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

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.

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.

Following the success of the expedited assessment process for the accreditation of short courses throughout 2020 and 2021, TEQSA will continue to expedite the assessment 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.

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.

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.

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.

Consistent with the updated AQF requirements following the decision to retain the Undergraduate Certificate, these courses may be accredited until 30 June 2025. Providers should notify students who are enrolled, or planning to enrol, in an undergraduate certificate of the limited nature of this qualification. If the Education and Skills Ministers choose not to extend the qualification, students will need to complete their studies and have their awards conferred by 30 June 2025.