Certificates & USI

Do I need a USI?

A Unique Student Identifier (USI) is not required to book your course — you can leave it blank when you enrol. However, you will need to provide it before your certificate can be issued. Since 1 January 2015, anyone undertaking nationally recognised training in Australia must have a USI, and by law your RTO (CBD College, RTO 91399) cannot issue your certificate without one.

What a USI is: a free reference number made up of ten numbers and letters that creates a secure, lifelong online record of all your nationally recognised training and qualifications, accessible anytime.

Creating your USI:

1. Go to usi.gov.au and select "Create your USI."
2. Have one form of ID ready (e.g. driver's licence, passport, Medicare card or birth certificate).
3. Enter your name and date of birth exactly as they appear on your ID.
4. You'll receive your ten-character USI instantly — provide it when you enrol, or enter it into your Student Portal when prompted.

It's free, only takes a few minutes, and you only ever need one USI for life, across every training provider you study with. If you already have one, just provide it — if you've forgotten it, you can look it up at usi.gov.au.

Make sure your details match: the name and date of birth on your USI must exactly match your CBD College student record — use your formal passport/ID name both when creating your USI and when enrolling. A mismatch is the most common reason a certificate is delayed, and also the most common reason the Student Portal won't accept a USI you enter — see below.

How do I log into the Student Portal?

Whether it's your first time logging in or you've forgotten your password, click "Forgotten your password or haven't logged in before?" on the Student Portal sign-in screen. You'll receive an email from no-reply@elearner.net.au with a "Reset Your Password" link — this link expires after 24 hours, so use it promptly (if it expires, just repeat the process to generate a new one). Once you've reset your password and logged in, complete your student portal details, including country of birth, address, and your USI.

Portal password requirements: your password must be 15 characters long, and must include an upper-case letter, a lower-case letter, a number, and a special character (only ! @ # $ % ^ & * are accepted) — for example, Australia2025!!.

How do I access my online learning?

All online learning is accessed through the Student Portal — you'll receive a link to the Portal in your confirmation email as soon as you enrol. Log in and open the "My Courses" section, where any online modules that apply to your course will be listed. If you haven't logged in before or need a password reset, see "How do I log into the Student Portal?" above.

Not every course has an online component. Pre-course online learning currently applies to:

• First Aid, CPR and Childcare First Aid — complete your online module before your class.
• Barista — 5-hour nationally recognised course — a short pre-course module (around 1–2 hours). The 3-hour class has no pre-course work.
• TAE40122 — two modules before Day 1: an "Introduction to TAE40122" module and a CPR online learning module.

Other courses — including White Card, RSA & RCG and the other one-day licensing courses — have no mandatory (assessable) online pre-work; everything required is covered in class.

Why won't the Student Portal accept my USI?

Almost always because the name on your CBD College enrolment doesn't exactly match the name you used to create your USI — even a small difference (a missing middle name, a nickname instead of your legal name) will cause a mismatch. If you're stuck, go to usi.gov.au, create or look up your USI there, then return to the Student Portal and enter it. Your USI will be 10 letters and numbers (for example, T4DB8BMJ5K).

Need help directly from the USI agency? For USI-specific help (not a CBD College line — this is the official national USI helpdesk), call 1300 857 536 within Australia, or +61 2 6218 0994 from outside Australia.

What will I receive once I complete my course?

• Coffee (5-hr ABS / Barista Basics) and First Aid students: a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment, issued once you're deemed competent.
• RSA: a Liquor & Gaming NSW interim RSA Certificate, a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment, and a wallet-size RSA Competency Card (mailed to you by Liquor & Gaming NSW).
• RCG: a Liquor & Gaming NSW interim RCG Certificate, a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment, and a wallet-size RCG Competency Card (mailed by Liquor & Gaming NSW).
• White Card: a SafeWork NSW interim Certificate, a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment, and a wallet-size Competency Card (mailed by SafeWork NSW).
• All other courses (including TAE and WHS qualifications): a nationally recognised Certificate and Academic Transcript issued by CBD College Pty Ltd, once your assessments are submitted and you're deemed competent.

When will I receive my certificate?

This varies by course length:

• TAE40122, Cert IV WHS and Diploma WHS: available in your Student Portal within 2 business days of your course completion email (TAE) or of being marked competent (Cert IV WHS / Diploma WHS).
• Short courses (White Card, Barista, RSA & RCG, RCG, ARCG, Licensee Training, Advanced Licensee Training, Bar Basics, and other short courses): available within 24 hours.

Is my certificate/qualification nationally recognised?

Yes. CBD College is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 91399), and nationally recognised courses result in a Statement of Attainment or qualification that is recognised right across Australia.

I've lost my certificate — how do I get a copy?

How you get a copy depends on when you completed your course:

• Completed after 22 April 2018: your certificate is available to download any time from the Student Portal — log in with the details you used to enrol.
• Completed before 23 April 2018: these records are held in our archives. Submit a request with your full name (and any previous name used at the time), the course and approximate date, and the centre/city where you trained. Allow up to 5 business days for retrieval, and a $75 retrieval fee applies.

If you're not sure when you trained, try the Student Portal first. Call 1300 616 218 or email info@cbdcollege.edu.au if you need help.

What if I need my certificate reissued after a legal name change?

If your legal name has changed since your certificate was issued (for example, after marriage), a reissue follows the same process and fee as a lost or missing certificate above — a $75 retrieval fee applies, with the same request details (full name, previous name, course, approximate date and training location). Call 1300 616 218 or email info@cbdcollege.edu.au to get started.