How to Become a Teacher in Australia

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Last Updated: October 6, 2024 Fact Checked

Good teachers are always in demand in Australia, especially in remote areas. You may be moving to Australia to teach or you may already live in Australia and be looking for a career change. To land a teaching position in Australia, you will need qualifications and skills like a teaching certificate and a working visa. You can then apply for positions and do well as a teacher in beautiful Australia.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting the Necessary Qualifications and Skills

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Get a university level teaching degree. You must have a 4 year Bachelor of Education degree from a legitimate university or college. Alternatively, you may qualify if you have a 3 year undergraduate degree in Education and a 1 year graduate diploma or Master’s in Education.^{[1]
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- As part of your job application, you will need to provide copies of your academic transcripts and your teaching certificate or degree.
2
Have at least 1-2 years of teaching experience in the classroom. Getting hands-on experience in the classroom teaching students will make you more attractive to potential employers at schools in Australia. Spend 1-2 years working as a substitute teacher or as a teacher's aid to get experience.^{[2]
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- Many undergraduate degrees in Education will include a practicum where you get experience working as a teacher in a classroom at a local school. If you are a recent graduate, you can use your practicum experience on your job applications.
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3
Complete an Assessment of Overseas Teaching Qualifications if you live abroad. This assessment is required for those who have a teacher qualification from a country outside of Australia. As part of the application, you must provide certified copies of your passport, birth certificate, official academic transcript, and teaching degree or certificate.^{[3]
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- You can access the Application for Assessment of Qualifications on the Teacher's Registration Board of Australia website: https://www.trb.wa.gov.au/Teacher-Registration/Becoming-registered/Overseas-qualified-teachers.
- You must also pay a fee of $120 AUD to process the assessment.
- Send your application in by mail, as electronic applications are not accepted. It can take up to 6 weeks for your application to be processed.
4
Apply for a teaching registration in Australia if you live abroad. Once your assessment of qualifications application has been approved, you can apply for a teaching registration so you can legally work as a teacher in the country. To complete the application, you must provide a certified copy of your birth certificate, passport or driver’s license, and an overseas criminal background check.^{[4]
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- If English is not your first language, you may need to complete an English language test.
- You must also pay a registration fee of $355 AUD.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Applying for Teaching Positions

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Apply for early education positions if you have a degree in early education learning. At this level, you will be teaching students who are 4-8 years old in Kindergarten to Year 3. You will need to have a Bachelor of Education specializing in early childhood, kindergarten to Year 7, or early childhood education and childcare.^{[5]
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- It may also boost your application if you have hands on experience in the classroom with this age group.
Primary education covers students who are 5-11 years old. You will need to be able to teach all subjects for Years 1-6. This means you may teach lessons on English, math, science, history, and art. You will need to have a 4 year Bachelor of Education in Primary or Kindergarten to Year 7 to qualify to teach at this level.^{[6]
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Opt for middle school positions if you are qualified to teach 2 main subjects. At this level, you will need to implement education programs for 10-15 year olds, spanning Year 6-10. You will need to specialize in at least 2 of the following subjects: English, Health and Physical Education, Languages, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS), Technology and Enterprise, or the Arts.^{[7]
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- To qualify for positions at this level, you must have a Bachelor of Education with a specialization middle school learning.
4
Go for positions in secondary education if you are qualified to teach 1 main subject in detail. In secondary education, you will be teaching students who are 16-18 years old, spanning Years 7-12. As part of the curriculum in Australia, you will need to prepare students for post-secondary education or employment. You will also need to teach 1 of the 6 main subjects, developing key skills in the subject.^{[8]
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- To qualify to be a secondary school teacher, you must have a 1 year Bachelor of Education that focuses on secondary education.
- Alternatively, you can qualify if you have at least a 3 year undergraduate degree in a specific subject and a 1 year graduate diploma or a Masters in Secondary Education.
5
Opt for specialized teaching roles to increase your chances of getting a job. You may have a better chance of landing a teaching position if you take on a specialization like languages, music, or special needs. If you have teaching experience in these areas, you may apply for positions to increase your chances of landing a job.^{[9]
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- Teaching English as a second language is also considered a specialization in Australia, so you may opt for positions in this subject to make finding a job easier.
6
Apply for teaching positions in early September. The academic year in Australia is divided into 4 terms that run from late January to late December. Applying for positions in early September will ensure you can start at the beginning of the new school year in January.^{[10]
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- If you're coming from a different country, applying for positions before you arrive in Australia, as this will make obtaining a visa easier.
- Look for open teaching positions online at TES.com: https://www.tes.com/en-au/jobs/.
- You can also email different Australian states to see if there are any open positions or contact private schools in Australia to see if there are any job postings.
7
Include a detailed resume that lists your qualifications and experience. Make sure you include information about your academic experience like the name of the institution, the title of the qualification or degree, and the year you completed the degree. You should also list the name of the school, the subject, the year levels taught, and the dates you taught for any teaching experience you have.^{[11]
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- If you have any relevant extra-curricular activities, list them on your resume.
- Include 1-2 references who are teachers, school administrators, or education professionals to boost your resume.
8
Provide example lesson plans, if requested. Having example lesson plans can make your job applications stand out and show potential employers that you are a capable educator. You may include lesson plans that relate to the subject you are applying for to illustrate you have the skills necessary for the position.^{[12]
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- You can also provide lesson plans upon request by potential employers to round out your application.
9
Do interviews with potential employers. If you live in Australia, you will do in person interviews. If you live abroad, you will need to do video interviews. Make sure you prepare for the interviews by considering questions like:^{[13]
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- "Why do you want to teach in Australia?"
- "What are your qualifications for the position?"
- "How do you approach teaching others?"
- If you live abroad, you may be asked questions about moving to Australia, like:
  - "Have you lived overseas in the past and if so, where?"
  - "Have you visited Australia before?"
  - "Why do you want to emigrate to Australia?"
  - "How do you plan to move and settle into living in Australia?"

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Adjusting to Teaching Life in Australia

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1
Plan your move to Australia so it goes smoothly. Once you land a teaching position, you should try to organize a place to live close to the school so you do not have to worry about this when you arrive. Look online for rental apartments or stay in a hostel or homestay for 1-2 weeks to help you get settled. Notify your bank and credit card company that you are moving so you can use your accounts when you arrive in Australia.
- Public transit in Australia is good in most areas, as you will need to obtain an Australian driver’s license to drive a car.
- Open a bank account once you arrive in Australia so you can receive your teaching pay. The big banks in Australia are Commonwealth Bank and National Australian Bank.
2
Obtain an Australian education visa or a skilled migration visa. Contact the Australian Visa Bureau for guidance on which visa category you are eligible for. List your employer in Australia in the application to streamline the process.^{[14]
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- The visa process can take several months so apply sooner than later for one so you can legally work in Australia.
- Your employer at the school in Australia can also help you sort out your visa once you are hired.
3
Adjust to the Australian school curriculum. Australia has a national curriculum that focuses on English, history, mathematics, and science. You may need to cover 1 or several of these subjects, depending on which level you are teaching.^{[15]
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- In the final year of secondary school, students can apply for vocation training and other specialities. If you are teaching secondary school, you may need to account for this training in your coursework.
4
Lean on coworkers and superiors for support. The first year teaching in Australia can be fun but challenging, as you will be living and working in a new country. Look to your peers and superiors at school for support. Participate in school events and organizing boards so you can get more involved.
- You can also join a local expat group to meet other people who are new to the country.

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How long does it take to become a teacher in Australia?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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If you get both an undergraduate and graduate degree in teaching, that will take about 6 years total. You may also need 1-2 years of classroom experience (e.g., as a student teacher). If you live abroad, you’ll also have to complete an Assessment of Overseas Teaching Qualifications, which can take several weeks to process.

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How much does a teacher in Australia earn in a year?

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Primary school teachers can make anywhere from about AU$50,000 to AU$94,000 per year. Salaries vary depending on factors like the region, the teacher’s experience level and qualifications, and the grade level at which they are teaching.

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Is there a shortage of teachers in Australia?

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Yes, there is a critical shortage of teachers in Australia as of the beginning of 2020. There’s a particular need for teachers in the fields of technology, English, PE, math, and science.

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