The demand for mental health workers is steadily increasing in Australia, driven by critical shortages and growing demand. Whether you’re a nurse who is looking to specialise in mental health or a healthcare professional looking to strengthen your mental health skills, a postgraduate mental health course can help you build the expertise you need to become a competent mental health professional.
Many courses also offer Commonwealth supported places (CSPs), which can help alleviate costs. With a CSP, the Australian Government subsidises a portion of your course fees, reducing your overall fees. Learn more about CSPs, including eligibility criteria and how to find out if the course you want to study offers CSPs in our guide to postgraduate CSP courses in healthcare.
The Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing at Deakin University offers the largest discount at 85 per cent off. With savings of over $10,000, read on to see how much the course costs and other postgraduate CSP mental health courses with significant savings.
10 postgraduate CSP mental health courses in 2026
We’ve combed through the entire catalogue of postgraduate CSP mental health courses on the GlobalHealth Education website and compiled a list of the top 10 courses with the biggest discounts in 2026. Sorted from the largest to the smallest discount, all percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.
There are numerous postgraduate CSP mental health courses available, particularly in mental health nursing. As CSPs are limited, however, entry is competitive and meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee admission into the course.
Calculation methodology
To ensure accuracy, we’ve only included courses where both the full-fee and CSP prices can be found on the university’s website. Discounts are calculated based on the difference between the two prices. While most universities list both fees on their course page or a dedicated fees page, there are instances where fees have been calculated manually.
For the University of Tasmania, both the full-fee and CSP prices have been calculated by adding the costs listed on the corresponding unit pages. The full-fee price has been calculated by adding the domestic full-fee amount listed on each unit page and the CSP price has been calculated by adding the commencing student contribution listed on each unit page.
For Australian Catholic University, CSP pricing is clearly listed. The full-fee cost, however, has been calculated by adding the full fee-paying amount for each unit listed on the domestic student unit fees page.
For Edith Cowan University, both the CSP and full-fee costs have been calculated using the university’s fee calculator.
Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure that pricing information is accurate and up to date, no guarantee is given, nor responsibility taken, for variations or discrepancies in pricing.
Graduate Certificate of Mental Health Nursing (Online) at Deakin University – 85% off
Gain the skills and knowledge required to launch or advance your practice in mental health with this dynamic course. Developed in consultation with industry partners, you’ll undertake four core units on the university’s interactive learning platform.
Through these units, you’ll strengthen your mental health nursing assessment skills, explore mental health conditions and develop a comprehensive understanding of therapeutic nursing interventions. Upon successful completion of the course, you’ll also have the option of specialising further by continuing on to the Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing.
Who should study this course?
This course is suitable for nurses that are looking to begin or advance their career in mental health nursing. Graduates commonly work in aged care services, acute public mental health or psychiatry, forensic mental health and child and adolescent mental health or psychiatry.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this course, you must fulfil one of the following:
- Be a registered nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) with no conditions or restrictions
- Be a registered nurse in your country of practice (or equivalent) and hold a Bachelor of Nursing or equivalent qualification
Course intake months in 2026: March and July
Course duration: One year part-time
Estimated full-fee cost: $15,300
Estimated total fee with a CSP: $2,369
Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing (Online) at Deakin University – 85% off
This two year part-time course is ideal for nurses who are looking to further advance their mental health nursing skills. During this course, you’ll undertake six core units along with the choice of two course electives. Examples of course electives that you'll get to choose from include Management of Diabetes, Facilitating Clinical Learning, Therapeutic Medication Management and Counselling Diverse Populations.
Other than expanding on your mental health nursing foundations and gaining a deeper understanding of nursing interventions, you’ll enhance your understanding and knowledge of the physical health issues associated with mental illness and learn how to manage the dynamic and challenging experience of working in mental health.
Who should study this course?
This course is suitable for nurses who are looking to gain a more comprehensive understanding of or specialise in mental health. Upon graduation, individuals can work in areas such as community mental health, drug and alcohol services and private mental health.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this course, you must fulfil one of the following:
- Be a registered nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) with no conditions or restrictions
- Be a registered nurse in your country of practice (or equivalent) and hold a Bachelor of Nursing or equivalent qualification
Course intake months in 2026: March and July
Course duration: Two years part-time
Estimated full-fee cost: $30,600
Estimated total fee with a CSP: $4,738
Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing (Online) at Flinders University – 83% off
Enhance your capabilities in navigating the mental health nursing landscape in this comprehensive course. You will further your clinical skills and develop competencies in areas such as clinical leadership, acute mental health and counselling.
You will also choose from a range of electives, including units such as First Nations Health and Wellbeing, Clinical Research Methods and Introduction to Epidemiological Research Methods. While the course is delivered online, it includes a professional experience placement component where you’ll get to put what you’ve learned into practice.
Who should study this course?
This course is suitable for nurses looking to strengthen their clinical and theoretical knowledge in mental health nursing. As the course also covers leadership concepts, it’s a strong fit for those aiming to step into a leadership role in the field.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this course, you must:
- Have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an approved tertiary institution
- Be a registered nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA)
Course intake months in 2026: March and July
Course duration: One year full-time or the part-time equivalent
Estimated full-fee cost: $28,200
Estimated total fee with a CSP: $4,734
Graduate Certificate in Mental Health (Online) at Edith Cowan University – Up to 82% off
This online course will equip you with the assessment and intervention skills needed to succeed in a mental health setting. Consisting of four units, you’ll undertake two mandatory units and choose from a range of electives including Forensic Mental Health, Community Mental Health or Work Based Learning.
In the mandatory units, you’ll learn various approaches to assessing people with mental illness and advance your knowledge of mental health theory and practice. The goal is to develop skills that you can apply across a range of mental health settings.
Who should study this course?
This course is ideal for healthcare professionals looking to bolster their skill set to work in mental health practices and facilities. It’s also a suitable option for nurses looking to specialise in mental health. Upon completion, graduates can continue on to complete the university’s graduate diploma and master’s in mental health nursing.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this course, you must have one of the following:
- A bachelor’s degree in a health, counselling, social work, occupational therapy, nursing, midwifery or psychology related subject
- Equivalent prior learning including at least five years of relevant professional experience in a mental health setting
Course intake months in 2026: February and July
Course duration: Six months full-time or the part-time equivalent
Estimated full-fee cost: $13,240 to $13,260
Estimated total fee with a CSP: $2,367 to $3,167
Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing (Online) at Edith Cowan University – Up to 82% off
Advance your knowledge of mental health theory and practice in this course, which also has a focus on foundational research methods. While you’ll learn how to assess mental health conditions and apply a range of interventions, you’ll also acquire the skills to operationalise a research study.
In addition to the mandatory units, you’ll also get to choose from a range of electives including Forensic Mental Health, Community Mental Health, Perinatal Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Who should study this course?
This course is suitable for nurses that are looking to hone their mental health and research skills. Employment opportunities for graduates include community mental health settings, drug and alcohol services and child, youth and adult mental health services.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this course, you must have one of the following:
- A bachelor’s degree in nursing or midwifery
- Equivalent prior learning including at least five years of recent and relevant professional experience as a mental health nurse
Course intake months in 2026: February and July
Course duration: One year full-time or the part-time equivalent
Estimated full-fee cost: $26,630 to $26,650
Estimated total fee with a CSP: $4,734 to $5,534
Graduate Certificate in Addiction Studies for Health Professionals (Online) at the University of Tasmania – 81% off
Learn how to provide effective care and guidance to those experiencing addiction in this online course. The goal is to equip you with the skills needed to work with and support individuals experiencing dependency.
Consisting of four units, the course will extend your knowledge of treatment approaches, develop your ability to work with people experiencing addictive disorders and introduce you to psychological therapies used in the management of mental health conditions.
Who should study this course?
This course is ideal for healthcare professionals who are looking to hone their skills and enhance their ability to support individuals experiencing dependency. It is also suitable for healthcare professionals, particularly registered nurses and social workers, who are looking to transition into the addiction care field.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this course, you must:
- Have an undergraduate qualification in a health-related discipline or in social work, psychology, social sciences or police studies
While not a mandatory entry requirement, students should ideally be working in a healthcare setting such as a hospital, health clinic or aged care facility.
Course intake month in 2026: February
Course duration: One year part-time
Estimated full-fee cost: $12,712
Estimated total fee with a CSP: $2,368
Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing (Online) at Australian Catholic University – 81% off
Are you a nurse who is looking to specialise in mental health or further develop your expertise in this area? The Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing will equip you with the knowledge and practical skills to work across a range of mental health settings, along with the advanced leadership capabilities needed to become a change agent.
Developed specifically for nurse clinicians entering the specialist field of mental health, this course includes units such as Recovery Oriented Mental Health Nursing, Holistic Individual Centred Mental Health Nursing Practice and Health Promotion and Social Inclusion in Mental Health Nursing.
Who should study this course?
This course is ideal for nurses who are looking to advance their skills in mental health. Graduates can go on to work across a range of settings including public and private healthcare organisations, mental health services and community or rehabilitation-focused environments.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the course, you must:
- Hold a Bachelor of Nursing degree
- Have written confirmation from your employer that you are currently employed in a mental health service
Course intake months in 2026: February and July
Course duration: One year part-time
Estimated full-fee cost: $12,628
Estimated total fee with a CSP: $2,368
Graduate Certificate in Mental Health (Online) at Victoria University – 79% off
Drive positive change and gain a holistic understanding of mental health and its impact on individuals, families and communities in this online course. Designed by mental health experts, upon successful completion of this course, you can continue on to complete a Master of Mental Health.
In this flexible course, you’ll complete four units where you’ll develop a foundational understanding of mental health, examine biopsychosocial and cultural perspectives of mental illness, learn how to support individuals with complex mental illness and gain the skills to care for people who have experienced trauma.
Who should study this course?
This course is suitable for allied health, welfare and social care professionals who want to gain a holistic understanding of mental health. Graduates will increase their specialist knowledge and be able to work across a range of therapeutic, community and clinical mental health settings.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this course, you must fulfil one of the following:
- Have a completed bachelor’s degree in a cognate discipline. Examples include health science, social work, psychology, medicine, counselling, criminal justice, youth work or education
- Have a bachelor's degree in any discipline with at least two years of approved work experience
Course intake months in 2026: January, March, May, July, August and October
Course duration: Eight months part-time
Estimated full-fee cost: $11,480
Estimated total fee with a CSP: $2,368
Master of Mental Health Nursing (Online) at Deakin University – 79% off
Play a leading role in the future of mental health nursing by gaining the core, foundational and consumer-centric mental health concepts required to work within multidisciplinary teams. In this online part-time course, you can choose to undertake either the thesis stream, where you’ll complete a research project in mental health nursing, or the coursework stream, where you can curate your focus from a list of electives.
In both streams, you’ll complete units such as Recognising and Understanding Mental Illness, Therapeutic Interventions in Mental Health Nursing and Person-Centred Approaches to Engagement in Mental Health Nursing.
Who should study this course?
This course is ideal for nurses looking to gain the skills and knowledge to enhance their mental health nursing career or step into a leadership role. Graduates can work across a range of community and inpatient settings and those who undertake the thesis stream may extend their research career by pursuing a PhD.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this course, you must fulfil one of the following:
- Be a registered nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) with no conditions or restrictions
- Be a registered nurse in your country of practice (or equivalent) and hold a Bachelor of Nursing or equivalent qualification
Course intake months in 2026: March and July
Course duration: Three years part-time
Estimated full-fee cost: $45,900
Estimated total fee with a CSP: $9,539.5
Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing (Online) at CQUniversity – 74% off
This self-paced online course is ideal if you’re looking to build the foundational skills and knowledge required to practise in this area of specialisation. As part of the course, you’ll complete four units including Contextual Foundations of Mental Health Nursing Practice and Clinical Foundations for Practice.
You’ll learn how to engage and interact with diverse individuals with mental illness and develop skills in conducting a range of assessments, including mental health examination and various risk assessments. Upon completion, you can choose to further develop your mental health knowledge by completing the university’s Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing, followed by the Master of Mental Health Nursing.
Who should study this course?
This course is ideal for nurses looking to develop foundational knowledge and skills in mental health nursing. As this course is offered in a hyperflexible format, it’s suitable for individuals that prefer independent and flexible learning. Individuals can begin the course at any time and plan their study around their availability as there are no fixed assessment deadlines, session dates or group assignments.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the course, you must:
- Hold current registration as a nurse (Division 1) with Ahpra
Course intake in 2026: As this is a hyperflexible online course, students can begin the course at any time
Course duration: One year part-time
Estimated full-fee cost: $9,200
Estimated total fee with a CSP: $2,400
If you require further guidance, you can connect one-on-one with our Education Consultant, Catriona. With years of experience and formal qualifications in career development and positive psychology, she can provide personalised guidance and help you figure out your next step. She can also answer any questions you have about CSPs, including how to apply and how this government initiative differs from other financial support options.
Explore more postgraduate CSP mental health courses
Looking for more mental health courses that offer CSP at the postgraduate level? Explore our full catalogue of courses here.
