Victoria has two main routes into floristry: a nationally recognised qualification from a TAFE or registered training organisation (RTO), or a short course or workshop with a florist or flower school. A Certificate III in Floristry is the usual qualification for working as a florist, and short courses suit hobbyists and anyone testing the waters before committing.
This guide lists the current qualification codes, Victorian providers we could confirm, short courses and online options, and what to check before you enrol. If you are still weighing up the career itself, start with how to become a florist or our floristry apprenticeship guide. Studying in Sydney or elsewhere in NSW? See floristry training in NSW.
Image by KateCox from Pixabay
Nationally recognised floristry qualifications
Floristry qualifications sit in the SFL Floristry Training Package on training.gov.au, the national register. The package was updated in August 2025, and three of the four floristry qualifications now have new codes. Some provider pages still show the older codes, so it helps to know both.
| Qualification | Current code | Older code | Typical role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate II in Floristry (Assistant) | SFL20125 | SFL20115 | Floristry assistant working under supervision |
| Certificate III in Floristry | SFL30115 | (no change) | Florist |
| Certificate IV in Floristry | SFL40125 | SFL40115 | Senior florist |
| Diploma of Floristry Design | SFL50125 | SFL50115 | Senior floral designer, often with a business or team lead role |
The Certificate III is being reviewed by the skills council Service and Creative Skills Australia, so its code may change in future.
What each level covers
The Certificate II covers basic floristry skills, flower care and retail, and leads to assistant roles in florist shops, studios and online florists. The Certificate III builds the full set of florist skills: hand-tied, wired and base-medium designs, flower and plant identification, customer service and quotes. It can be studied on campus or as part of an apprenticeship. The Certificate IV and Diploma move into advanced and large-scale design and the business side of running a floristry team or shop.
Funding and concessions
Many Victorian floristry places are subsidised through the state's Skills First program. Eligibility depends mainly on residency, being physically in Victoria while you train, and how many government-funded courses you have already started. You can check your Skills First eligibility before you apply, and your provider confirms it at enrolment.
If you hold a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, ask about concession fees. Fees vary a lot between subsidised, concession and full-fee places, and materials fees are often charged on top, so ask each provider for a written quote.
Where to study floristry in Victoria
These providers advertised floristry qualifications on their own websites when we checked in October 2026. Intakes and campuses change, so confirm the details with the provider before you plan around them.
Certificate III in Floristry
- Box Hill Institute (Box Hill): its 2026/27 course guide lists one year full time or two years part time, with February and July intakes, plus a three-year part-time option.
- Holmesglen (Glen Waverley): one year full time or two years part time, on campus. Students must be 18 or over.
- Melbourne Polytechnic (Fairfield and Collingwood): 38 weeks full time, including 50 hours of work placement in a floristry business.
- MM College, formerly Marjorie Milner College (Surrey Hills and Geelong): Certificate III on campus or as an apprenticeship.
- The Gordon (Geelong).
Certificate II in Floristry (Assistant)
MM College lists the Certificate II on its floristry page, and Melbourne Polytechnic has offered it in the past. Check which code your provider is enrolling under, because the old SFL20115 was replaced by SFL20125 in August 2025.
Certificate IV and Diploma
We could not find a Victorian provider currently advertising the Certificate IV in Floristry or the Diploma of Floristry Design.
Outside Victoria, The Flower School in Brisbane (RTO 41063) runs the SFL40125 Certificate IV in Floristry over 12 months part time, and students who are not based in Brisbane can join classes live via Zoom. We could not find any provider currently advertising the Diploma. To see who is approved to deliver them, use the "Find RTOs" tab on the Certificate IV and Diploma pages on training.gov.au, then ask whether they run classes in Victoria or online.
Floristry short courses and workshops in Victoria
Photo by Anhelina Vasylyk from Pexels
Short courses don't lead to a national qualification, but they are a good way to learn the basics, build a portfolio or simply enjoy working with flowers. They run from a single session to several weeks.
- Thrive Flower School (Moorabbin): beginner, career, wedding and event courses, plus workshops, with a focus on seasonal flowers and foam-free methods.
- Diamond Valley Learning Centre (Greensborough): an eight-week beginners course, two hours a week. No dates were listed when we checked, but you can join the waitlist.
- The Gordon (Geelong City Campus): short courses in Introduction to Floristry and Classic and Contemporary Floral Design.
- Victoria Whitelaw (South Yarra and Brighton): private and corporate floral workshops.
- Ikebana: Ikebana International Melbourne lists teachers across Melbourne from the Sogetsu, Ikenobo, Ichiyo, Ohara and Shogetsudo Koryu schools of Japanese flower arranging.
Learning floristry online
- Bloom College: online floristry courses delivered by video tutorials and ebooks, from the beginner Flower Basics course through to advanced floristry and business skills, plus one-to-one career coaching.
- Floral Art School of Australia (Cheltenham): an online correspondence course covering 30 designs over three terms, with supplies included and up to 18 months to finish. It awards the school's own Advanced Certificate of Floristry, which is not a qualification on the national register.
- Astar's Place: a New Zealand floristry educator with free videos you can watch before paying for a course.
How to choose a floristry course
- Know your goal. If you want to work as a florist, a Certificate III (or an apprenticeship) is what most employers look for. For a hobby or a single skill such as bridal work, a short course is quicker and cheaper.
- Check the code. Look the qualification up on training.gov.au and confirm the provider is approved to deliver it.
- Ask about funding and total cost. Ask for tuition, materials and amenities fees in writing, and whether you qualify for a subsidised or concession place.
- Look at the practical side. Ask about class sizes, how much fresh product you work with, and whether work placement or events are included.
- Fit it around your life. Compare full-time, part-time, evening and online options, and how far you will travel to campus.
Once you have the basics, our guides to the history of flower arranging, today's most influential floral designers and DIY wedding flowers are good next reads.
Work with flowers at Flowers Across
Our Melbourne florists work with fresh, market-sourced flowers every day, and we support our floristry team with on-the-job training. If you are studying floristry or have recently qualified, see careers at Flowers Across and send us an expression of interest.
Course details were checked against each provider's website in October 2026. Courses, intakes and fees change often, so please confirm with the provider before you enrol.