• TEQSA registers Australian College of Theology as an Australian University

    The TEQSA Commission has confirmed the registration of the Australian College of Theology (ACT) in the Australian University category.

    The decision followed consultation with state and territory ministers responsible for higher education following a decision by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in October 2024.

    The Tribunal's decision noted that TEQSA needed to consult with the responsible state and territory ministers in accordance with Section 39 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act).

    In making its decision, TEQSA noted that the Tribunal had formed the view that ACT met the requirements for registration as an Australian University, and State and Territory Ministers did not oppose the change in provider status.

    The Australian College of Theology was founded in 1891 and was granted self-accrediting authority in 2010 and gained University College status in 2022. It has approximately 3,000 students enrolled in courses in Theology, Ministry and Christian Studies.

    Comments attributable to TEQSA Acting Chief Commissioner, Ms Adrienne Nieuwenhuis

    "Following the Tribunal's ruling and in accordance with the TEQSA Act, TEQSA consulted with all state and territory ministers with responsibilities for higher education.

    "Having given consideration to feedback from the relevant Ministers, the TEQSA Commission confirmed the decision to register the Australian College of Theology in the Australian University category on 20 December 2024."

    "On behalf of the TEQSA Commission, I congratulate the Australian College of Theology on achieving registration as the nation's 44th university."

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  • Understanding the standards: TEQSA’s role with regard to Vice-Chancellor salaries, appointments and employment arrangements

    TEQSA has developed the below answers to frequently asked questions regarding its role in relation to Vice-Chancellor salaries, appointments and oversight following recent media coverage of these issues.

    Universities are complex organisations, and leaders of these institutions reflect a diverse range of skills and backgrounds. Given the important role of universities within their communities and public interest in university leadership, TEQSA places high importance on the quality of university leadership, in particular the effectiveness of governing bodies and ensuring the fitness and propriety of those in charge.

    TEQSA will update this page if more questions regarding this topic are raised with the agency.

    What is TEQSA’s role in oversighting Vice-Chancellor salaries, appointments and employment arrangements?

    Vice-Chancellors are appointed by, and responsible to, the university’s governing body, usually known as the university council or senate.

    The university’s governing body has governance responsibility for the Vice-Chancellor’s performance in the role, including salary, ongoing monitoring and management of performance, identifying and addressing potential conflicts of interest and other matters that would impact on effective performance in the role.

    As part of our regulatory and quality assurance activities, TEQSA can seek specific evidence that the governing body has such policies, processes, controls and ongoing oversight in place.

    What are the requirements around the composition of a university’s governing body?

    The act of establishment for each university sets out the requirements for its governing body.

    How does TEQSA apply the Fit and Proper Person requirement?

    In accordance with the TEQSA Act, the requirement to be a Fit and Proper Person applies to all people who make decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part of, the provider’s affairs, such as the Vice-Chancellor, Chancellor, senior executives and members of the governing body.

    In assessing whether a person is fit and proper, TEQSA considers the person’s character and ability, as well as the likelihood that the person will comply with (or reasonably assist compliance with) the obligations under the TEQSA Act and the Higher Education Standards Framework. These matters are set out in further detail in a legislative instrument (the Fit and Proper Person Determination) made under the TEQSA Act.

    TEQSA is in the process of updating the Fit and Proper Person Determination to align with those that apply to the vocational education and training sector, following consultation in 2024.

    Is TEQSA supporting the priorities around improving university governance identified by the Australian Universities Accord?

    TEQSA supports the implementation of priority action 5 from the Australian Universities Accord.

    TEQSA is presently developing new guidance and reporting requirements regarding provider workplace obligations and is also engaging with work being led by the Department of Education to establish the Expert Council on University Governance.

    Further information

    The below regulatory guidance materials contain more information about TEQSA’s approach to corporate governance and determining the fitness and propriety of a person.

    TEQSA’s previous media responses on this matter

     

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  • Applications for accreditation of Undergraduate and Graduate Certificate courses (short courses)

    On 20 January 2025, the Australian Government announced that Commonwealth, State and Territory government Education and Skills Ministers have agreed to make the Undergraduate Certificate a permanent qualification in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Previously, the Undergraduate Certificate was scheduled to sunset on 30 June 2025.

    The existing Graduate Certificate continues unchanged and can be awarded for a course at the postgraduate level.

    Application for accreditation

    Providers without the relevant self-accrediting authority need to apply to TEQSA to have their new courses accredited.

    TEQSA will continue to undertake the short course assessment where:

    • a new Undergraduate Certificate is created by drawing together four units from an existing accredited undergraduate course
    • a new Graduate Certificate is created by drawing together four units from an existing accredited postgraduate course.

    Important: Where a new short course is not drawn from an existing accredited course, the standard application and assessment process and associated application fees apply.

    Under TEQSA’s short course application and assessment process, TEQSA will generally align the accreditation period of new short course Undergraduate Certificates and Graduate Certificates to that of their respective source course. This is to reduce regulatory burden and facilitate a streamlined and efficient renewal of accreditation process.

    Further information

    Preparing your application

    The scope of the short course assessment will focus on a set of key elements relating to the following standards under the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021:

    • Standard 1.1.1 in relation to admission
    • Standard 3.1.1 in relation to course design and learning outcomes
    • Standard 3.2.3 in relation to staffing
    • Standards 5.1.2 and 5.1.3 in relation to course approval
    • Section 5.4 (if applicable) in relation to delivery with other parties
    • Standard 7.1.5 in relation to the representation of graduate outcomes.

    Your application must contain the information and documentary evidence set out in this evidence table.

    An optional template is available to assist with preparing the application.

    It is anticipated that most courses will be drawn from a single accredited course. If the proposed course is drawn from multiple courses or from courses at different AQF levels, this will require a more comprehensive assessment from TEQSA. In this case, there will be an enhanced onus on the provider in preparing the application to explain the learning outcomes and pathways to further learning and graduate outcomes.

    Note: Where the units for the proposed Undergraduate or Graduate Certificate are not drawn from an existing accredited course, please contact assessments@teqsa.gov.au to request evidence requirements for your accreditation application in accordance with TEQSA’s standard course accreditation process (refer to TEQSA’s course accreditation and renewal of accreditation application guide for more information). 

    Submitting your application

    You must submit an application to TEQSA via the Provider Portal using the existing form for ‘Course Accreditation (HESF 2021) existing provider’. Some fields in the existing form are not applicable.

    Follow these instructions which explain how to complete the application form specific to these short course applications.

    What happens next?

    Once we receive your application, we will review it to ensure it is complete and contains the required information. If we need further information, we will contact you. If the application is complete, we will conduct the assessment and notify you once it has been completed.

    We publish information on our decisions in accordance with TEQSA’s policy on public reporting of regulatory decisions. 

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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  • TEQSA Undergraduate and Graduate Certificates (short courses) – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Updated 21 January 2025

    Can an Undergraduate Certificate be awarded as an exit qualification?

    An exit qualification provides an early exit pathway for students who are enrolled in a course of study and have completed the requirements for a qualification nested within the course.

    There may be circumstances where an Undergraduate Certificate can be awarded as an exit qualification. In awarding an Undergraduate Certificate, providers must ensure that:

    • the Undergraduate Certificate is awarded during the Undergraduate Certificate course accreditation period
    • the conferral of the award is consistent with the provider’s current policy framework
    • the conferral of the award is consistent with the requirements of the accredited Undergraduate Certificate course, i.e. the provider must be satisfied that the student has met the course requirements and learning outcomes.

    What are the requirements for the duration and structure of the Undergraduate Certificate?

    The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) specifies that the Undergraduate Certificate:

    1. has a duration of six months. This means that the design of the course must ensure that students are capable of completing the course in six months
    2. certifies completion of 0.5 Equivalent Full Time Study Load (EFTSL) toward an existing qualification at AQF levels 5, 6 or 7.

    When does the short course assessment process apply for a new Graduate Certificate application?

    Following the success of the short course assessment process for the accreditation since 2020, TEQSA will continue to use short course assessments of applications to accredit new Graduate Certificates where the units of the course are drawn from an already-accredited source course.

    Further information is available at Applications for course accreditation for new Graduate and Undergraduate Certificates.

    Can I submit an application to TEQSA before the internal approval process for the course and qualification has been completed?

    It is a requirement under Standard 5.1 of the HES Framework that course approval is overseen by peak institutional academic governance processes and they are applied consistently to all courses of study, before the courses are first offered.

    TEQSA has implemented a streamlined approach for the assessment of these courses. The evidence required for these applications is set out in the evidence table and has been updated to include the requirement to provide evidence to TEQSA that the proposed course has been subject to institutional course approval and quality assurance processes.

    What is TEQSA considering in relation to course learning outcomes?

    Under the AQF qualification type descriptor, graduates of an Undergraduate Certificate will:

    • have foundational knowledge sufficient to undertake qualifications at the 5, 6 or 7 AQF level
    • have foundational skills sufficient to undertake qualifications at the 5, 6 or 7 AQF level
    • demonstrate a foundation of application of knowledge and skills sufficient to undertake qualifications at the 5, 6 or 7 AQF level.

    It is expected that course learning outcomes are demonstrably foundational in nature and differentiated from the course from which the units are drawn.

    Refer to the AQF qualification type descriptor for Undergraduate Certificates and Graduate Certificates for the full descriptions.

    What are the requirements for the naming convention of short courses?

    The title used for Undergraduate Certificates should be ‘Undergraduate Certificate in/of [Field of study/discipline]’.

    The title used for Graduate Certificates should be ‘Graduate Certificate in/of [Field of study/discipline]’ (note: Not ‘Postgraduate Certificate’).  

    Broader nomenclature issues concerning both qualifications should be consistent with the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy.

    Can an undergraduate certificate be a ‘nested’ course?

    As outlined in the AQF, the Undergraduate Certificate is intended to articulate with an existing qualification at AQF levels 5, 6 or 7 and qualifies individuals with knowledge and skills for further study, professional upskilling, employment and participation in lifelong learning. It is open to providers to design the course as a ‘nested’ course but this is not a requirement.

    Can an Undergraduate Certificate be awarded after 30 June 2025?

    Consistent with the updated AQF requirements following the decision to retain the Undergraduate Certificate as a permanent qualification, these courses may be accredited past 30 June 2025.

    With the Undergraduate Certificate now part of the AQF, how will TEQSA approach ‘short course’ assessments?

    TEQSA will continue offering a short course application and assessment process for new Undergraduate and Graduate Certificate applications where those courses have been drawn from an already accredited source course. Processing times will be in accordance with the legislative deadlines set out in the TEQSA Act.

    What is the cost for applications to accredit a new Undergraduate or Graduate Certificate course?

    Information on costs is available on our Fees and Charges page.

    Do I need to renew an Undergraduate Certificate at least 180 days before the accreditation expiry?

    In January 2025, the Australian Government announced that Undergraduate Certificate will be made a permanent qualification in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) (Addendum 6). With this decision, TEQSA will determine a shorter period for the submission of renewal applications, pursuant to s55(1)(b) of the TEQSA Act for Undergraduate Certificate short courses due to expire in 2025. TEQSA will be in touch with providers about the process for renewal of accreditation.

    The source course for an Undergraduate Certificate is due for renewal. Can I renew the Undergraduate Certificate at the same time?

    TEQSA will be in touch with providers about the process for renewal of accreditation of Undergraduate Certificates. A separate fee applies to renewal of Undergraduate Certificates which is less than the cost of renewing other nested qualifications. This means that providers will not be financially disadvantaged by having Undergraduate Certificates renewed separately to their source courses.

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  • Undergraduate Certificate extension

    TEQSA has been advised that Commonwealth, State and Territory government Education and Skills Ministers have agreed to make the Undergraduate Certificate a permanent qualification in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

    The Undergraduate Certificate was previously due to sunset on 30 June 2025.

    The decision means TEQSA will be able to accredit Undergraduate Certificate courses beyond 30 June 2025.

    Over the coming weeks TEQSA will contact providers who have accredited Undergraduate Certificates requiring renewal.

    Further information

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  • Guidance note: Research and research training

    Body

    TEQSA’s guidance notes are concise documents designed to provide high-level, principles-based guidance on interpretation and application of specific standards of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021. They also draw attention to other interrelated standards and highlight potential risks to compliance. They do not introduce prescriptive obligations.
     

    The definitive instruments that set out providers’ obligations in delivering higher education remain the Threshold Standards (as written by the Higher Education Standards Panel) and the TEQSA Act.
     

    The purpose and intent of this guidance note about research and research training is to explore how providers can ensure the integrity and quality of research and research training is upheld at their institution.
     

    1. What does research and research training encompass?

    For the purposes of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (Threshold Standards), research is defined as ‘the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way by a higher education provider so as to generate new concepts, methodologies, inventions and understandings’. Research can be carried out in and between all fields and may involve a range of tools and media.

    Undertaking research can be considered:

    • at the level of individual activity (e.g. part of an individual’s personal research or professional practice), or
    • across a provider (e.g. policy frameworks, resource allocation, institutional expectations, staff development).

    At a minimum, research:

    • leads to and/or transmits new knowledge or advances in creative or professional practice in a field
    • is a planned, purposive intellectual inquiry
    • produces outputs that are subject to external, independent scrutiny.

    For the purposes of the Threshold Standards, ‘research training’ is a formal course of graduate study leading to the acquisition of advanced skills, techniques, and knowledge in the conduct of research. Research training also builds towards the production of a contribution to the field of research or creative or professional practice. Research training is a key characteristic of the Masters Degree (Research) and all Doctoral Degrees at AQF 10 (sometimes referred to as higher degrees by research) (Australian Qualifications Framework). In the case of Doctoral Degrees, the Threshold Standards requires a significant and original contribution to the field of research or creative or professional practice.

    Bachelor Honours degrees may include a significant research component and be a pathway to further research training. However, TEQSA will not assess coursework degrees (including Bachelor Honours Degrees) against the research standards.

    2. What TEQSA will look for

    Given the investment and resources necessary to successfully offer and support postgraduate research degrees, TEQSA expects to see well developed and mature course design, research supervision, review, and quality assurance processes.

    TEQSA’s considerations relevant to other aspects of the Threshold Standards include:

    Part A: Key considerations
    1.3.3 Orientation and Progression
    • Research candidate’s program progession is monitored and feedback provided.
    1.4.5–1.4.7: Learning Outcomes and Assessment
    • Research candidates aquire the relevant skills, their major assessable research outputs are assessed by suitably qualified external assessor(s) and contribute to the development of the field.
    2.1: Facilities and Infrastructure
    • Facilities and infrastructure are fit for purpose and can accommodate the research needs of the course, research candidates and staff.
    4.1: Research
    • There is a research policy framework and research is conducted consistent with this policy framework.
    • Research is conducted and overseen by suitably qualified staff.
    • Research outputs of staff and research candidates are recorded and records are current.
    4.2: Research Training
    • There is an institutional research training policy framework.
    • An appropriate environment, induction, supervisory arrangements and resources that support research training are in place.
    • Coursework components meet the governance and quality requirements for coursework set by a provider.
    • Supervisors of research have the requisite knowledge and skill to supervise a research candidate.
    5.2: Academic and Research Integrity
    • Policies and procedures uphold research integrity, mitigate risks, ensure guidance is provided, and integrity maintained in third party arrangements.
    • Promotion and fostering of a culture of research integrity and institutions meeting their responsibilities with respect to the provision of ongoing research integrity training and education for relevant staff and students.
    5.4: Delivery with Other Parties
    • The provider quality assures placements and internships (where applicable) and ensures that research training delivered by third parties (such as industry and higher education partners) is consistent with the Threshold Standards.
    6.1.3c: Corporate Governance
    • The governing body ensures that research and research training are governed by institutional policies.
    6.3.1 and 6.3.2: Academic Governance
    • Academic governance processes and structures maintain academic oversight of research and research training.
    7.3.1j Information Management
    • Information about arrangements with other parties delivering research training is publicly available.

    TEQSA may further consider:

    • referencing of policies to external requirements, particularly regarding research ethics
    • how any allegations of research misconduct have been investigated and resolved, and whether improvements were made to policies or procedures to prevent recurrence of breaches
    • data management and the adequacy of a provider’s arrangements for recording research outputs
    • whether academics supervising research students are ‘active in research’.
      • in determining whether an academic is ‘active in research’, TEQSA will consider whether the academic, in accordance with policies of their institution, currently and meaningfully participates in research
      • considerations will include whether current staff have peer reviewed research outputs, for example, journal articles, books, book chapters, conference papers, presentations, and non-traditional research outputs within the past five years in a relevant field.
    • whether an institutional environment that is supportive of academics being ‘active in research’ is fostered. Examples of factors TEQSA may consider include whether:
      • position descriptions for future staff require staff to have recent outputs and indicate that they must continue to be active in research
      • policies exist that actively support staff to participate in research outside of teaching hours and provide assistance for staff to apply for research funding and grants
      • there are sufficient staff to ensure availability to supervise HDR students
      • policies ensure regular reviews of staff research activities, such as maintaining a research register to track progress and outputs.

    3. Identified issues

    Research

    Within the context of the Threshold Standards, TEQSA has identified a range of  issues which are indicative of risks to the integrity and quality of research. These include, but are not limited to:

    • lack of appropriate engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples where relevant (2.2.2, 4.1.1a,b,d, 6.2.1g) 
    • physical or psychological harm to people or animals, as subjects of the research, to associated communities, to the persons conducting the research and to the environment (Standard 4.1.1a)
    • breaches of Australia’s laws on intellectual property protection, as well as disputes over ownership of, or effective control over, intellectual property (Standard 4.1.1b)
    • breaches of the Australian Code for Responsible Conduct of Research (Standard 4.1.1)
    • improper or inaccurate attribution of authorship to research outputs, not reflective of the personnel (staff or research candidate) who conducted the work (Standard 4.1.1a, d)

    Research training

    Within the context of the Threshold Standards, TEQSA has identified a range of issues which are indicative of risks to the integrity and quality of research training. These include, but are not limited to:

    • Policies, procedures, resourcing and environment
      • inadequate policies and procedures for addressing research candidate grievances (Standard 4.2.1g and Section 2.4)
      • providers having insufficiently strong research cultures surrounding research candidates, including working with other research candidates and having peer support (Standard 4.2.2)
      • a lack of awareness of safety protocols for laboratories or of the dangers in particular environments (Standard 4.2.4)
      • inadequate resourcing for research candidates’ projects, including inadequate on-campus facilities and a less than stimulating intellectual environment (Standard 4.2.2).
    • Delivery by third parties
      • lack of oversight of issues in third party relationships involved in delivering Higher Degrees by Research (Standard 5.4.2).
    • Examination of theses
      • poor choice of examiners or the dispatch of a thesis for examination that is under-prepared (Standard 4.2.1c-e).
    • Supervision of research
      • providers not sufficiently guiding the research candidate in the development of the project concept and expected outcomes (Standards 4.2.1a and 4.2.3)
      • providers not paying adequate attention to ensuring sufficient progress is maintained by research candidates. Any lack of progress should be identified early by supervisors and fresh targets established with the candidate (Standard 4.2.1c)
      • inadequate supervision, whether due to selection of the supervisor (internal or external to provider), insufficient training and preparation of supervisors, policies supporting supervision not being fit for purpose, and/or weak support for the supervisory relationship (Standards 4.2.1a-b and 4.2.3)
      • lack of explicitly and mutually agreed expectations between the research candidate and supervisor. This prevents research candidates from determining whether the supervisory service is reasonable or not. Such requirements would cover, for example, timeliness of work required by both candidate and supervisor and expectations around tasks such as review of chapters or whole thesis at given points (Standard 4.2.1a)
      • making frequent or repeated change of supervisor(s), especially if a new supervisor has less interest in the candidate’s research or lacks appropriate experience or qualifications than the original supervisor (Standard 4.2.3)
      • the principal supervisor not being suitably qualified and experienced in research in the relevant field, such as having little or low quality published research output in that field (Standard 4.2.3a).
         

    Related resources

    Version # Date Key changes
    1.0 21 October 2016 Made available as beta version for consultation.
    1.1 30 August 2017 Revised in response to consultation feedback.
    1.2 11 October 2017 Minor amendment to ‘What will TEQSA look for?” text box.
    1.3 5 July 2018 Updates to resources and references section for new publications and changed hyperlinks.
    2.0 12 September 2022 Major revision.
    2.1 11 December 2024 Minor updates including additional information on ‘active in research’.

     

    Subtitle
    Version 2.1
    Stakeholder
    Publication type

    Documents

    tom.hewitt-mcmanus

  • TEQSA team member's Public Service Medal

    Respected former TEQSA colleague, Anne McFall, has been awarded a Public Service Medal (PSM) in the Australia Day Honours List for her outstanding public service to Australian higher education.

    Recently retired, Anne is one of only 100 government employees to be recognised in 2025 for outstanding public service, in these annual awards. Deservedly, her honour focuses on her exemplary guidance to the sector in the regulation of the Higher Education Standards Framework 2021 (Threshold Standards), and her contributions to policy development and design that have achieved significant efficiencies in TEQSA’s management of provider applications.

    To summarise the official description of her honour:
    “Anne McFall has consistently delivered outstanding service to support Australia’s higher education sector in areas such as compliance and investigations, customer service, stakeholder management, provider registrations / re-registrations and course accreditations / reaccreditations assessments, and contributions to policy development and projects. Her exemplary leadership was noted in the regulating of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) (2011/2015/2021), which sets the standards that a provider must meet and continue to meet to be registered to operate as a higher education provider in Australia.

    “The design processes and reporting arrangements led to significant efficiencies in the management of applications and successful maintenance of the integrity of entry to Australia’s higher education sector under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Act 2011 (TEQSA). 

    “Ms McFall’s leadership skills, her consultative and inclusive management style has resulted in recognition and respect throughout the sector as a person with extensive experience and knowledge of regulation within higher education. She has assumed a leadership role to guide and support staff across TEQSA’s regulatory operations groups, where she worked across multiple roles to provide a supportive and knowledgeable team environment.

    "(Her) leadership skills, her consultative and inclusive management style has resulted in recognition and respect throughout the sector as a person with extensive experience and knowledge of regulation within higher education... (she) consistently exhibits excellence in her leadership and has done so while modelling TEQSA’s values of trust, respect, accountability and collaboration.”

    •    Read the full PSM honour description

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  • When TEQSA can take action

    TEQSA can only take action on concerns that relate to our regulatory responsibility. We are not a complaints resolution body and typically do not have a role in addressing individual complainants’ requests or grievances. TEQSA prioritises broader systemic issues, while the National Student Ombudsman’s role is to help higher education students resolve complaints about the actions taken by their provider.

    In our role, regulating Australian higher education providers, we will be particularly concerned where there is a serious risk to students or to the quality or reputation of the higher education sector that relates to our responsibility.

    Some examples of these are:

    • wellbeing and safety concerns – for example sexual assault or harassment
    • significant issues with academic quality, teaching or standards
    • concerns about academic integrity – for example academic or research misconduct
    • providers significantly misrepresenting their offerings/courses
    • serious issues with admission practices 
    • serious issues with the quality of delivery, including by the provider’s third parties
    • providers conferring awards when the courses have not been completed
    • serious data or information security breaches
    • serious financial concerns
    • breaches of the law
    • entities representing to offer higher education awards when unregistered.

    Acts and standards under our responsibility

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  • When TEQSA can’t take action

    We cannot take action on concerns that are outside our regulatory responsibility.

    TEQSA uses complaints to inform its assessment of providers’ compliance. TEQSA’s functions are established under section 134 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 and includes collecting, analysing, interpreting and disseminating information relating to higher education providers, regulated awards quality assurance practices and quality improvement, and the Higher Education Standards Framework. 

    TEQSA is not a complaints resolution body and typically does not have a role in addressing individual complainants’ requests or grievances. The National Student Ombudsman is a free service that helps to resolve complaints between higher education students and their provider.

    We prioritise broader systemic issues and are unlikely to pursue matters that:

    • are one-off, isolated events, unless the conduct involves wider implications for students, staff, the quality or reputation of the higher education sector
    • have not been considered through the providers own complaint handling processes
    • are solely for the purpose of obtaining redress for students or staff, unless there is clear evidence of deficiencies in the provider’s own complaint handling processes.

    All providers are required to have complaints processes and the option for an independent third-party review. The provider’s complaints processes and independent third-party review are in place to assist individuals to receive a timely and effective resolution with the provider. If you are not satisfied with your provider's handling of your complaint, you can contact the relevant third-party complaints resolution body (your provider will be able to provide you with the details) or the National Student Ombudsman.

    When to go directly to the provider

    Some examples of matters outside our responsibility that should be raised with the provider are: 

    • matters of academic judgement, such as examination results
    • requests for providers to re-mark work
    • disputes with the provider about recognition of prior learning
    • guidance on interpreting a provider’s policies and procedures
    • concerns regarding fees, refunds or cancellations, scholarships/financial assistance.

    When to go to another organisation

    Some examples of matters outside our responsibility that should be raised with another organisation are:

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