Graduate Certificate of Specialist Education

No. Completion of the Graduate Certificate of Specialist Education does not lead to teacher registration. However, it may lead to career opportunities as education policymakers, practitioners, school teachers and principals in Australia and internationally.

The course offers six specialisation streams: Digital Learning Futures, Inclusive Education, Indigenous Knowledges Education, International Education, Managing and Leading Education, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Students complete 40 credit points of specialist elective units from one chosen specialisation.

The annual tuition fee for full-time international students in 2026 is AUD $16,380.00, which equates to $4,095.00 per 10 credit point unit (0.125 EFTSL). These fees are subject to annual increases effective at the start of each calendar year. CDU also offers a number of scholarships to assist international students with the cost of study.

Yes. The course is available both on campus at the Danala - Education and Community Precinct and online, and can be studied full-time (0.5 years) or part-time (1 year). Intakes are available in both Semester 1 and Semester 2, although some specialisations are only available as part-time admission for certain semester starts.

Applicants without a recognised bachelor degree, graduate certificate, graduate diploma, or master's degree in education, but who have at least five years of relevant professional experience (for example in an education setting or role, learning design or digital technology training), will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Such applicants must provide additional documentation in the form of a curriculum vitae (CV) with their application.