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  • Study Digital and Interactive Games

Study Digital and Interactive Games

Potential Career Outcomes

Course overview

Gaining a qualification in digital and interactive games will equip you with an in-depth knowledge of all aspect of designing and developing digital games such as creating animation and game users’ interfaces. You will gain knowledge in using industry standard software such as 3d Coat , Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Photoshop and Unity. With these qualifications, you will acquire skills to work in a diverse range of game designing roles.

Interested in game designing? In Australia, there are many courses you can take to start your career in this field. Australia offers courses both at the vocational training level across to higher education. In these courses you will be exposed to topics such as:

  • Build a database to support a computer game
  • Prepare games for different platforms and delivery modes
  • Apply advanced programming skills in another language
  • Create and implement designs for a 3-D games environment
  • Create a complex 3-D interactive computer game
  • Design digital applications

Graduate Outcomes

  • Individuals in this field can earn on average $1,596 per week.
  • The number of people working in this field is expected to grow strongly over the next 5 years.
  • It is projected that over the next 5 years there will be around 10,000 job openings.
  • Most people in the field work in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; Information Media and Telecommunications; and Education and Training industry.

Common Course Requirements

  • Completion of secondary education
  • Meet English proficiency (Usually at least IELTS 5.5 overall).

Related Courses

  • Certificate IV in Digital and Interactive Games  

Duration:  18 to 52 weeks
Intake: 4 Terms
Cost: $8,430 to $29,170

Locations:  most cities, including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide

  • Diploma of Digital and Interactive Games

Duration: 39 to 104 weeks

Intake: 4 Terms

Cost: $9,750 to $36,070

Locations: most cities, including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide

Studying Digital and Interactive Games in Australia: What the Course Covers

Game development courses cover both the creative and the technical sides of making video games. You learn game design principles and level design, 2D and 3D art, character modelling, texturing and animation, game engines such as Unity and Unreal, programming for games (commonly C# or C++), user interface design, sound, testing and publishing for PC, console and mobile platforms. Most courses are project based and you work in teams to produce playable games for your portfolio.

Qualifications and AQF Levels

Qualification AQF level What it prepares you for
Certificate IV in Information Technology (Game Art and Design) AQF 4 Junior game artist and game testing roles
Diploma of Information Technology (Game Art and Design or Game Programming) AQF 5 Junior game developer, 3D artist and animator roles
Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media (Animation, Gaming and Visual Effects) AQF 6 Animation, game art and visual effects roles
Bachelor of Games Design or Game Development AQF 7 Game designer, game programmer and technical artist careers

Study Pathways

Many students start with a Certificate IV or Diploma with a game specialisation and move into a bachelor of games design or development, often with credit. If you want to focus on programming, a bachelor of computer science or software engineering with game electives gives broader career options. If you prefer art and animation, screen and media or animation courses are worth considering.

Related Occupations and Visa Pathways (as at October 2026)

Occupation ANZSCO CSOL (482 and 186) Skilled lists (189, 190, 491, 485)
Multimedia Designer 232413 Yes ROL
Developer Programmer 261312 Yes MLTSSL
Web Developer 261212 Yes STSOL
Web Administrator 313113 Yes STSOL

Our Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) guide explains which visas use each list and what that means for game developers and multimedia designers.

Career Outlook

Australia has an active independent games sector, plus work in larger studios, mobile games, serious games for education and training, and simulation for defence, health and mining. The industry is competitive and project based, so a strong portfolio of finished games matters. Game programming skills also transfer well to software development, and game art skills transfer to animation, visual effects and multimedia design.

Applying for a Student Visa to Study Game Development

A games course can look like a hobby choice to a case officer, so your Genuine Student statement should set out a professional plan, such as game programming, 3D art or serious games for training, and how it fits your past study. See our Student visa (subclass 500) page for the current rules.

Digital and Interactive Games Study FAQs

There is no separate game developer occupation. Game programmers are usually assessed as Developer Programmer (261312), which is on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) and the MLTSSL as at October 2026. Game artists and designers often fit Multimedia Designer (232413), which is on the CSOL and the ROL.

The 485 Post-Vocational Education Work stream needs an MLTSSL occupation closely related to your qualification and a positive skills assessment. This may be possible for programming focused qualifications but is unlikely for art focused ones. Bachelor and higher graduates may qualify for the Post-Higher Education Work stream.

Basic algebra and some geometry help, especially for 3D and physics programming, and courses teach what you need. Game art and design pathways require less maths.

Yes, in practice. Studios and publishers usually look at playable games, game jam entries, small titles you have released online, and art or code samples before they look at your qualification. Team projects in your course are a good start, and showing that you can finish a game matters more than one impressive feature.

Related guides

Am I eligible for a Student visa? Student Visa Funds Calculator Study a Trade Course Assessment Study a Uni Course Assessment

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