FAQs

There is one fundamental difference between interior design and interior decoration. Interior design is the design of the actual space, i.e. including where the walls, windows and doors will go. Interior decorating is the embellishment, creating mood and style of the space with soft furnishings, curtains, carpet, tiles, furniture, colour and accessories.

The Diploma of Interior Design trains you to become an interior designer. Whereas the Certificate IV in Interior Decoration trains you to become an interior decorator. The Diploma of Interior Design skills you in programs such as Autocad and some of the Adobe suite. The Certificate IV in Interior Decoration skills you in SketchUp and apps. To find out the difference between interior design and interior decoration please read the above question.

Your educators are active professionals in the industry who are there to develop your job-ready skills. Our qualified trainers bring you a deep passion for design, a wealth of first-hand experience and the willingness to share and impart their knowledge. Your educator is passionate about providing you with a learning environment that is organised, collaborative and progressive. Click here to find out more about our expert educators.

We offer a materials kit at $300 with the essential materials you’ll need throughout the course. You can buy through us or you can buy your own set of supplies. The Adobe suite is $21.99 a month for the student licence. You will also need AutoCAD and SketchUp which are both free for the starter versions. If you would like the pro versions they are $70 a year.

Our courses are designed to build your creative confidence. Our learning platform is easy to use and gives you access to all the resources, video and educational support you need to complete your design assessments. We provide you with a study calendar to make keeping up with your deadlines and important dates easy. Our educators are online 5 days a week to support you through the course. You can always contact your educators via email, a phone call or an arranged Skype call (Monday – Friday 9-5 AEST). With active online discussion boards and great access to your trainer, studying online has never been more inclusive.

Our online courses are full of active discussion boards where we encourage you to chat and interact with other students on a daily basis. You will be supported and guided through the course by your educators who offer fortnightly webinars, phone calls when requested and they are also always online Monday to Friday!

Yes. What we require you to do is undertake our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and / or Credit Transfer process. This includes completing and submitting the relevant application form and supplying supporting documentation to indicate that you have already met the competencies through your previous studies and/or relevant work experience.

Credit Transfer is the awarding of competency to a student as a result of their having successfully completed that Unit of Competency (or its equivalent) either with iscd or another Registered Training Organisation within the previous 5 years. There is no cost associated with Credit Transfer.

The Recognition of Prior Learning process allows students to be assessed against Units of Competency forming part of iscd’s accredited vocational qualifications. This assessment is based on other education and learning (formal and informal) and work experience. Where competency is awarded for a full subject, students will be exempt from studying or undertaking assessments in that subject.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) acknowledges skills and knowledge obtained over the past 5 years through:
-Informal training, undertaken in industry
-Non-accredited formal training undertaken with educational providers either in Australia or overseas.
-Formal training undertaken with education institutions overseas
-Work experience
-Life experience

Students applying for RPL are required to gather evidence of competence against a module’s learning outcomes ideally presenting a portfolio of work. Evidence must show currency of skills and knowledge as well as relevance and equivalency.

Application forms for RPL / Credit Transfer are available from iscd and must be forwarded with certified copies of all supporting documentation (including current resume) at least two weeks prior to course commencement.

Course subjects are made up of clusters of interrelated Units of Competency. Successful RPL for any Unit of Competency will still require the completion of that subject. If an entire subject is successfully awarded RPL completion of the assessment for that subject will not be required. A non-refundable application fee applies to RPL. If awarded RPL for a Unit of Competency the tuition fee will be charged at 30% of the standard tuition fee.

It means that the accredited courses delivered by iscd have been endorsed by the Australian Industry Skills Committee. As a registered training organisation (RTO) iscd is approved to deliver these courses by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). What this means for you is you can be assured that by studying with iscd your accredited qualification meets current industry standards and prepares you for your future in the interior design industry.

Many of iscd‘s students study to enhance existing skill sets or start their own business. iscd is often privy to exclusive employment opportunities within the interior design industry before they are advertised online – this is an example of our strong industry contacts. These positions are displayed on our job board.

The courses delivered at iscd are respected and recognised within the interior design and decoration industry. iscd engages industry professionals as trainers supported by its many product partners who supply the latest product knowledge to ensure that the course content relates to current industry behaviour. The Design Institute of Australia (DIA) has recognised iscd as a quality provider.

Our online courses are designed to keep you on track and finish on time. iscd provides you with a study plan to help you achieve this. Our goal is for you to have a great online learning experience that is manageable and you can finish within the allocated period. To do this we break the course into manageable blocks allowing you to concentrate on completing subjects in an ordered sequence. There is flexibility to work more some weeks and less others so you can manage your studies around life’s demands, but we advise sticking to the study plan as much as possible.

Please review all iscd Terms and Conditions prior to enrolling. You can read our Terms and Conditions here.

It all started back in 1986 as ‘The School of Colour and Design’ (scd). Originally founded by Prudence Royle and Eva Fay, it was a small, part time business that functioned out of the Cammeray Community Centre in Green Park, Cammeray on Sydney’s North Shore.

In 1995 Prudence Royle became the sole owner and Founding Director of the School.

In 1996 a full time campus in Willoughby was established.

In 1997 a Rocks Campus was created in addition to the North Shore Campus. The school, now known as iscd (International School of Colour and Design) was developed into one of the largest design schools in Australia.

Throughout the decade over the Millennium change (1995 – 2005),  iscd became one of the most successful design schools in Australia, offering not only a full range of design courses, but an area for public exhibition, called The Spectrum Gallery.

In 2006, iscd consolidated all of its campuses in North Sydney. The online education function of the school developed and increased, offering the option for students all over the world to study iscd’s courses.

In 2010, iscd was purchased by RedHill Education, Australia’s fastest growing education company, who still owns it today along with other schools and colleges, including Academy of Information Technology (AIT), Coder Academy, Greenwich English College, Greenwich Management College and Go Study Australia.

iscd is recognised as a quality tertiary education provider by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).

In 2019, iscd became a fully online school. Offering two accredited courses, Diploma of Interior Design (MSF50218) and Certificate IV in Interior Decoration (MSF40118). The launch of iscd’s Essentials Short Courses in Styling, Surface Design and Colour brought practical, industry-relevant short courses to students. 

Now with over 5,000+ alumni, iscd is focused on creating an ever growing community of creatives all around the world.