A2. Applying for initial accreditation

Section A2 details the process of applying for teacher accreditation for the first time.

It explains:

• Conditional accreditation – see A2.1
• Provisional accreditation – see A2.2
• mutual recognition for teachers with interstate or overseas qualifications – see A2.3
• how NESA makes accreditation decisions – see A2.4. 

A2.1 Conditional accreditation

A2.1.1 Teacher education students can apply for Conditional accreditation

Applicants who have not completed a teaching qualification and are not eligible for Provisional accreditation (see A2.2) are eligible for Conditional accreditation if they meet the criteria listed below.

To achieve Conditional accreditation, applicants must:

• meet the requirements set out in the professional teaching standards
• meet the accreditation conditions in A1.2.1
• meet the English Language Proficiency requirements if any of their qualifications are not from one of the approved countries in A2.3.3
• not provide any information or material in their application that is false or misleading
• submit their Conditional accreditation application in eTAMS.

Applicants must have either:

• been awarded a 3-year bachelor degree covering discipline knowledge in the area they will be teaching and provide evidence of an offer of employment as a teacher; or
• completed at least 75% of an accredited undergraduate teaching degree; ² or
• been awarded a 3-year bachelor degree and completed at least 50% of an accredited graduate-entry teaching degree; ³ or
• completed at least 75% of an undergraduate early childhood qualification approved by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)). ^{4   5}
• been awarded a 3-year bachelor degree and completed at least 50% of a graduate-entry early childhood qualification approved by ACECQA. ⁶

Teachers with Conditional accreditation must complete (and have been awarded) their qualification and achieve Proficient Teacher accreditation within the maximum timeframe (see A3.1.2) to remain accredited and eligible for employment as a teacher.

A2.2 Provisional accreditation

A2.2.1 Graduates from teacher education programs can apply for Provisional accreditation

Teachers who have completed their teaching qualification are eligible for Provisional accreditation if they meet the criteria listed below.

To achieve Provisional accreditation, applicants must:

• meet the requirements set out in the professional teaching standards
• meet the accreditation conditions in A1.2.1
• meet the English Language Proficiency requirements if any of their qualifications are not from one of the approved countries in A2.3.3
• not provide any information or material in their application that is false or misleading
• submit their Provisional accreditation application in eTAMS.

Applicants must also have completed an approved qualification or an initial teacher education program, equivalent to an accredited/approved 4-year teaching degree recognised by NESA, which meets at least one of the following criteria:

• approved by ACECQA ⁷ as published on the ACECQA website, excluding:
  • a Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate, that is an approved early childhood teaching qualification, unless it forms part of an equivalent four-year qualifications package
• accredited by NESA (as published on the NESA website)
• accredited by another Australian teacher regulatory authority (using the Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia; Standards and Procedures) as published on the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) website)
• a qualification from an overseas country confirmed by NESA as comparable to an Australian 4-year teaching degree or qualification package (see A2.3.2)
• an historical teaching qualification ⁸ assessed and confirmed by NESA as being comparable to a currently accredited/ACECQA approved Australian teaching degree or qualification package.

Applicants with a graduate-entry teaching qualification must submit evidence of completion and award of an undergraduate degree.

To remain accredited and eligible to teach in a NSW school or service, teachers with Provisional accreditation must achieve Proficient Teacher accreditation within the maximum timeframe set out in A3.1.2.

A2.2.2 Teachers can change from Conditional to Provisional accreditation

When a teacher with Conditional accreditation has been awarded an approved/accredited teaching degree, they can apply to change to Provisional accreditation if they wish.

They must provide NESA with:

• a complete academic transcript; and
• a copy of their graduation certificate or testamur.

To remain accredited and eligible to teach in a NSW school or service, teachers with Provisional accreditation must achieve Proficient Teacher accreditation within the maximum timeframe set out in A3.1.2.

When a teacher changes from Conditional to Provisional accreditation, the original maximum timeframe for achieving Proficient Teacher accreditation still applies.

A2.3 Mutual recognition

A2.3.1 NESA recognises interstate or New Zealand registration

Teachers with current registration in another Australian state or territory, or New Zealand can apply for accreditation at the comparable level in NSW.

To gain accreditation in NSW under mutual recognition arrangements, applicants must:

• provide evidence of their current registration with a teacher registration authority in Australia or New Zealand
• not provide any information or material in their application that is false or misleading
• submit their accreditation application in eTAMS.

Teachers who previously held accreditation in NSW need to complete a re-accreditation form and indicate they are seeking mutual recognition.

On the date NESA processes the application, the teacher is deemed to hold accreditation in NSW with the condition that, within one month, NESA will decide to either:

• grant accreditation (with or without conditions); or
• postpone accreditation for up to 6 months; or
• refuse accreditation.

NESA will inform the teacher of its decision in writing.

If the teacher has conditions attached to their registration in another state or territory, NESA may apply the same conditions to their NSW accreditation.

If the teacher holds certification as a Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher in another state or territory, they are eligible to be accredited at the same level in NSW.

A2.3.2 NESA may recognise overseas teaching qualifications

Teachers with overseas qualifications can apply for Provisional accreditation if they hold a 4-year teaching degree or qualification package that NESA deems comparable to an Australian teaching qualification. ⁹

Teachers who hold a workplace-based licence or teacher certification or a non-approved qualification are not eligible to apply for Provisional accreditation. However, they may be eligible for Conditional accreditation. See A2.1.

To be eligible to work as a teacher in a service, overseas-qualified teachers must hold a qualification approved by ACECQA and meet the requirements in A2.2.

A2.3.3 Teachers must be proficient in English

Applicants with overseas qualifications must demonstrate English language proficiency under one of the 3 categories listed below.

Teachers with English-language qualifications from an approved country

Teachers are considered proficient if they undertook all the qualifications listed in their accreditation application in the English language, in either:

• New Zealand
• the United Kingdom
• the United States of America
• Canada
• the Republic of Ireland. ¹⁰

Teachers who meet the English language test requirements

Teachers must show that they have met the required standard of English in one of the tests approved by NESA as published on the NESA website if any of their qualifications are not from one of the above approved countries.

Teachers who have other English language experience

Teachers who do not meet either of the above 2 categories can submit an application for an exemption from completing an approved English Language Proficiency Test. The exemption criteria are published on the NESA website. 

A2.4 Accreditation decision

A2.4.1 NESA may grant Conditional or Provisional accreditation if requirements are met

If NESA decides the applicant meets the requirements for Conditional or Provisional accreditation, it will:

• issue a Statement of Accreditation to the teacher
• add the teacher’s name to the NSW Public Register of Teachers.

For teachers who have completed a NESA accredited Initial Teacher Education (ITE) qualification in NSW and are eligible for Provisional or Proficient accreditation, NESA will include advice about the subjects or stages they are recognised to teach on the Statement of Accreditation. This statement provides advice relating to qualifications but does not limit the subjects or stages or areas of study or learning the person can teach. This information is aligned to NESA’s Supplementary Documentation: Subject Content Knowledge Requirements (SCK).

For teachers who have completed part or all of their ITE qualification/qualifications package interstate or overseas, NESA will provide subject coding advice where possible if there is alignment with the NESA SCK requirements.

A2.4.2 NESA may refuse to grant Conditional or Provisional accreditation

NESA may refuse to accredit a teacher who does not meet the requirements for Conditional or Provisional accreditation.

NESA will issue a notice that specifies which requirements or conditions the teacher does not meet.

Applicants whose accreditation is refused may apply to NESA for an internal review within 28 days of being notified.

Full details of how to apply are on NESA’s website.

After the internal review is finalised, the teacher can apply to have the decision reviewed by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.