Qualifications

Requirements for registering as an early childhood teacher

To be registered as an early childhood teacher (ECT), you will need to hold a qualification approved or recognised by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).

Requirements for registering as a teacher

To be registered as a teacher, you will need to hold:

• four years of full-time or equivalent higher education study, including an approved initial primary and / or secondary teaching qualification of at least one year's duration

or

• an approved Certificate of Proficiency / Completion in a trade together with:
  • relevant industrial experience combined with a period of apprenticeship that totals no less than eight years
  • an approved trade technician course or an approved equivalent program of post-apprenticeship studies
  • an approved course of teacher education

or

• an approved Certificate of Technology, together with a minimum of six years of approved industrial experience and an approved course of secondary teacher education.

Read VIT's Qualifications Policy. 

Upgrading your three-year teaching qualification

If you hold a three-year teaching qualification, there are six basic pathways which can lead you to be conferred with four-year qualified status in Victoria.

• complete one year of tertiary study towards a single award (such as a degree, diploma or Associate Diploma program) at a recognised Australian higher education institution
• complete one year of tertiary study towards a single award requiring year 12 as a minimum entry requirement (such as an Advanced Diploma, Associate Diploma or Diploma) at a recognised Australian TAFE institution
• complete a fourth year Bachelor of Education program at a recognised Australian higher education institution
• complete any two Graduate Certificate programs at one or more recognised Australian higher education institutions
• complete any one-year Graduate Diploma program at a recognised Australian higher education institution 
• complete a graduate-entry teacher education program at a recognised Australian higher education institution.

The one year full-time or part-time equivalent teacher education programs endorsed by VIT are also suitable for three-year qualified teachers wishing to upgrade their qualifications to four-year qualified status. 

• View the teacher education programs endorsed by VIT.