply without an approved education agent.

Can I study English before my main course? Yes, for most programs. The official ELICOS pathway allows IELTS 5.5 with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS, or IELTS 5.0 with at least 20 weeks, with nursing as the exception.

Are Holmesglen degrees recognised? Holmesglen Institute is a CRICOS-registered provider (00012G); its bachelor degrees are accredited Australian qualifications and its TAFE diplomas sit inside the Australian Qualifications Framework. Recognition outside Australia depends on the rules of the country in question.

Planning an application to Holmesglen Institutemeans weighing course choice, English level and budget together — nursing costs more and demands more, while IT courses offer shorter entry points and clear credit pathways. If you would like help matching your qualifications and goals to a specific program, speak with our consultants, who can walk you through courses, language options and budgeting.