EQUALS International

What EQUALS International does

EQUALS International (Aust) Pty Ltd is a privately held vocational and higher education provider headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia, founded in 1991/1992 and operating with approximately 66 employees. The institution delivers TEQSA-accredited higher education (Bachelor of Human Services, Master of Social Work) and RTO-certified vocational training across health, nursing, community services, early childhood education, integrative health, leadership, and select trades and IT disciplines. Its core curriculum centers on the Diploma of Nursing (~400 hours of work integrated learning) and the Bachelor of Human Services (~528 hours of professional practice), with pathways to AHPRA registration and Community Work Australia recognition. Distribution is direct-to-student via the website, complemented by a global network of international education and migration agents, VET in Schools delivery across South Australia, and a Student/Peer Referral Program. The institution operates the EQOnline learning management system as its primary educational technology platform.

EQUALS generates revenue through four principal streams: full-fee international student tuition (e.g., Diploma of Nursing at approximately $39,050 total, Bachelor of Human Services at approximately $84,178), government-subsidised domestic training provided through the Government of South Australia, FEE-HELP and VET student loans for eligible domestic enrolments, and fee-for-service short courses and microcredentials including Mental Health First Aid, First Aid, and White Card. Reported student outcomes include a 90%+ graduate employment rate, 89.9% positive overall experience, and 95%+ positive ratings across skills development, teaching, and facilities. The company also offers scholarships covering up to 100% of tuition for eligible students, including a partnership with Ukrainian Global University providing scholarships to displaced Ukrainian students, and collaborates with JFA Purple Orange (Road to Employment) and Women's and Children's Health Network (It's WorkAble!) on inclusion-focused programs for neurodiverse students and people with disability seeking aged care employment. The institution is led by a joint Corporate and Academic Governing Board, with Vahid Chitleborough serving as Chief Governance & Strategy Officer.

Name

EQUALS International

Legal name

EQUALS International (Aust) Pty Ltd

Website

https://equals.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

EQUALS International is a privately held Adelaide-based vocational and higher education provider delivering TEQSA-accredited and RTO-certified programs in nursing, health, community services, early childhood education, and integrative health to domestic and international students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational and Higher Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Inclusive Education (Disability, Gender Equity, Marginalized Learners) (BPADAKAI)

Keywords

• Vocational education training
• Higher education programs
• Nursing education courses
• Community services training
• Healthcare vocational training

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees - International Students: Full-fee international student tuition for vocational and higher education courses including nursing, health, community services, and human services programs.
2. Government Subsidised Training: Fee-free and low-cost education through subsidies provided by the Government of South Australia for eligible domestic students.
3. FEE-HELP Student Loans: Government student loan program enabling eligible domestic students to defer tuition payments for higher education courses.
4. Short Courses and Microcredentials: Fee-for-service short courses and microcredentials including first aid, mental health first aid, and workplace safety training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EQUALS International is a private vocational and higher education provider based in Adelaide, South Australia, delivering nationally and TEQSA-accredited courses across nursing, health, community services, early childhood education, Ayurveda, trades, and leadership. It offers diplomas, certificates, bachelor and master degrees alongside short courses and microcredentials, with mandatory work-integrated learning placements, clinical simulation facilities, and an online learning platform (EQOnline).

Product overview

EQUALS International is an educational institution offering a portfolio of vocational and higher education programs across health, community services, trades, and business disciplines. The offering consists of higher education degrees (Bachelor of Human Services, Master of Social Work), vocational diplomas and certificates across nursing, health, community services, early childhood education, Ayurveda, trades, and IT, plus short courses and microcredentials. The institution operates the EQOnline learning management system and Student Portal as its primary educational technology platforms. Financial assistance includes FEE-HELP and VET Student Loans, along with scholarship programs. Programs are delivered through on-campus, blended, and flexible learning modes with industry-experienced educators and work-integrated learning placements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Social Work (Qualifying)

Quantifiable outcome

• 90+% graduate employment rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Women's and Children's Health Network (WCHN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2024Collaborative partner in the 'It's WorkAble!' program - an initiative empowering neurodiverse students with practical skills and experience in healthcare. Students from Certificate III in Health Services Assistance completed four-week work integrated learning placements.
• Wise EmploymentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2024Collaborative partner in the 'It's WorkAble!' program - an initiative empowering neurodiverse students with practical skills and experience in healthcare. Wise Employment provides expertise in disability employment services.
• Ukrainian Global UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2023EQUALS International is the first higher education provider in Australia to partner with Ukrainian Global University. The partnership provides scholarships to eligible displaced Ukrainian students interested in studying health, nursing, and/or human service disciplines. Ukrainian Global University has 71+ institutions around the world and 1000+ opportunities for displaced Ukrainians.
• JFA Purple Orange (Julia Farr Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2022EQUALS collaborates with Purple Orange, a disability research and advocacy organisation, on the 'Road to Employment' project - a three-year initiative funded by the Department of Social Services. The project develops a model traineeship program for people with disability, particularly intellectual disability, seeking employment in the aged care sector across South Australia.
• St Anna's Residential Aged Care HomesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2022Aged care employer partner in the Purple Orange Road to Employment project, committed to implementing the traineeship model for people with disability in aged care.
• ECHsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2022Aged care employer partner in the Purple Orange Road to Employment project, committed to implementing the traineeship model for people with disability in aged care.
• EldercaresupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2022Aged care employer partner in the Purple Orange Road to Employment project, committed to implementing the traineeship model for people with disability in aged care.
• Kalyra CommunitiessupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2022Aged care employer partner in the Purple Orange Road to Employment project, committed to implementing the traineeship model for people with disability in aged care.
• Amber Aged CaresupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2022Aged care employer partner in the Purple Orange Road to Employment project, committed to implementing the traineeship model for people with disability in aged care.
• Ayurveda VillagesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2022Sister organisation of EQUALS International offering Ayurvedic treatments and wellness services. EQUALS educators provide Ayurveda courses while Ayurveda Village provides clinical placement and treatment experiences. Located at phone 8110 4300.
• MedShop AustraliasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with MedShop Australia for the 'Pathways to Nursing Excellence' blog post, providing nursing salary information and career guidance content for prospective students.
• Allianz Care AustraliasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with Allianz Care Australia for content about Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) benefits and the Sonder safety app for international students navigating life in Australia.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Kaplan Australia: Larger private higher education provider operating multiple campuses across Australia. Comparable in offering health, nursing, and pathway programs to international students, but with greater scale, brand recognition, and university partnerships.
• Australian Catholic University: National private university with significant nursing, allied health, and community services programs. Comparable in program mix and values-based positioning, but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple campuses.
• Navitas: Major international education pathway provider with university partnerships across Australia. Comparable in recruiting international students into health and professional programs, but operates at significantly larger scale with global footprint.
• Torrens University Australia: Private Australian university with strong health, nursing, and education portfolios. Comparable in offering CRICOS-registered programs with health/community services focus, but with broader degree offerings and multiple campuses.

Direct peers

• TAFE SA: South Australian government-owned vocational education provider headquartered in Adelaide. Direct competitor offering subsidised nursing, health, community services, and trades training to domestic students across the same geographic market as EQUALS.
• Study Group: Global international education pathway provider with Australian operations. Comparable in recruiting international students into health and professional programs, with similar reliance on agent networks and CRICOS-registered pathway programs.
• Think Education: Australian private vocational and higher education provider with health, community services, and nursing programs. Comparable in size, private structure, and course mix targeting both domestic and international students.
• Box Hill Institute: Victorian TAFE with similar health, nursing, and community services portfolio. Comparable in offering vocational qualifications with work integrated learning and international student intake via CRICOS registration.
• Holmesglen Institute: Victorian TAFE offering health, nursing, community services, and trades programs. Comparable in vocational/higher education mix and international student recruitment, though operating from a different state with larger scale.
• Ikon Institute of Australia: Australian private higher education and vocational provider offering health, counselling, and community services programs. Comparable in size, private structure, and mission-driven positioning targeting domestic and international students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/equals-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EQUALS International