Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We look for commitment, passion and drive in individuals to ensure success in studying at APC. We want to give people of all backgrounds the chance to enter the pre-hospital healthcare industry and thrive. 

Like any Registered Training Organisation (RTO) or University residing in Australia, certain entry requirements must be met before enrolling.

For Australian students

To apply for APC, the following must be met:

• Age: Be at least 16 years of age (parental consent required if under 18).
• Education: Completion of at least year 10 high school (or equivalent).
• Residency: Be an AUS/NZ citizen, AUS PR, or hold an approved temporary visa.
• Driver’s license: Hold a current driver’s license*.
• Technology: Have regular access to a computer and internet, and be comfortable with online study and assessments.

*You may apply and enrol holding your learner’s (L) licence, however, you will need a provisional licence (P) before attending Workshop 1 (approximately 12 months into your preferred course).

Pre-intake checks include:

• Language, Literacy and Numeracy: You will complete a short quiz to check basic English and math skills, and help us better support you through your course (unless already holding equivalent or higher qualifications).
• Health: Medical declaration to ensure you are fit to study

Clinical Placement checks, prior to the time of placement:

• Evidence of National Police Clearance.
• Working with Children’s check (blue card).

For New Zealand students

To enrol in APC’s HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care in New Zealand, applicants must meet the following entry requirements:

• Age: Be at least 18 years of age.
• Education: Have completed at least year-10 high school or its equivalent.
• Residency: Be a New Zealand citizen, New Zealand permanent resident, or hold an approved temporary visa.
• Driver’s License: Hold a current driver’s license. Applicants may apply and enrol, holding a provisional license (P) or open license.
• Technology: Have regular access to a computer and internet and be comfortable with online study and assessments.

Pre-Intake checks include:

• Language, Literacy, and Numeracy: Applicants will undergo a short quiz to assess basic English and math skills, assisting APC in providing appropriate support throughout the course.
• Health: Applicants will need to complete a medical declaration to ensure they are fit to study.
  Additional Checks Required for Clinical Placement (subject to change):
  • Identity verification
  • Safety checking per Children’s Act 2014
  • Vaccination records
  • First Aid and CPR Certificates

Clinical Placement checks*, prior to the time of placement:

• Evidence of National Police Clearance
• Working with Children’s Check 

*Please note, requirements may be different depending on which provider you wish to complete Clinical Placement with.

For all students based in Australia or New Zealand, we encourage you to reach out so we can put you in touch with one of our Course Advisors who can help guide you and work through any relevant details before applying.

Not at all, APC allows you to complete the majority of your course online, at your pace and in your own time.

Where you choose to complete the theoretical aspect of your studies doesn’t impact your enrolment at APC. Please note students are required to attend at least 1x 5-day Clinical Workshop throughout the direction of their studies at any of APC’s QLD, NSW, VIC or WA facilities in Australia. 

For students in New Zealand completing the HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care, travel will be required to attend the 2x 5-day Clinical Workshop components of the course. 

*Please note HLT31120 – Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport Clinical Workshops are only run in QLD, NSW and VIC.

You do not need an ATAR to study paramedicine at APC. 

If you didn’t get the ATAR you were hoping for, it doesn’t mean you’ll never be able to get to university, it just means you need to consider alternative ways of getting there. APC’s HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care is a great course to study if you have future university aspirations but may not have the time, finances or ATAR results to apply right away. ⁠

Learn more about why your ATAR doesn’t matter here.

For students based in New Zealand, the same applies for your NCEA results too. 

APC is passionate about offering life-changing education pathways to individuals of all ages!*

We’re proud to support high-school students, to mature-aged individuals the chance to excel in a healthcare career. You truly can never be too young or too old to start.

You can hear from a few of our students first-hand about their positive experiences studying at APC in the video below.

*You must be at least 16 years of age to enrol at APC (parental consent required if you’re under 18).

Certainly.

Many students who enrol at APC wish to have an entire career change, meaning they work in a full-time capacity and need to do so until they become graduates to be eligible to start their healthcare career.

With this in mind, we design our courses to be flexible, so you can study at your own pace when it suits you!

Hear first-hand from APC student, Ashleigh, where she talks about studying the HLT51015 – Diploma of Paramedical Science (since superseded by the HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care) while working full-time in aged care.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to follow their passion, no matter their background or level of experience.

Concerns about being smart enough to study are very common however as you can hear in the video below, our students found the supportive learning environment of APC helped them overcome any initial doubts they had.

You’re welcome to contact us if you have any concerns you’d like to discuss. One of our friendly Course Advisors can help provide you with more information so you feel comfortable about enrolling too!

APC offers three core courses on scope, these are:

• HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care
  • 24 months.
• HLT41120 – Certificate IV in Health Care
  • 18 months.
• HLT31120 – Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport
  • 12 months.

It is important to note as a student of APC, you have the chance to complete your studies at an accelerated rate, depending on your personal goals and ability to fit study into your schedule. 

Please note, APC is currently only offering the HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care in New Zealand.

APC is proud to deliver to our students a blended learning experience.

So, what does this mean for you? You get to enjoy the flexibility of completing the majority of your studies online, in the comfort of your home and at any time that suits you!

The only in-person element of studying at APC is Clinical Workshops and if studying the HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care or HLT41120 – Certificate IV in Health Care, Clinical Placement too. 

You can get to know all about Clinical Workshops here, and Clinical Placement here.

Absolutely. 

All of APC’s courses are nationally recognised in Australia, enabling you to kick start your career in emergency or non-emergency healthcare no matter where you reside in Australia. We’re a Registered Training Organisation (RTO#32513) and approved by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).

Please be advised that APC’s courses are not nationally-recognised throughout New Zealand. The HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care can although offer employment pathways to pursue in New Zealand thanks to our connections with Hato Hone St John and Pro+Med NZ. Learn more about our offering for NZ students here.

Study costs will depend on the course you wish to undertake at APC, plus external factors such as your prior education etc. We also offer flexible payment options, depending on your financial situation. You can read about them here.

We encourage you to enquire today and chat with one of our friendly Course Advisors about course fees, assisting you to discover which course payment option is right for you.

APC is a registered provider with the Australian Government Centrelink Employment Program, meaning students enrolled into APC’s HLT41120 – Certificate IV in Health Care or HLT31120 – Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport can be eligible for payment assistance from AUSTUDY, ABSTUDY, Youth Allowances,  and Pensioner Education Supplement Payments.

Another type of payment assistance APC offers students is in the form of a payment plan.

To learn more about all options available to our students, feel free to check out our blog on this topic. 

Yes – APC offer RPL and CT’s on all of our courses. APC welcomes all to review their eligibility before enrolling by requesting a pre-enrollment proposal after speaking with an APC Course Advisor. 

If you’re interested in understanding what RPL and CTs are, you can do so here.

Clinical Workshops are a definite highlight for our students during their study journey!

Workshops at APC are interactive, hands-on practicals where you will develop your practical skills alongside our experienced Trainers & Assessors and fellow students face-to-face.

Once you’ve completed your relevant theory online, you will attend a workshop to start putting all of your knowledge into practice. Clinical Workshops consist of short theoretical lectures, demonstrations and then the most exciting part of all – you will get to use all the latest medical emergency equipment! A favourite amongst our students is driving APC’s decommissioned state ambulances!

During the HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care you’ll complete 2x 5-day Clinical Workshops. If you’re completing either the HLT41120 – Certificate IV in Health Care or HLT31120 – Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport, you’ll complete 1x 5-day Clinical Workshop.

Watch the video below to get a sneak peek into what our workshops are all about! Alternatively, you can check out our dedicated Clinical Workshop page here.

Clinical Workshops are held across our New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia* campuses in Australia.

Many students fly in and spend the week at these locations, often choosing our beachside location in Burleigh Heads, Queensland. If you’re not based in one of these locations – that’s okay. You can check out some information here for students living in all other Australian states and territories.

If you’re a New Zealand student you will also be required to travel to Australia to complete your Clinical Workshop for the HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care. You can learn more here. 

*Clinical Workshops for the HLT31120 – Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport course are not held in Western Australia.

Clinical Placement is real, on-the-job experience that students are required to complete during the HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care and HLT41120 – Certificate IV in Health Care.

This invaluable experience gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their newly acquired skills under the direct supervision of individuals holding positions such as first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, nurses, doctors and more. 

Many students of APC choose to conduct their Clinical Placement alongside our Industry Partners, many going on to obtain employment as qualified healthcare practitioners upon graduation. 

To learn more about Clinical Placement, click here, or discover our Industry Partners here. Alternatively, feel free to reach out and one of our friendly Course Advisors can walk you through Clinical Placement in detail. 

We are proudly partnered with 15+ established organisations across Australia and New Zealand to create quality Clinical Placement opportunities for our students. 

From incredible industry leaders including Medical Edge Australia, St John Ambulance Victoria and Fire & Safety Australia to established organisations nationwide such as Crown Melbourne and Event Medical Plus, we are thrilled to provide our students and graduates with the chance to learn from healthcare experts in real-life settings.

The best part is – these experiences often lead to employment opportunities for our dedicated APC graduates!

Please note at APC we empower the responsibility of Clinical Placement to students, allowing them to choose where they conduct it. However, we are proud to have forged these Industry Partnerships to assist students in the sourcing of their placement, should they be looking for guidance.

Once you have completed your course at APC you will be issued with 2x copies of your certificate – 1x hardcopy which is sent to your preferred postal address and 1x electronic. Please note that individuals will only be issued with their certificate once all monies have been paid. 

Once an APC graduate, the pathway you wish to pursue is entirely up to you. Many graduates wish to start working in the sector with one of APC’s Industry Partners or Clinical Placement Partners, where others wish to take their studies to university to become a paramedic with the state ambulance service. 

To learn more about APC’s University pathways, and the number of credits our HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care can provide you, click here.

To become a Registered Paramedic and work with a State Ambulance Service, you will need to obtain a Bachelor of Paramedicine/Paramedic Science from university. However, a popular pathway to become a Registered Paramedic is through a Diploma first.

So, what are the benefits of completing APC’s HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care first?

1. If you do not have an ATAR or a high enough ATAR, a Diploma can act as a bridging or stepping stone qualification to help you gain entry to the Bachelor’s degree.
2. What you learn in the Diploma is very similar to what you will learn in your first year of university, making what you do have to complete in that first year a lot easier and less stressful as you will already have that foundational knowledge.
3. You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning to shorten your degree. This will vary on your chosen university and is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
4. The biggest advantage is becoming nationally qualified to start working in the private sector as soon as you graduate from APC! This means you can have the advantage of working in the industry whilst studying for your degree, which means you’ll have more practical experience and confidence as a healthcare professional when you graduate from university!

APC is a great choice to get you started in the emergency healthcare sector, depending on your personal career goals and past education.

We encourage you to speak with one of our Course Advisors who will be able to help answer any questions you might have and provide guidance on the best way forward for you!

Many universities in Australia and New Zealand offer a VET pathway to their bachelor programs. You can find these on our website here.

While the HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care is a pathway to university, there is no guarantee you will be able to get into any university at any time. Please keep in mind it can be competitive with limited spots available!

For students without an ATAR or NCEA who wish to become a Registered Paramedic, we offer a unique opportunity for students to apply for university that they would not otherwise have. Many APC students who have taken this path have been successful.

We recommend speaking to one of our Course Advisors about your personal circumstances and career goals so we can best support you on your study journey.

The career pathways/jobs you can pursue upon graduation will depend on the course you study at APC and your residing state/territory too. 

From becoming a Patient Transport Officer to an Event Medic, or even starting your journey to becoming an Ambulance Paramedic, there are different job possibilities depending on your career aspirations.

To learn about career pathways, click here.