Get a fun job as a barista
Hands-on training that gets you hired — make every café coffee on commercial machines, then earn the nationally recognised certificate cafés look for. Your own steam wand and a 1:8 trainer ratio, with Barista Basics.
Barista courses that take you from first pour to confident barista
No prior experience required — you'll walk out knowing how to use a commercial espresso machine from scratch and make every coffee you'd order in a café.
What makes our barista courses different
Your own steam wand
A dedicated steam wand and group handle each — genuine hands-on practice, not standing around watching.
1:8 trainer ratio
One trainer for every eight students. Our trainers are working baristas and café owners, not just teachers.
Commercial machines
Train on the same professional-grade espresso machines you'd find in a café — not domestic gear.
No theory, all practise
No pre-course modules for the 3-hour class — just focused hours on the machines, learning by doing.
Classes every day
Morning, afternoon and weekend slots — pick whatever fits your week.
Nationally recognised upgrade path
Start with the 3-hour class and top up to the Nationally Recognised 5-hour course any time.
3-hour vs 5-hour barista course
Both teach you to use a commercial espresso machine from scratch. Here's how they differ.
| 3-hour$119 · non-accredited | 5-hour$199 · nationally recognised | |
|---|---|---|
| Core barista skills (espresso, milk, all café drinks) | ||
| Your own steam wand & group handle | ||
| Latte art training (2 hours) | — | |
| Free ebook — Get a Fun Job as a Barista | — | |
| Certificate | Certificate of completion | Nationally recognised Statement of Attainment (SITHFAB025 + SITXFSA005) |
| Pre-course online module | Not required | 1–2 hours |
| Price | $119 | $199 |
Book your barista course
Live class dates for each city — switch tabs to see your location and book online.
5-hour Nationally Recognised Master Barista course — $199
SITHFAB025 + SITXFSA005 · nationally recognised
Core barista skills plus 2 hours of latte art and a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment that cafés accept Australia-wide. Available in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Newcastle.
Issued the same day, straight to your student portal: your nationally recognised Statement of Attainment, Statement of Results, Barista Basics Coffee Art certificate, coffee art handout and Coffee Menu reference card — plus a free copy of our ebook, Get a Fun Job as a Barista.
3-hour Barista — $119
Non-accredited
A relaxed, hands-on introduction to the espresso machine — perfect for home baristas and coffee lovers. Australian Barista School certificate of completion. Available in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane and Melbourne.
| Date | Time | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 27 Sept 2026 | 9:00am – 12:00pm | $119 | Filling fastFully booked |
| Tue 29 Sept 2026 | 8:00am – 11:00am | $119 | Fully booked |
| Tue 29 Sept 2026 | 3:00pm – 6:00pm | $119 | Fully booked |
| Wed 30 Sept 2026 | 8:00am – 11:00am | $119 | |
| Wed 30 Sept 2026 | 3:00pm – 6:00pm | $119 | Filling fastEnrol now → |
Filling fast
Need a later date?
Pick a date further ahead to enrol.
Our 5-hour course vs a typical barista class
Here's what 25 years of doing this actually buys you.
| Barista Basics — 5-hour course | A typical barista class | |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification | Nationally recognised SITHFAB025 + SITXFSA005 Statement of Attainment | Usually a non-accredited certificate, if any |
| Recognition | Barista Basics is recognised Australia-wide | Often a local or unknown operator |
| Experience | Teaching baristas since 2000 — 25+ years, 100,000+ trained | Often newer, unproven |
| Who trains you | Professional hospitality trainers with real-world experience | A rotating contracted trainer |
| Trainer ratio | 1:8 — plenty of hands-on time with your trainer | Often larger classes with less individual attention |
| Equipment | Your own steam wand and group handle, on commercial machines | Shared equipment, sometimes domestic-grade |
| Coffee art | 2 hours included — home of what we believe was one of the first coffee art courses anywhere | Rarely covered, if offered at all |
| Real café background | Founders ran a coffee roasting facility and four espresso bars | Training-only — no café or roasting experience |
| Reference material | Written by our founders, Bean There, Drunk That… — yours to buy | No published resource |
Compared against a typical short, non-accredited barista class — individual providers vary.
The barista school that wrote the book
Barista Basics Coffee Academy started in a small Sydney training room in 2000. What began as one room with a handful of machines became the course that has trained 100,000+ baristas across the country.
Along the way our founders, David and Matthew Gee, ran a coffee roasting facility and four espresso bars, and built what we believe was the world's first dedicated coffee art course — then wrote the book on it, Bean There, Drunk That…, still in print and yours to buy today.
More than 25 years later, you're taught by professional hospitality trainers with real-world experience. Barista Basics is now CBD College's barista training school (RTO 91399).
- 2000
Barista Basics Coffee Academy opens in a training room in Sydney, and runs what we believe was the world's first dedicated coffee art course
- 2001
Melbourne and Brisbane open
- 2004
First edition of Bean There, Drunk That… published (128 pages, still in print)
- 2005
Newcastle opens
- 2008
CBD College registered as an RTO (91399, 29 May 2008); the 5-hour barista course becomes nationally recognised
- Today
100,000+ baristas trained across four cities
What our barista students say
“Anthony has great at teaching and has great energy”
“Mat and Maaike who train on Barista carry so much positive energy and motivate every learner to be at their best. Some great tips to start off your career as Barista and valid training imparting skills and best of muscle memory to make your daily life better. CBD college is best in facility and easy accessibility by public transport”
“the energy the guys have is perfect to feel motivated. thank you so much!!!!”
“so so goodd”
“Amber was a great teacher! Loved the course. Very interesting 😄”
“Amber is a gem and taught a wonderful class. Was super informative and supportive the whole time. Definitely recommend”
“amber was absolutely amazing what a great teacher so helpful”
“An excellent course for someone wanting training and accreditation as a barista or just in the mood to learn more about coffee and the coffee make process. Also suggest the art course as a nice add on. Perfect as a gift as a gift as well. Photo credit - my creation.”
“This is a great course to learn the fundamentals of being a barista. Matt was a great teacher with lots of knowledge and made it a really positive and enjoyable learning environment.”
Our trainers wrote the book — literally
bean there, drunk that…
The definitive guide to coffee and the world of the barista — 128 pages by the founders of Barista Basics Coffee Academy. History, espresso, milk texturing, latte art and getting a job as a barista. Get the book →
Barista guides
All guides →How to become a barista in Australia
You don't need a formal qualification to become a barista in Australia, but training and practice make you far more employable. Here's the path.
Read guideDo you need a qualification to be a barista?
No — there's no legal requirement to be a qualified barista in Australia. But a barista course makes you far more employable. Here's why.
Read guideNationally recognised vs non-accredited barista course: which should you do?
A non-accredited barista course teaches the core skills fast; the 5-hour course adds latte art and a nationally recognised qualification. Here's which suits you.
Read guide
Save with a package
Heading into hospitality? Pair the nationally recognised barista course with your RSA — or go all-in for cafés, pubs and clubs.
RSA + Barista
Your RSA plus the nationally recognised 5-hour barista course — serve coffee and alcohol.
View RSA + Barista →RSA + RCG + Barista
All three — ideal for work in cafés, pubs, clubs and gaming venues.
View the triple package →Bringing a school, university or workplace team instead? See schools & group bookings →
Where we train
Frequently asked questions
Which barista course should I choose?▾
If you want to work in a café, choose the 5-hour Nationally Recognised Barista course — it adds latte art and awards a Nationally Recognised SITHFAB025 + SITXFSA005 Statement of Attainment that cafés accept nationwide. The 3-hour course is a non-accredited class for home baristas, hobbyists and working-holiday makers who want the core skills without the formal qualification.
Is the 3-hour course nationally recognised?▾
No. The 3-hour course is non-accredited — you'll receive an Australian Barista School certificate of completion. For a nationally recognised qualification, choose the 5-hour course.
Do I need any prior barista experience?▾
No. We teach you to use a commercial espresso machine from scratch. By the end you'll froth milk, pull espresso shots, make every café coffee and clean and maintain the machine.
How much do the courses cost?▾
The 3-hour barista course is $119. The 5-hour course with latte art and a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment is $199.
What's the trainer-to-student ratio?▾
1:8. Every student gets their own dedicated steam wand and group handle for the day — no waiting around, just real practice time.
What should I bring on the day?▾
Just yourself and closed-toe shoes (a food-safety requirement). Bring photo ID too if you're doing the 5-hour nationally recognised course. We provide all the coffee, milk, equipment and aprons.
Do I need a USI?▾
Yes, for the 5-hour nationally recognised course — you'll need a Unique Student Identifier (USI) before class day. It's free and takes a couple of minutes at usi.gov.au. The 3-hour course doesn't require one.
What's the pre-course online module?▾
For the 5-hour nationally recognised course only — a short online module (1–2 hours) to complete before your class date. The 3-hour course doesn't have one.
Is there a minimum age?▾
No minimum age for either course. Anyone under 14 needs to be accompanied by a parent or guardian; 14 and over can attend unaccompanied. Bringing a school or youth group instead?
See schools & groups →When do I get my certificate?▾
Same day — issued to your student portal after class. The 3-hour course gets you a certificate of completion. The 5-hour course gets you your Statement of Attainment, Statement of Results, a Barista Basics Coffee Art certificate, and a free copy of our ebook, Get a Fun Job as a Barista.
What's the cancellation policy?▾
Due to small class sizes, we can't refund no-shows or change-of-mind cancellations. You can switch to another class yourself through the Student Portal's Switch function — a switching fee always applies, and it's higher within 48 hours of your class. If you missed your class entirely or arrived too late to be let in, you can reactivate your booking afterwards via the same Switch function — 50% of the course fee within 7 days of your class, 100% after that.
How switching works →Can I upgrade to the nationally recognised course later?▾
Yes. If you complete the 3-hour course and later want the nationally recognised qualification, get in touch and we'll arrange a top-up to the full 5-hour course.
Teaching baristas since 2000 →
Founded in Sydney, home of what we believe was the world's first dedicated coffee art course — taught today by professional hospitality trainers with real-world experience.
Schools & group bookings →
High schools, universities, community groups and workplace teams — discounted group pricing in four cities.