NICA was established in 1995 by Swinburne University of Technology after a study revealed there was enough demand for a national body.

[1] The first course, a Diploma of Circus Arts, began in 1999 with eight participants from an unrenovated warehouse at Docklands.

[5][6][7] NICA is the only government-accredited tertiary educational institution that provides professional training in contemporary circus arts in Australia.

[9] The institute's core training offering is a three-year Bachelor of Circus Arts.

[10] In 2010, it offered a Certificate III in Circus Arts for students combining their circus training with their final two years of secondary school, with academic provider VCA Secondary School.