Teaching Courses in Australia
How to Become a Teacher as an International Student
Last updated: 29 September 2026. General information only, not personal migration or education advice.
To teach in an Australian school, you need an accredited initial teacher education (ITE) qualification, then registration with the teacher regulatory authority in your state or territory.
The course you need depends on two things:
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Do you already hold a bachelor's degree? If yes, a Master of Teaching lets you qualify without a second undergraduate degree. If no, you start with a bachelor-level teaching degree.
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Which age group do you want to teach? Early childhood, primary and secondary teaching are three separate occupations, with different courses and different skills assessments.
On AITSL's list of accredited teaching programs, most Master of Teaching programs run for 2 years and most Bachelor of Education programs run for 4 years.
Key takeaways
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Already hold a bachelor's degree in any field? A Master of Teaching (Primary or Secondary) is the faster route.
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No degree yet? A Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary) is the standard starting point in RACC's course list.
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Choose an accredited ITE program. State and territory teacher regulatory authorities accredit these programs and register teachers.
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AITSL assesses Primary and Secondary School Teachers for migration. ACECQA assesses Early Childhood Teachers.
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Primary School Teacher is not on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), so it cannot be used for a Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa. Secondary and Early Childhood Teacher are on the MLTSSL.
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Since 19 September 2026, skilled visa applications in the teaching sector sit in the highest processing priority group.
Which type of teacher do you want to become?
Choose the occupation first. Each one has its own ANZSCO code, occupation list and skills assessing authority, according to the Department of Home Affairs skilled occupation list.
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher
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ANZSCO: 241111
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Occupation lists: MLTSSL and Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
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Skills assessing authority: ACECQA (Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority)
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Courses: see RACC's early childhood education courses
Primary School Teacher
Suits applicants who already hold a bachelor's degree in any field and want to teach at primary school level.
Courses:
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ANZSCO: 241213
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Occupation lists: Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and CSOL
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Skills assessing authority: AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership)
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Teaching practice age range for AITSL: 5 to 12 years, in a primary school setting
Secondary School Teacher
Suits applicants who already hold a bachelor's degree in any field and want to teach a subject area at secondary school level.
Courses:
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ANZSCO: 241411
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Occupation lists: MLTSSL and CSOL
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Skills assessing authority: AITSL
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Teaching practice age range for AITSL: 13 to 18 years, in a secondary school setting
The occupation list affects which visas you can use later. See the visa section below.
Which teaching course fits your background?
You already hold a bachelor's degree
Master of Teaching (Secondary)
For applicants who hold a bachelor's degree in any field and want to teach a subject at secondary school level.
Master of Teaching (Primary)
For applicants who hold a bachelor's degree in any field and want to teach at primary school level.
You don't hold a bachelor's degree yet
Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary)
The standard entry pathway for applicants without a degree who want to teach at secondary school level.
There is currently no Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) in RACC's course list. If you want to teach primary school and don't hold a degree yet, book a free consultation to discuss your options.
You want to teach early childhood
Early childhood teaching uses different courses, approved by ACECQA. Options range from a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education to a Graduate Diploma or Master for degree holders.
See RACC's early childhood education courses for the full list.
Match the course to the skills assessment
For a migration skills assessment, AITSL requires a Primary or Secondary teaching qualification to include at least one year of initial teacher education specific to that stage of schooling. Choose the course that matches the occupation you plan to nominate.
Make sure the course is accredited
A teaching course must be accredited to lead to teacher registration.
AITSL explains that all Australian initial teacher education programs are accredited by state and territory teacher regulatory authorities, using nationally agreed standards and procedures. The same regulators handle teacher registration, so check their requirements for your state before you enrol.
Before you enrol:
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Check the program on AITSL's list of accredited teaching programs.
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For early childhood, check the qualification on ACECQA's approved qualifications list.
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Confirm the course is registered on CRICOS so it can support a Student visa.
Teacher registration: what happens after you graduate
You must register with the teacher regulatory authority in your state or territory before you can teach in a school there. According to AITSL, registration works in two stages:
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Provisional registration. You start here after graduating. It shows you meet the Graduate career stage of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
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Full registration. You move to full registration once you meet the Proficient career stage, with evidence of your teaching practice. The maximum period to meet the requirements is 5 years, with extensions considered case by case. Regulators also set a minimum teaching period of no less than 80 days in an Australian or New Zealand school.
Registration and skills assessment are separate. AITSL states that its skills assessment is for skilled migration only. A positive skills assessment does not register you to teach.
Skills assessment for teachers
A skills assessment confirms your qualification is suitable for your occupation. Most skilled visas require one, but AITSL advises you to confirm with the Department of Home Affairs whether your visa does.
AITSL: Primary and Secondary School Teacher
For a positive outcome, the AITSL occupation checklists for Primary and Secondary School Teachers (July 2026) require:
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at least 4 years of full-time (or part-time equivalent) university-level study, including a relevant initial teacher education qualification
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an initial teacher education qualification comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree (AQF Level 7) or higher, with at least 1 year of initial teacher education for that stage of schooling
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at least 45 days of supervised teaching practice with students in the right age range (5 to 12 for primary, 13 to 18 for secondary)
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any other qualifications counted towards the 4 years at AQF Level 6 (Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree) or higher.
English language. AITSL accepts either:
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at least 4 full years of higher education in Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of America, including a recognised initial teacher education qualification, or
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an Academic IELTS result of at least 7.0 in Reading and Writing and 8.0 in Speaking and Listening, on a single test report from the 3 years before you apply.
AITSL accepts only Academic IELTS. It does not accept PTE, TOEFL, Cambridge or other tests.
Fee and timing. From 7 September 2026, the AITSL skills assessment application fee is AUD 1,198, with no GST. AITSL completes most assessment-ready applications within 4 weeks, and some take up to 6 weeks.
ACECQA: Early Childhood Teacher
ACECQA's assessment standards require an ACECQA nationally approved early childhood teaching qualification, or an equivalent.
English can be shown through one of these:
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one year of full-time tertiary study in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, the United Kingdom or the United States of America
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Academic IELTS with at least 7.0 in Reading and Writing and 8.0 in Speaking and Listening, taken in the last three years
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ISLPR teacher-focused assessment at Level 4 in all four skills, taken in the last three years
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on a case-by-case basis, a professional reference from an employer in one of the countries above.
Employment evidence. For a full migration skills assessment, ACECQA asks for evidence of your post-qualification employment in the occupation, including a reference from your employer. ACECQA aims to complete the assessment within 60 days of receiving all the information it needs.
Recent graduates applying for a 485 visa. ACECQA offers a separate provisional skills assessment for applicants intending to apply for the Temporary Graduate visa. ACECQA notes that bachelor degree holders can use the degree-based 485 stream, which does not require a skills assessment.
Read more about how a migration skills assessment works.
After graduation: visa and PR pathways for teachers
Your occupation list decides which skilled visas you can use. The Department of Home Affairs skilled occupation list shows the following.
Secondary School Teacher and Early Childhood Teacher (MLTSSL and CSOL)
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Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491), state or territory nominated and family sponsored
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Skills in Demand (subclass 482), Core Skills stream
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Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), Direct Entry
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Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494), Employer Sponsored stream
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Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) and Training (subclass 407)
Primary School Teacher (STSOL and CSOL)
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Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491), state or territory nominated only
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Skills in Demand (subclass 482), Core Skills stream
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Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), Direct Entry
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Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494), Employer Sponsored stream
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Training (subclass 407)
Primary School Teacher is not listed for the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa. A primary teacher usually needs state nomination or an employer sponsor.
Working after graduation on a 485 visa
If you complete an eligible degree, such as a Bachelor or Master of Teaching, you may qualify for the Post-Higher Education Work stream of the Temporary Graduate visa. This stream applies regardless of your field of study, so it is open to primary teachers as well.
See RACC's 485 visa guide for the full criteria.
Teaching is a priority sector for skilled visa processing
Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 took effect on 19 September 2026. They place visa applications relating to the teaching sector in the highest priority group for temporary, provisional and permanent skilled visas.
Priority processing affects how quickly an application is decided. It does not change the eligibility criteria.
Check your occupation, list and assessing authority in RACC's skilled occupation list tool.
Why choose RACC for your teaching pathway
RACC is both an education agent and a migration agency. Its registered migration agents (MARN 1572961, 1172003) work alongside the education team, so you get course advice and visa advice from the same place.
RACC can help you:
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Choose between early childhood, primary and secondary teaching based on your background
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Find an accredited, CRICOS-registered teaching course
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Check that the course meets AITSL or ACECQA skills assessment criteria
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Prepare your Student visa application
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Plan your visa pathway after graduation, from the 485 visa to state nomination or employer sponsorship
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Not sure teaching is the right fit? Browse courses for PR in Australia by occupation.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become a teacher in Australia?
It depends on your starting point. On AITSL's list of accredited teaching programs, most Bachelor of Education programs run for 4 years and most Master of Teaching programs run for 2 years.
If you already hold a bachelor's degree, the Master of Teaching is the faster route.
Can international students become teachers in Australia?
Yes. International students can study an accredited, CRICOS-registered teaching course on a Student visa.
To teach after graduating, you need registration with the teacher regulatory authority in your state or territory, plus a visa that allows you to work.
Is an AITSL skills assessment the same as teacher registration?
No. AITSL states that its skills assessment is for skilled migration only.
To teach in a school, you must also register with the teacher regulatory authority in your state or territory.
Can a primary school teacher apply for a 189 visa?
No. Primary School Teacher is on the STSOL and CSOL, not the MLTSSL, so it is not listed for the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa.
Primary teachers can use state nomination (190 or 491) or employer-sponsored visas instead.
What English test does AITSL accept?
AITSL accepts only Academic IELTS, with at least 7.0 in Reading and Writing and 8.0 in Speaking and Listening.
You can also meet the requirement with at least 4 full years of higher education in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of America, including a recognised initial teacher education qualification.
