Advanced Diploma of Skin Therapy

The Advanced Diploma of Skin Therapy is a one-year qualification for people who want to work as skin therapists in Australia. It sits at the diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which means it is practical, job-focused and sits below a bachelor degree. You will learn how to analyse skin, perform treatments such as facials, peels, microdermabrasion, LED therapy and lymphatic massage, and recommend home-care routines. You will also study the science behind the skin: anatomy, physiology, cosmetic chemistry and infection control. Business subjects like retail operations, client consultation and salon management are usually part of the mix, because most skin therapists either work in clinics or run their own.

How the course is structured

Australian vocational qualifications are built from units of competency. Each unit has a national code and a credit value, and you need to complete all core and elective units to graduate. The course is delivered over one year, typically across two or three study periods. Delivery is usually a blend of on-campus practical classes in a training salon, theory sessions and supervised work on real clients. Assessment is competency-based: you either demonstrate the skill to the standard or you do not, and you can be reassessed. There is no thesis or major research project at this level. Instead, you build a portfolio of treatments and client records that you can show employers. Work-integrated learning happens through the clinic on campus, where you treat members of the public under supervision. Some providers also arrange external placements in skin clinics or day spas.

What you will be able to do

Graduates can consult with clients, design treatment plans, perform advanced skin therapies, sell retail products, maintain infection control, and manage a small salon or treatment room. You will also learn how to keep client records, follow workplace health and safety rules, and work within the scope of practice for a skin therapist. The qualification does not make you a nurse, a dermatologist or a dermal clinician, those are separate university pathways. It does make you job-ready for the beauty and skin clinic industry, and it can be a stepping stone to a bachelor degree in dermal science or beauty therapy with credit for some units.

Who it suits

This course suits school leavers who want a hands-on career without a three-year degree, career changers who want to enter the beauty industry, and existing beauty therapists who want to specialise in advanced skin treatments. International students should check the English requirement published on the official page. The common standard for a course like this is IELTS Academic 6.0 to 6.5 overall, or an equivalent TOEFL, PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced result. The Department of Home Affairs also sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. While studying in Australia, a student visa usually allows work of up to 48 hours per fortnight during term. After graduating, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia for a period. Always confirm the current rules with the Department of Home Affairs and confirm course details, tuition and intake dates on the official CRICOS page for course code 108565K.

• Skin therapist, working in beauty salons, skin clinics and medi-spas performing facials, peels, microdermabrasion and LED treatments.
• Dermal therapist, assisting with advanced skin treatments under the direction of a dermal clinician or cosmetic nurse in a clinical setting.
• Beauty therapist, providing a broader range of beauty services including waxing, tinting, lash and brow treatments alongside skin therapy.
• Salon manager or team leader, running the day-to-day operations of a salon or clinic, rostering staff and managing stock.
• Retail skincare specialist, working for skincare brands in department stores, pharmacies or brand-owned counters, recommending products and treatment plans.
• Mobile skin therapist or small business owner, building your own client base and operating as a sole trader.
• Sales representative, for professional skincare companies, training salon staff and promoting product ranges to clinics.

Australian employers in these roles include day spas, skin and laser clinics, medi-spas, cosmetic medical practices, hotel spas, pharmacy skincare counters and beauty retail chains. Some graduates go on to further study in dermal science or beauty therapy at university level.