Course in High-Activity Waste Management (HLW)
Online course of 300 h in high-activity waste management (HLW). 6 modules with IAEA SSR-5 (final disposal of radioactive waste), IAEA SSG-14 (geological disposal facilities) and ORIGEN (SCALE). Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in High-Activity Waste Management (HLW) — studying from Australia
Australia does not operate nuclear power plants, but nuclear science and technology play important roles in research, medicine, mining and regulation. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation operates research reactors and produces radiopharmaceuticals, while uranium mining is conducted in South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. Nuclear engineering skills support regulatory oversight, radiation safety and decommissioning activities. Employers include ANSTO, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, mining companies and specialist consultancies.
Fees for Australia: A$1,270 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
Does this programme meet Australian nuclear licensing or regulatory requirements?
No. SEIUM qualifications are private and are not accredited by any national body. Nuclear activities in Australia are regulated by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency and related authorities, which set their own competency requirements. Check directly with the regulator and your employer about any qualifications needed for a specific role.
Which Australian organisations might consider this training for nuclear-related roles?
Australian employers in this area include research organisations, radiation protection services, mining and resources companies, and consultancies working on nuclear-related projects. Hiring depends on each organisation's requirements and on security and licensing needs. A private qualification is unlikely to be sufficient alone, so combine it with relevant experience.
Is the programme workable alongside a job, and how is it funded?
The programmes are delivered entirely online in English with an assigned technical tutor, allowing study from Australia around work commitments. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Review the programme length, from 300 to 1,900 hours, and plan carefully.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Define high-activity waste and its characteristics.
Compare pool and dry storage.
Characterise the long-term behaviour of spent fuel.
Analyse final management options, including geological storage.
Evaluate safety, safeguards and social acceptance aspects.
Apply inventory calculation and safety assessment tools.
Develop an integrative project on high-activity waste management.
Who it's for
- Spent fuel management engineer who wants to specialise in High-Activity Waste Management (HLW).
- Deep geological storage specialist who wants to specialise in High-Activity Waste Management (HLW).
- Long-term safety analyst who wants to specialise in High-Activity Waste Management (HLW).
- Site geologist who wants to specialise in High-Activity Waste Management (HLW).
- Container engineer who wants to specialise in High-Activity Waste Management (HLW).
- Safeguards technician who wants to specialise in High-Activity Waste Management (HLW).
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter radioactive waste management.
What you'll work with
- IAEA SSR-5 (final disposal of radioactive waste)
- IAEA SSG-14 (geological disposal facilities)
- IAEA SSG-15 (Rev. 1) (storage of spent fuel)
- IAEA GSR Part 5 (management prior to final disposal of waste)
- Directive 2011/70/Euratom (management of spent fuel and radioactive waste)
- ICRP 122 (radiological protection in geological disposal)
- 10 CFR 72 (independent storage of spent fuel)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Spent fuel and vitrified waste1.2Classification criteria and thresholds1.3Spent fuel composition after discharge1.4Fission products and actinides1.5Residual thermal power and its evolution1.6Radiotoxicity over time1.7Global and national inventory1.8Open cycle versus closed cycle1.9Regulatory and international framework1.10Exercise: interpreting the residual heat curve
2.1Function of the spent fuel pool2.2Cooling, purification and chemical control2.3Subcriticality control in the pool2.4Pool capacity and rack reorganisation2.5Transition to dry storage2.6Metal containers and vaults2.7Cladding temperature criteria2.8Monitoring and ageing management2.9Centralised interim storage2.10Practice: comparing two storage solutions
3.1Isotopic inventory calculation by burn-up3.2Calculation codes and their validation3.3Non-destructive measurement of spent fuel3.4Cladding integrity and defects3.5Degradation by hydriding and corrosion3.6Long-term behaviour of fuel in water3.7Matrix dissolution and instant release3.8Vitrified waste and its durability3.9Experimental data and reference laboratories3.10Practice: estimating the inventory of an element
4.1Deep geological storage4.2Engineered barrier systems4.3Reversibility and retrievability4.4Partitioning and transmutation: status and limits4.5Deep boreholes as an alternative4.6Shared solutions between countries4.7Criteria for comparing options4.8Technological maturity of each route4.9Relative costs and timescales4.10Practice: multi-criteria analysis of options
5.1Very long-term safety assessment5.2Scenarios and human intrusion5.3Physical protection of material5.4Inventory control and international safeguards5.5Associated transport and its regulation5.6Management funding and funds5.7Social acceptance and decision-making processes5.8Intergenerational equity5.9Transmitting information to the future5.10Practice: opinion on a national strategy
6.1Selection of the national reference inventory6.2Inventory characterisation and its thermal evolution6.3Interim storage strategy6.4Selection of the final management route6.5Technical and safety requirements6.6Outline of the safety case6.7Logistics, transport and timescales6.8Costs and funding6.9Strategy report6.10Project defence
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ORIGEN (SCALE), COMSOL Multiphysics, GoldSim, PFLOTRAN, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for calculating inventory and residual heat, long-term safety assessment of geological storage, and analysis of dry storage containers. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Define high-activity waste and its characteristics.
Compare pool and dry storage.
Characterise the long-term behaviour of spent fuel.
Analyse final management options, including geological storage.
Evaluate safety, safeguards and social acceptance aspects.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical standards reading.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with full-time work.
You work with ORIGEN (SCALE), COMSOL Multiphysics, GoldSim, PFLOTRAN. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM Institute diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised towards the higher-level programme. Check the recognition policy when enrolling.
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