If you are a footballer who is keen to train in a high-performance environment at the Carlton Football Club, apply for the Football Development Program for 2022!

1. Apply for the Football Development Program here. Include a short personal statement that includes a brief football overview addressing who you play for, what position you play, your strengths and weaknesses, awards won, representative teams and your motivations for applying to the program and football aspirations.
2. Apply for either academic diploma via VTAC or direct through La Trobe University following the instructions here.
3. Interviews will be held following the submission of your application.

Proposed Football Development and Class Schedule

Click here to download a sample timetable for a student enrolled in the Football Development Program. Timetables will vary depending on choice of academic study but can be expected to be reasonably similar to the example provided.

The Football Development Program will run from February – November in 2022 and will follow this structure:

• February: Screening and Orientation
• March – June: In season training
• August: Intermittent sessions and progress follow-up
• October – November: Preparation for pre-season training

The Carlton College of Sport Football Development program is designed to develop all areas of participants games but will include specific focus on target areas of the individual. To that end, Carlton College of Sport coaching and strength and conditioning staff will be in consistent contact with key personnel (coaches and fitness coaches) at players’ home clubs, to ensure the development program undertaken at Carlton is in-line with the feedback and focus areas being identified by an individual’s coach. Equally, physical training and match load and will be monitored by Carlton College of Sport high performance staff (through GPS and player feedback) to ensure that additional development activities are complementary to normal training and periodised accordingly.

Academically, participants will leave with a Higher Education Diploma from La Trobe University – a tertiary qualification that will allow immediate employment opportunities or direct entry into the second year of bachelor programs at La Trobe. Additional qualifications such as certificate 3 and 4 in fitness (personal training) are also included in the program, depending on course selection.

Diploma of Elite Sport Business – comprising 8 first year Bachelor of Business units, students have the ability upon graduation to move directly into a range of broad business and sport business areas of study. Coursework is designed to produce the next generation of off-field sports leaders ready to tackle the challenges facing the team that supports the team. Students will learn the fundamentals of the business of sport, including management, marketing and media all within a high-performance environment, allowing real understanding of the resources and systems required to support professional sporting organisations. The program is ideal for an aspiring footballer who is interested in the operations of sport beyond the boundary.

Applicants will also be required to undertake an interview with Carlton FC staff to determine their suitability for the program. Applicants who do not qualify academically can explore alternative pathways into the program through discussion with CCoS staff. Places are limited to ensure high quality development outcomes for participants.

Course Fees
Carlton College of Sport Diploma coursework is charged at $21,000* for a full years study & extracurricular activity (Football Development Program) – a cost which is fully deferrable under the Australian Governments FEE-HELP program.

Carlton College of Sport courses are categorised as Employer Reserved Place’s at La Trobe University and therefore are eligible for the Australian Governments FEE-HELP program. In essence, a 1-year diploma at the Carlton College of Sport will accrue a study debt of $20,000*, payable progressively as part of taxable income once a student has gainful employment earning in excess of $51,956^ annually. Students are not required to pay any amount upfront unless they choose not to defer their program fees.

For more information, please see Paragraph 36-15 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

* 2020 course fee cost. ^2018/19 threshold.

Other Inclusions

• Uniform and training attire
• Program equipment
• Individual GPS Unit
• Strength and Conditioning Program Software
• Physiotherapy assessment & Massage
• Partner discounts i.e. PUMA boots