Guide: RSA Certificate for international students in Australia
Drinking alcohol is a part of Australian culture. Most of the celebrations, parties events and catchups are not complete without having an alcohol.
If you get caught serving alcohol to an intoxicated person or minor (under 18s) you could face thousands of dollars of penalties and the business you work for could face the same consequences as well.
While as strict as Australian liquor laws are it can be a great opportunity for an international student to have an RSA certificate which will help them find a part-job in hospitality or any other industry that involves serving, selling or supplying liquor.
So in this article, we are going to give you a comprehensive guide regarding RSA certificate for international students in Australia.
What is RSA?
RSA stands for Responsible Service of Alcohol.
RSA is a short training that you will need to complete if you are going to serve, supply or sell alcohol in Australia.
At the end of this training, you will receive a certificate which states that you know how to serve alcohol in a responsible manner.
Put it simply as soon as you’re going to work with alcohol in Australia you will need to have this certificate.
You cannot legally work in a licensed premises in Australia without having an RSA certificate.
Most of the hospitality jobs where you are going to serve or work with alcohol will require you to have this certificate before you start working over there.
Who needs to have this certificate?
As mentioned earlier, anyone who is going to sell, offer, supply or serve alcohol in any of these premises are required to have this certificate. The premises including, but not limited to:
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Nightclub
- Casinos
- Liquor stores
- Events
Even if you work as a security staff member or just collecting or washing those glasses at the bar or nightclub, you still need to have this certificate.
There could be other settings or workplaces as well where you might need this RSA certificate.
What do I learn in the RSA course?
The name of the unit you are going to complete is SITHFAB002 Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol.
RSA course focuses on many aspects like:
- the laws related toserving alcohol in australia
- how to sell how to serve alcohol responsibly
- how to help customers to drink within appropriate limits
- assessing alcohol affected customers and how to deal and refuse serving alcohol
- the standard drink sizes
The main aim of this course is usually trying to teach you how to be responsible while serving alcohol to any person in the licensed premises.
Can international students do an RSA certificate?
Yes, you can certainly do an RSA certificate even if you are an international student in Australia.
Previous restrictions
- if you are going to do this course, you must do it face to face.
- You cannot do this course online.
We have compiled a list of some providers for each state and territory in Australia.
Where to do an RSA course in Australia?
You can do the RSA certificate in classroom environment or online as well.
If you want to do an RSA course, then we suggest checking accredited provider Express Online Training (links below).
If you would like to undertake this course, you can use one of the link below to register:
RSA course from $24 only (online) here:
- (All Australia except NSW, VIC) https://www.eot.edu.au/?pcid=1403
- VIC RSA: https://www.eot.edu.au/?pcid=1412
- NSW RSA: https://www.eot.edu.au/?pcid=1404
Please note that if you’re going to work in the hospitality industry for a long time, then you need to refresh the RSA certificate every three years or so. Usually, you can do it online and mostly it is free to do it.
How to get an RSA certificate?
In order to get your RSA certificate, you will need to follow these steps:
- First thing, you will need to find out a training provider for RSA certificate in your state territory.
- You can find them online or we have some list of education providers listed above.
- Once registered, you will need to go and attend the training on the day you have registered for.
- After the training is over, there will be a short test that you will need to complete and pass. The test is quite easy to complete.
- After completing the test successfully, the test you can get the certificate on the day itself. Some providers might send it to you through post.
But if you are in New South Wales, you get an interim certificate after the successful completion of the training.
Although, you can start working after having this interim certificate, but you will need to get a photo competency card within 90 days of completing the course.
You will need to bring this interim certificate to the Services New South Wales service centers along with an application form and 100 point ID.
You can use the following documents to meet 100 point ID requirement:
- 70 points – Birth Certificate/Passport Citizenship Certificate
- 40 points – Drivers Licence (full / probationary / learner)
- 25 points – Any card on which your name appears: Medicare card/Library card/Student card
- 25 points – Documents on which your name and address appear: Car registration/Utility bill/Rental receipts
They will take your photo on the day and after that you will receive your competency card within four weeks of your application.
While in the other states and territories, you can get your RSA certificate on the day itself and you can certainly start working right away after getting ****this certificate.
How long does it take to complete RSA?
As international students are required to do this course face to face so it is different from online providers. Usually, face to face course can be anywhere from 4 to 6 hours depending on the providers.
Online RSA course can be completed within 3 to 6 hours but you get around 4 to 6 weeks to complete it.
How much does RSA costs?
The cost of RSA course varies from one provider to the other.
As an international student you need to do this course face to face and it can cost you anywhere between from $50 to $200.
However if you are not an international student and you want to do this course, it can be done online depending upon the state or territory you are in. The cost of an online RSA course can be anywhere from $30 to $60.
How long does this certificate last?
Interestingly, there is no one specific certificate for the whole Australia.
The laws related to serving liquor varies also from one state to the other.
Usually RSA certificates don’t expire but you might need to do a refresher course after three years or so depending upon your state or territories laws. Please note that these laws can change anytime, so you need to check them with your state and territory.
So if you decide to move interstate, you might need to complete this course again in the state you’re moving in.
All the best with your RSA training and certificate. Let us know in the comments if you have already got RSA certificate or planning to get one.
For more information on different short courses you can do as an international student in Australia, please check this article.
Do international students need to complete the RSA certificate from CRICOS registered provider?
While, there was a requirement for international students to complete RSA and some other short courses from CRICOS registered provider, this requirement has been lifted on 29 June 2021.
It means international students can now complete the RSA certificate and some other short courses in Australia without needing them to study at CRICOS registered providers only.
You can read more about this update here.
