Au Pair Qualifications: Your Path to Becoming a Top Candidate
The right au pair qualifications help you stand out, earn more, and feel ready for any job.
This guide covers what families look for, the six courses that count most, what they pay off in real money, and how to pick the right one for your goal.
Being an au pair is a big job. You care for children, and you help a family every day.
It is also a chance to grow. Many au pairs learn new skills, meet new families, and even explore new places while they work.
To do this job well, you need the right training. Good au pair qualifications show a family you are ready and skilled.
This guide will help you find the right au pair qualifications for your goals, and show you the fastest way to get them all.
Basic Requirements to Become an Au Pair
Before you think about au pair qualifications, it helps to know what most families look for first.
- Age: usually between 18 and 50 years old
- Language: good spoken and written English
- CV: a clear, well-prepared CV that shows your experience and training
- Matric: many families prefer it, especially for international placements, though it is not always required
- Driver’s licence: often asked for, especially by families who need school runs, though not every family requires one
Do not have a licence or Matric? You can still start. Training and the Job Portal are open to you either way, and many local families do not require either.
Want to build a stronger CV? Get your editable childcare CV and add your certificates as you earn them.
What Does an Au Pair Do?
An au pair looks after children in a family’s home.
Most days include helping with homework, school projects, and getting ready for tests. You might also fetch children from school, help with daily routines, or do light grocery shopping.
You live with the family, so your role goes beyond childcare. You help create a safe, happy home for the children.
Want to know more? Read our full guide on Au Pair Duties.
Skills That Matter as Much as Certificates
Au pair qualifications prove your training. These skills prove your character, and families notice both.
- Love for children: real care for kids is something families can always tell
- Responsibility: families trust you with their children, so being dependable matters
- Flexibility: routines change, and you need to change with them
- Emotional intelligence: knowing how to support a child, and read a family’s needs
- Emergency knowledge: staying calm and ready if something goes wrong
Want the full list? Read our guide on the Top 10 Skills Every Au Pair Should Master. For the emergency side specifically, our Emergency Response Course covers exactly what to do when it counts.
Do Au Pair Qualifications Really Pay More?
Yes. Trained au pairs earn far more than caregivers with no training.
Untrained care work often pays R15 to R20 an hour.
Trained au pairs often earn R80 to R150 an hour. The right certificate can change your pay.
Families are not paying for a job title. They are paying for proof you can handle real situations, like a sick child, a fussy eater, or a homework deadline.
Each course you finish adds another reason for a family to pay you more. Curious what real roles pay? Check our Au Pair Salary Guide.
Why Au Pair Qualifications Matter
Even with experience, training makes you a stronger candidate.
Good au pair qualifications show a family you take the job seriously. They prove you can handle real situations, not just guess your way through them.
Let us look at the qualifications that matter most.
The Six Qualifications Worth Having
1. First Aid and Emergency Response
Many families ask for this before anything else.
First aid training means you know what to do if something goes wrong. You stay calm, and you act fast.
Learn this in our Emergency Response Course.
2. Au Pair Training
This course covers the basics every au pair needs.
You will learn about child development, daily routines, and how to communicate well with a family.
Start with our Au Pair Training Course.
3. Baby and Toddler Care
Working with babies and toddlers needs its own set of skills.
This course covers sleep routines, feeding, and how young children grow and develop.
Learn this in our Baby & Toddler Course.
4. Kitchen Safety
Many au pairs help with meals. This course teaches you how to do it safely.
You will learn safe food handling, kitchen hygiene, and how to avoid accidents.
Learn this in our Cooking & Kitchen Safety Course.
5. Tutoring
Many families need help with homework and school projects.
This course teaches you how to support a child’s learning in any subject.
Learn this in our Tutor Course.
6. Homeschooling
More families are homeschooling their children.
This course teaches you how to plan lessons and support learning at home.
Learn this in our Homeschooling Course.
Bonus tip: language skills. If you plan to work abroad, improving a second language can make a real difference with families and children. It is not one of our six courses, but it is worth adding to your CV.
Match Your Goal to a Course
Not sure where to start? Find your goal below.
| Your Goal | Best Course to Start With |
|---|---|
| I want my very first au pair job | Au Pair Training Course |
| I care mostly for babies or toddlers | Baby & Toddler Course |
| I want to feel ready for any emergency | Emergency Response Course |
| I cook or prepare meals often | Cooking & Kitchen Safety Course |
| I help with homework or school work | Tutor Course |
| A family wants me to homeschool their child | Homeschooling Course |
| I want to be qualified in everything | The Course Special (all six courses) |
Still unsure? Start with the Au Pair Training Course. It is the most requested qualification, and it prepares you for every other course on this list.
Save on Your Au Pair Qualifications
The fastest way to build every qualification is our Course Special.
Six courses cost R3,600 if you buy them one by one.
The Course Special gives you all six for R1,250, a saving of R2,350.
That is every qualification on this page: first aid, au pair training, baby and toddler care, cooking, tutoring, and homeschooling, all in one bundle.
This price will not stay open forever. If saving money matters to you, enrol in the Course Special while it is live.
You can also grab our free Au Pair Handbook for extra tips and guidance, at no cost at all.
The Benefits of Holding Au Pair Qualifications
A certificate does more than sit on your CV. It changes how families see you.
- Enhanced employability: certified au pairs show families they are serious about the job
- Higher pay potential: qualified au pairs are in a stronger position to ask for better rates, as shown in our Au Pair Salary Guide
- Personal growth: training in areas like emergency care or child development builds confidence beyond the job itself
- A competitive edge: in a crowded job market, extra training is what makes one candidate stand out from another
Why Choose Online Au Pair Courses?
Online training fits around your life instead of asking you to fit around it, which makes building your au pair qualifications far easier.
Every course at The Au Pair Club works on your own schedule, wherever you are. You do not need to travel, and you do not need to wait for a class to start.
You also keep lifetime access to your course material, so you can revisit it whenever you need a refresher, even after you are already working.
Why Training Is Worth It
The right au pair qualifications build your confidence and your career.
Training can lead to:
- Better job offers
- Higher pay
- A more rewarding experience with children and families
Training also builds skills that help you in daily life, not just childcare:
- Clear communication
- Quick problem solving
- Patience and emotional strength
These skills help you handle anything, from a toddler’s tantrum to a real emergency.
How to Start Your Journey
- Choose a course. Pick a course based on your goals, or start with the Au Pair Training Course if you are unsure.
- Complete your training. Study at your own pace, on your phone, in around 4 to 5 hours.
- Receive your certificate. It is ready the moment you finish, at no extra cost.
- Join the Job Portal. Add your au pair profile and let families and agencies find you.
Four simple steps stand between you and a stronger set of au pair qualifications. Most learners finish their first course the same week they start.
Start Building Your Au Pair Qualifications Today
Ready to stand out as an au pair? The Au Pair Club gives you everything you need to start.
- Browse our full course catalogue, covering childcare, education, and emergency skills
- Save R2,350 on all six courses with our Course Special
- Download our free Au Pair Handbook for extra guidance
- Set up your au pair profile so families can find you
Every course you finish adds to your au pair qualifications, and to the pay and job offers that come with them.
Common Questions About Au Pair Qualifications
What are the most important au pair qualifications?
First aid, au pair training, and baby or toddler care are the three most requested by families.
Do I need Matric or a driver’s licence to become an au pair?
Not always. Many families prefer them, especially for international placements, but plenty of local families do not require either. Training and the Job Portal are open to you regardless.
Do I need experience to start?
No. Every course welcomes beginners, with or without past childcare experience.
How long does each course take?
Around 4 to 5 hours. You can learn at your own pace, on your phone.
Can I get all six qualifications at once?
Yes. The Course Special bundles all six courses for R1,250, a saving of R2,350 compared to buying them separately.
Do qualifications really help me earn more?
Yes. Untrained care work often pays R15 to R20 an hour, while trained au pairs often earn R80 to R150 an hour.
Which course should I start with if I am not sure?
Start with the Au Pair Training Course. It covers the basics and prepares you for every other course.
Related Resources
Key Takeaways
- Families look for age, language, a strong CV, and often Matric or a driver’s licence, though local roles are more flexible.
- First aid, au pair training, and baby or toddler care are the qualifications families ask for most.
- Trained au pairs often earn R80 to R150 an hour, compared to R15 to R20 for untrained care work.
- The Course Special bundles all six courses for R1,250, saving R2,350 compared to buying them one by one.
- The right au pair qualifications lead to better pay, better jobs, and a career you can be proud of.
