FAQs

Institute staff respond to emails, telephone enquiries and letters from teachers who ask about how the Institute was established and what it does. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions from recent months.

Who sits on the Institute Council?
The Institute Council comprises twenty members, the majority of whom are practising teachers and principals. Ten members of the Council, including eight teachers and two principals, are elected by teachers and principals from government, Catholic and independent schools.

The Chairperson of the Council is appointed by the Minister for Education. The Institute's legislation requires that the Secretary of the Department (or the Secretary's nominee) be a member of the Institute Council. This position is held currently by Ms Judy Petch, General Manager, School Workforce Reform and School Improvement Division, Office for Government School Education.

Eight of the remaining members of Council are appointed following the Minister's consideration of lists of names submitted by education stakeholders. They must include three teachers, one principal and representatives of parents, teacher employers and teacher educators.

View profiles of members of the Institute Council.

What does the annual registration fee pay for?
The registration fee funds the independent operation of the Institute to undertake the functions laid down in its legislation. Registration fees pay for such things as:

the development of profession-owned standards of practice
the accreditation of pre-service teacher education courses consistent with the profession's expectations of new teachers
the assessment of applications for registration from Victorian graduates, and teachers from interstate and overseas to regulate entry to the profession
the administration of processes to ensure proper investigation of allegations of serious misconduct, serious incompetence or lack of fitness to teach.

How does the cost of registration in Victoria compare with other states?

Australian state	Registration fee
Victoria	$68 yearly
Queensland	$95 yearly
Northern Territory	$60 yearly
Tasmania	$200 two-yearly
South Australia	$270 three yearly

How does the cost of teacher registration compare with registration fees for other professions in Victoria?

Regulatory Body	Annual Registration fee
Nurses Board of Victoria	$145
Physiotherapists Registration Board of Victoria	$150
Architects Registration Board of Victoria	$175
Medical Practitioners Board	$415

Can I get a refund or waiver of the annual registration fee?
For full details go to waiver forms.

How long is the application process?
The process will generally take 4-6 weeks once all the correct documentation has been received.

Can I teach while my application is being processed?
No. Registration is now a condition of professional practice for teachers and principals in Victoria. In accordance with requirements of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, you're unable to teach in any school until you are advised that you are registered.

What happens if I do not pay my annual registration fee?
If you do not pay your annual registration fee by the due date, the Institute issues you with a final notice for payment. If payment is not received by this date, the Institute will advise you in writing that your registration will be suspended if payment is not forthcoming by the stated date. It is an offence under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 to undertake the duties of a teacher in a Victorian school for the duration of the suspension. Your employer will also be notified of the suspension of your registration.

A teacher whose registration is suspended may apply to have the suspension revoked by either paying the outstanding fee and submitting a successful application for a waiver of the fee and submitting a reasonable excuse, in writing, for the failure to pay the fee. The request for revocation will be considered by the Registration Committee at its weekly meeting.

What should I do if I need a replacement card?
In order to receive a replacement registration card, you will be required to complete a Statutory Declaration Form (PDF - 147 KB) stating the reason why you require a replacement card.

How can I prove that I am a registered teacher?
Your current registration card provides proof of your registration.

Can you send me documentation of my Criminal Record Check?
The Institute forwards your name electronically to CrimTrac, an agency of the Australian Police Services. CrimTrac does not produce a report for each criminal record check carried out. The system will state if the check has been satisfactory. However, CRC will be printed on the registration card to indicate that the teacher check was satisfactory.

I have changed my address - what should I do?
You may notify us by email, by calling the Teachers' Hotline 1300 888 067 or by completing the Change of Contact Details form and mailing or faxing it to the Institute. Please state your VIT registration number, full name and date of birth when contacting the Institute.

I have changed my name - what should I do?

Complete the Change of Contact Details form and send a certified copy of evidence of your change of name (e.g. marriage certificate, deed poll) to the Institute.

Where do I find information about teacher employment?
As the Institute is not an employer of teachers we do not hold any information regarding employment opportunities. For information concerning employment in Victorian government schools, you may wish to refer to the Teaching at DEECD website. For Victorian independent schools refer to the Independent Schools website. For Victorian Catholic schools, refer to the Catholic Education Commission website. Otherwise a list of teacher employment agencies will be listed in the Yellow Pages under Education Consultants.

How do I find out about salary scales?
The Institute does not have this information. You may wish to refer to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. For information about salaries for teachers in Catholic schools, click here, then follow the links to 'Industrial Relations', and 'Rates of pay'. For information about the salaries for teachers in independent schools, click here.

I am about to retire from teaching. How do I notify the Institute?
Teachers who are retiring from the profession permanently should notify the institute that they do not intend to be employed as a teacher and wish to cancel their registration.

You may notify us by email, or by completing the Cancel Registration form and faxing it to the Institute on 03 8601 5801.

The Statutory Declaration section in the Application for Registration form indicates that the declaration has been made 'in the State of Victoria'. I'm not in Victoria, can I have the Statutory Declaration witnessed elsewhere?

Yes, cross out 'in the State of Victoria' and change it to your current location. You must also have your documents certified by a person authorised to do so in that state, territory or country.

I am about to finish the final year of my pre-service teacher education course. Can I become registered now?

To be assessed for registration, you will need to submit a completed Form A - Application for Registration (PDF - 1.4 MB) - Part A, along with the required documentation. Included in the requirements is a certified copy of your official academic record (transcript) and official evidence of completion of your qualifications. For end of year graduates, these are not usually available from universities until late December or early January. The Institute is unable to complete the assessment of your application for registration until all the required documents have been received. On receipt of your application, you will be issued an invoice for the application fees. Payment of the fees is required before the Institute is able to finalise the assessment of your application. Once your registration has been approved, you are eligible to seek employment as a teacher in any Victorian government or non-government primary, secondary or special school.

Application forms can be downloaded from Forms or you can call 1300 888 067 to request a copy.

I have been offered employment by a school but I haven't quite finished my pre-service teacher education course. Can I be registered?

In exceptional circumstances, the Institute may grant Permission to Teach (PTT) (PDF - 105 KB) to a person who has not completed the final year of their course but has been offered employment by a school.

An application for PTT (PDF - 640 KB) must be endorsed by the principal of the school that wishes to employ you. The application must be accompanied by evidence that the school has made every attempt to employ a qualified registered teacher with the appropriate professional expertise. This may be demonstrated by the school providing evidence that the position has been advertised in the daily statewide press or approved electronic medium and that no qualified registered teacher is available for the position. If PTT is granted, you may be employed in that school to undertake some, or all of the duties of a teacher, normally for a fixed period, often pending completion of studies leading to Provisional Registration.

Why does the VIT Web site look like this?