ACECQA approves our Graduate Diploma.
The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood is now an ACECQA approved early childhood teaching qualification. See it on ACECQA’s list of approved qualifications.
Melbourne CBD · One year · For graduates of any degree
Move into early childhood teaching with the degree you already have.
1 year full-time In person and online 60 days supervised placement ACECQA approved
Next intake: Monday 23 November 2026
A postgraduate qualification (AQF 8) for graduates of any discipline who want to teach and lead in early childhood.
Higher educationRegistered with TEQSA, Australia’s higher education regulator
AQF Level 8Postgraduate award, TEQSA accredited
ACECQA approvedEarly childhood teaching qualification, birth to age 5
Melbourne CBD campusLevel 3, 377 Little Lonsdale Street
The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood is an AQF Level 8 qualification delivered by Fairmont College Australia. It is TEQSA accredited, and Fairmont is a TEQSA registered provider. Fairmont is not registered on CRICOS, so we can’t enrol students who need a student visa. (CRICOS is the register that allows a college to enrol overseas students.)
The course
A graduate-entry route into the profession.
A postgraduate diploma for graduates of any discipline. You’ll study pedagogy, child development and leadership in depth.
Course snapshotAQF 8
Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood
LevelAQF 8 · Postgraduate
Duration1 year full-time
Fee$10,000 AUD (domestic)
ModeIn person and online
Next intakeMonday 23 November 2026
StudentsDomestic students
- →A bachelor’s degree in any field
- →No prior teaching experience needed
- →Recognition of prior learning considered
- →Early childhood teacher (birth to five)
- →Room or centre leadership, with experience
- →Curriculum & pedagogy roles
- Subject to applicable registration and employment requirements.
What you’ll study
Four areas the course covers.
01
Child development, birth to five
The science of the earliest years and what it means for everyday teaching.
Children develop faster in their first five years than at any other time. You’ll study how attachment, language and self-regulation emerge, and learn to recognise where each child is up to, so your decisions rest on evidence.
02
Play-based pedagogy
How young children learn through play, and how to design for it on purpose.
Young children do their most serious learning through play. You’ll learn to plan environments and experiences where play carries the curriculum, and to extend children’s thinking without taking the play away from them.
03
Inclusive & responsive practice
Culturally responsive, inclusive curricula that serve every child and family.
Children arrive with different cultures, languages, abilities and family lives. You’ll practise planning for all of them from the start, building respectful family partnerships and bringing First Nations perspectives into the everyday program.
04
Leadership & professional practice
Lead teams and settings with ethics, confidence and reflective judgement.
With experience, early childhood teachers can move into mentoring, curriculum leadership and advocacy roles. You’ll build the reflective, ethical judgement those roles demand.
Your week
What a week looks like.
In each taught unit, your week follows the same rhythm.
01
Before class
Read and watch in Moodle at your own pace, with a question to think about.
02
In class
Seminars and workshops, in person or live online, in a small group, with time to talk it through and practise.
03
After class
Reflect on what you learned, connect it to practice, and work on your assessment.
Why Fairmont
We only do early childhood.
It’s the one course we run, so everything goes into teaching it well.
Expert-taught
Experienced educators
You’ll learn from respected early childhood academics and experienced practitioners who teach your classes.
Small & personal
Small cohorts
Small groups mean one-to-one mentoring and teaching staff who know you.
Academically serious
An AQF Level 8 qualification
An AQF Level 8 award, TEQSA accredited and ACECQA approved, grounded in reflective practice and the wellbeing of every child.
Who it’s for
You don’t need a prior education degree.
The main academic entry requirement is a bachelor’s degree in any field. No prior teaching experience needed, and whatever you’ve studied is an asset here:
Psychology & healthYou already understand how people develop, learn and behave.
Arts & humanitiesLanguage, creativity and culture are the heart of early learning.
Career-changersMove into work that matters.
Our approach
How we think about this work.
You’ll be taught by early childhood academics and experienced practitioners, in small groups.
Teaching young children well is some of the most demanding work in education. We prepare graduates who treat it that way.The Fairmont academic team
News & events
What’s happening at Fairmont.
Applications are open for domestic students
Apply through our student portal. Talk to us about recognition of prior learning and study options.
How to apply
How applying works.
There are three steps from first enquiry to enrolment, and we’ll support you at each stage. Applications are open for domestic students.
01
Enquire
Tell us about your background and what you’re hoping for.
02
Talk to us (optional)
If you would like to talk first, we will call you for an informal conversation about course fit, entry and how study works around your life. You can also apply straight away.
03
Apply
We guide you through the application, step by step.
Questions
Common questions.
Do I need a background in education?
No. The course is built for graduates of any discipline, so you don’t need prior study or work experience in education. Your bachelor’s degree is the main academic entry requirement, and the course teaches you the rest from there. English requirements apply, and you’ll need a Working with Children Check and a National Police Check before your first placement.
How long does it take?
One year of full-time study. The course is taught in intensive blocks, which means you focus on one unit at a time and then move on to the next, rather than juggling several subjects at once.
Can I study while I work?
The course combines in-person sessions, live online teaching and independent learning, with set session times. Timetables are published before each unit begins. Talk to us about how it can fit around your work. The course includes 60 days of supervised placement, and we’ll support you to arrange it.
Can international students enrol?
No. Fairmont is not registered on CRICOS, so we can’t enrol students who need a student visa. See the International Students page.
Is the qualification recognised?
Yes. The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood is an ACECQA approved early childhood teaching qualification (approved 17 August 2026). It is an AQF Level 8 award. Fairmont is TEQSA registered and the course is TEQSA accredited. The Recognition & Accreditation page has the full detail.
Contact
Enquire about the Graduate Diploma.
Tell us a little about yourself and we’ll be in touch with course details, entry requirements and intake dates.
- Emailinfo@fairmont.edu.au
- Phone+61 3 9653 6418
- VisitLevel 3, 377 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Thanks, your enquiry has been received. We’ll reply by email.
Acknowledgement of Country
Fairmont College Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work and learn, and pays respect to Elders past and present, recognising their role as the first educators of children.