Diploma of Information Technology

The Diploma of Information Technology at the Australia Institute of Business and Technology is a practical, 1.5-year qualification for people who want to work in IT support, networking or systems administration. You will study core units in hardware and software, operating systems, networking fundamentals, cybersecurity basics and database concepts. The course is built around hands-on tasks: setting up and troubleshooting networks, configuring servers, writing scripts, and working with cloud services. Assessment is mostly practical, labs, projects and small team tasks, rather than long written exams.

How the course is structured

Australian diplomas are made up of units of study, each with a set credit point value. The Diploma of Information Technology is typically delivered over three or four study periods (semesters or trimesters) across 1.5 years. You need to complete all required units to graduate. Some providers offer a capstone unit where you work on a real client problem or a simulated IT project. Work-integrated learning is common in IT diplomas, many students do a placement or internship with an IT support team, a managed service provider or an internal IT department. The course sits at Level 5 on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which means it is more applied than a bachelor degree and can be a pathway into one, often with credit for the units you have already passed.

What you will learn

By the end, you should be able to install and configure operating systems, manage user accounts and permissions, set up a small network, apply basic security controls, and use a ticketing system to log and resolve support requests. You will also pick up the soft skills that matter in IT, explaining technical problems to non-technical people, documenting your work, and working in a team to meet deadlines. The course suits school leavers who want a fast route into the industry, career changers who need practical skills, and people already working in IT who want a formal qualification to move up or specialise.

Studying in Australia and what comes next

As an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. After you finish, 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 that depends on your qualification and visa rules. English entry is usually IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, or an equivalent TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced score. The Student visa has its own English requirement set by the Department of Home Affairs, so check both. Tuition fees are listed on the CRICOS register, search for course code 107121B. Confirm all details, including intake dates and unit offerings, on the official page.

• IT support officer, help desk and desktop support roles in banks, hospitals, government departments and large retailers.
• Network administrator, managing routers, switches and wireless networks for small to medium businesses or internet service providers.
• Systems administrator, looking after servers, user accounts and backups in corporate IT teams.
• Help desk technician, first point of contact for staff or customers with technical problems, often in managed service providers.
• Cloud support assistant, entry-level roles supporting cloud platforms like AWS or Azure, common in Australian tech companies and consultancies.
• Junior cybersecurity analyst, monitoring alerts and applying basic security patches in organisations with a security operations centre.

These roles are in demand across Australia's IT services, government, education, healthcare and finance sectors. A diploma can also lead into further study, such as a bachelor degree in information technology or cybersecurity, with credit for completed units.