FAQs

Changes to the Issuance Policy - Masters Degree (Extended) Addendum 5

Why has the Issuance Policy been updated/changed?

The Issuance Policy has been updated to include an exception for the pharmacy profession.  

From 1 January 2025, graduates who have completed the course requirements for an AQF Level 9 Masters Degree (Extended) course in the pharmacy discipline will be able to use the qualification title ‘Doctor of Pharmacy’.  

Pharmacy graduates who have not completed an AQF Level 9 Masters Degree (Extended) cannot use the title ‘Doctor of’.  

Who else can use the title ‘Doctor of’ or ‘Dr’?

Exceptions were already available for five other professions completing an AQF Level 9 Masters Degree (Extended): medical practice; physiotherapy; dentistry; optometry and veterinary practice. The use of the qualification title ‘Doctor of …’ is also permitted for two Masters Degree (Extended) qualifications in podiatry: the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine and Doctor of Clinical Podiatry.

Individuals who have been awarded a Doctoral Degree at AQF Level 10 are entitled to use the title ‘Doctor’. This includes Pharmacists, noting there are restrictions related to advertising the title ‘Doctor’ in a health setting (see below).

Are there any restrictions on how the title ‘Doctor of’ or ‘Dr of’ can be used?

Yes. The use of the title ‘Doctor of’ must comply with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency Guidelines for Advertising a Regulated Health Service. When the title ‘Doctor’ or ‘Dr’ is used it should be made clear it refers to the profession the health practitioner holds registration in. Pharmacists will need to make it clear that their qualification title refers to pharmacy – Doctor of Pharmacy.

How is a pharmacy degree at AQF Level 9 Masters Degree (Extended) different to a Masters Degree or other post graduate pharmacy courses?

To enter into a Masters Degree (Extended), you must have completed a minimum of a 3 year AQF Level 7 Bachelor Degree qualification.

The purpose of the Masters Degree (Extended) is to qualify individuals who apply an advanced body of knowledge in a range of contexts for professional practice and as a pathway for further learning. Under the AQF, the volume of learning of a Masters Degree (Extended) is typically 3 – 4 years following completion of a minimum of a 3-year AQF Level 7 Bachelors Degree qualification.

Does the change to the Issuance Policy change pharmacy registration requirements?

No. For information about registration requirements, please go to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

Vocational Degree

What is a Vocational Degree?

The learning outcomes of a Vocational Degree are comparable to the existing Bachelor Degree delivered in the higher education sector, but qualifications will have a greater focus on advanced skill attainment, and the application of specialised knowledge and technical skills.

The Vocational Degree has been designed to enable all modes of training delivery – including apprenticeships.

Why was the Vocational Degree introduced?  

The Australian Government’s White Paper on Jobs and Opportunities: Working Future was released on 25 September 2023. The White Paper found that people will increasingly need higher-level tertiary skills as jobs require more employees with advanced levels of technical knowledge and skills.  

The Vocational Degree was introduced to leverage the strengths and organisational expertise of the VET sector to deliver skills-based, industry focused qualifications.

Who approves Vocational Degrees?

Vocational Degrees can be developed and approved as per the standard pathways in the VET sector: either through Jobs and Skills Councils and the Training Package process or as Accredited Courses accredited by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA), and Western Australia’s Training Accreditation Council (WA TAC).

Who can develop Vocational Degrees?  

New qualifications will be developed where there are genuine skills needs and demand from industry. This will take some time; however, TAFE Centres of Excellence and Jobs and Skills Councils have already commenced work to scope and develop Vocational Degree curricula.

Undergraduate Certificate

Who accredits Undergraduate Certificates?

The Undergraduate Certificate is a higher education qualification, formally recognised under the AQF. Undergraduate Certificates are accredited by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). Self-accrediting higher education providers, such as universities, are authorised by TEQSA to accredit their own AQF qualifications.

How is course content for the Undergraduate Certificate developed?

The Undergraduate Certificate is a higher education qualification of six months equivalent full-time study where course content is drawn from higher education units at AQF levels 5, 6 or 7. The Undergraduate Certificate may be used to articulate with an existing qualification at AQF levels 5, 6, or 7 and may also be utilised as a nested qualification at the 5, 6 or 7 AQF level.

Who can offer an Undergraduate Certificate?

Only higher education providers that have been registered by Australia’s national accrediting body, TEQSA, can offer the Undergraduate Certificate to students. TEQSA maintains the National Register of higher education providers which lists all providers, including authorised self-accrediting higher education providers and the qualifications they are authorised to issue.

Will my Undergraduate Certificate be recognised after June 2025?

Yes. The Education and Skills Ministers from the Australian, State and Territory Governments have agreed to make the Undergraduate Certificate a permanent qualification under the AQF. Therefore, the previous sunset of 30 June 2025 no longer applies.

Accreditation

Who accredits AQF qualifications?

AQF qualifications are accredited by:

In higher education, the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA) is the national accrediting body which:

• registers higher education providers and universities,
• accredits qualifications developed by non self-accrediting providers, and
• authorises universities and designated higher education providers to self-accredit their qualifications.

The Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA) maintains the National Register of higher education providers which lists all providers, including authorised self-accrediting higher education providers and the qualifications they are authorised to issue.

Self-accrediting higher education providers, such as universities, are authorised by TEQSA to accredit their own AQF qualifications.

If you wish to know more about a self-accrediting provider, click on the National Register of higher education providers. This will take you to the websites of universities and self-accrediting higher education providers where you also can search for the qualifications these providers issue.

In the vocational education and training sector there are three bodies authorised to accredit qualifications.

• The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) accredits qualifications and registers national providers and/or providers for international students.
• The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) accredits qualifications and registers providers operating solely in Victoria issuing qualifications only to Australian students.
• The Western Australian Training Accreditation Council accredits qualifications and registers Western Australian providers operating solely in Western Australia issuing qualifications only to Australian students.

Information on accredited qualifications in the vocational education and training sector can be found on the National Register on VET in Australia which is located on the training.gov.au website.

Where can I find out whether my provider is registered and whether my course is an AQF qualification?

If you are studying through a VET provider, you can find this information on the National Register of VET on www.training.gov.au.

If you are studying through a higher education provider, this information can be found on the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency’s website under the National Register of Higher Education Providers.

AQF qualifications can be found on the national registers listed above, unless they have been accredited by a self-accrediting higher education provider. If you are studying at a self-accrediting higher education provider, contact the institution or search their website to seek further information about their courses.

How do I become a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) or a Higher Education Provider?

The AQF itself does not register institutions. In Australia, this is undertaken by National or State/Territory accrediting authorities.

Registered Training Organisations for the Vocational Education and Training Sector

Information on becoming an RTO can be found on the website of the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).

Some VET providers in Victoria and Western Australia continue to come under the jurisdiction of their respective state regulators, the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority and the Western Australian Training Accreditation Council. These are providers that do not offer courses outside Victoria and Western Australia, and do not offer courses to overseas students.

Higher Education Sector

Information on becoming a higher education provider can be found on the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency website.

What are professional qualifications?

Professional associations or boards specify the qualifications required for professional practice. Some professional associations also accredit specific courses at institutions for entry into a particular profession. More information on this can be found by searching the website of the professional association for your field of study/profession.

Recognition of previous study and pathways

How do I get credit for recognition of prior learning and/or experience?

You need to discuss this directly with your education provider. Usually you will need to be enrolled in a course to apply for recognition of prior learning (RPL) and there is often a charge for the service. The process is one of matching what you already know against the learning outcomes of the course you want to study. The AQF includes a pathways policy which provides information for students and providers.

What study pathways are available to me?

All higher education and vocational education and training providers are required to have policies regarding pathways between qualifications and recognition of previous learning and/or experience that you may have. You will need to provide evidence of your previous study and any relevant work experience. Check the website of the provider where you wish to study or contact their student counsellor for more information. The AQF includes a pathways policy which provides information for students and providers.

I studied my qualification prior to 1995 when the AQF was first introduced, how do I know what it is equivalent to?

Please see our section on previous versions of the AQF and pre-AQF equivalencies.

I am an employer, how can I get prospective employees’ qualifications verified?

After receiving graduation documentation from your prospective employee, it is best to directly contact the tertiary institution at which the study was completed to have a qualification verified.

For VET qualifications, if the training organisation that issued the qualification is no longer registered, you may wish to contact the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) for information on the qualification. For higher education qualifications, if the institution that issued the qualification is no longer registered, you may wish to contact the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).

Recognition of foreign qualifications

How can I get my overseas qualification recognised in Australia?

More information is available on the Qualifications Recognition page of the International Education website.

About AQF and general information

What is the AQF?

The AQF is Australia’s national framework of qualifications in the school, vocational education and training and higher education sectors. It was developed in 1995 and has been revised a number of times, with the most recent major revision taking place in 2011 with full effect from January 2015. It is an agreed policy of Commonwealth, state and territory governments.

How do I know if a qualification is an AQF qualification?

All AQF qualifications are quality assured through government accreditation processes. Education providers that issue AQF qualifications have been authorised to do so under law.

AQF qualifications are identified by inclusion of the AQF logo, or the words: This qualification is recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework.

In the higher education sector, AQF qualifications are accredited either by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), or by a self-accrediting higher education provider such as a university. Qualifications accredited by TEQSA can be found on the National Register. For institutions with self-accrediting authority, you will need to contact the institution for details of the courses they have accredited.

In the vocational education and training sector, qualifications are accredited by either the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) or the Western Australian Training Accreditation Council (TAC) and are listed on the National Register at www.training.gov.au.

How do I find an AQF qualification to suit my needs?

You can find programs of learning leading to AQF qualifications by searching:

• MySkills website which contains information about the AQF qualifications provided in the vocational education and training sector
• Course Seeker and Quality Indicators for learning and teaching website both contain information about the AQF qualifications provided in the higher education sector
• Courses and Qualifications via the Study Assist website.

What is a non-AQF qualification?

Non-AQF qualifications are those that are not government quality assured and not accredited by the Australian higher education or vocational education and training accreditation authorities. They should not have AQF qualification titles.

What are the titles and abbreviations of AQF qualifications?

AQF titles are outlined in the table below. Some further examples of abbreviations are below the table:

Examples:

• CertIIBus – Certificate II in Business
• CertIVHosp – Certificate IV in Hospitality
• AdvDipBldDes – Advanced Diploma of Building Design
• AssocDEng – Associate Degree of Engineering
• GradCertIT – Graduate Certificate in Information Technology

How do I know which qualification I need for specific jobs?

The Labour Market Insights website provides information about which qualifications are required for specific jobs. The Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) also provides information on qualifications required for work.

Other websites that may be useful are the Workforce Australia website and the MyFuture website.

What qualification do I need to become a trainer in the VET sector?

For information on meeting trainer and assessor requirements, please refer to the Australian Skills Quality Authority’s website.

I am an overseas student wanting to find out more information on study and qualifications in Australia, where should I go?

The Australian Government website, Study Australia, provides comprehensive information about studying in Australia. Another website that might be of use is the Commonwealth Register of Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS), which has a database that lists all institutions registered to provide courses to overseas students.

Interpretation of the AQF

Where can I get advice on the interpretation of the AQF?

Questions that relate to interpretation of the AQF for regulatory purposes should be directed to the relevant regulator.

In higher education, this is the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).

In the vocational education and training sector (VET), this is usually the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). Some VET providers in Victoria and Western Australia fall under the jurisdiction of their respective state regulators, the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority and the Western Australian Training Accreditation Council. Each VET provider’s entry on training.gov.au provides the name of the relevant regulator.

Certification

What is a statement of attainment?

A statement of attainment is issued when a student has successfully completed a number of accredited units of study which do not amount to a full qualification. The statement should meet the requirements set out in the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy and any applicable standards for the sector.

My training provider has closed. How can I get a copy of my qualification or have my qualification verified?

Details of current and non-current registered training organisations may be found on the National Register of Vocational Education and Training on the training.gov.au website. If your training organisation has closed, you may be able to obtain information on your qualification from the relevant VET regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) if the provider was in any state other than Victoria or Western Australia and the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority if the provider was in Victoria and the WA Training Accreditation Council if the provider was in Western Australia. Depending on the age of your qualification, information may not available.

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) National Register of Higher Education Providers lists details of current higher education providers. If your provider has closed, you may wish to contact TEQSA to see if you can be provided with further information. Depending on the age of your qualification, information may not be available.

I have a question about my entitlement to certification for the study I have completed, or what should be included on that certification

Requirements for certification are set out in the national standards that apply to registered organisations in the VET or Higher Education sectors. These standards are the Higher Education Standards Framework for Higher Education qualifications and the Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 for VET qualifications. These documents also reference the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy.

For questions about your certification, you should consult your education provider in the first instance. If you have further queries, you should contact the relevant regulator: for higher education: the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, and for vocational education and training: the Australian Skills Quality Authority.

I have a question about the Unique Student Identifier (USI) or my USI transcript

You should consult the Unique Student Identifier website, and contact the USI team through that website if you have further queries.

AQF Logo

Where can I get a copy of the AQF logo?

The logo is available for download on our website. If you are a provider registered with the relevant sector regulator, you do not need to complete a permission form for the logo to be used on testamurs or for advertising an AQF qualification.

Permission must be sought for any other use of the logo, such as using portions of the AQF in publications or learning materials. Please email us at aqfc@aqf.edu.au if you require permission.

The AQF logo must not be used by unregistered providers.

What needs to be included on testamurs and statements of attainment in the VET sector?

Information on testamurs and statements of attainment in the VET sector is outlined in the Users’ Guide to the Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 which is available on the Australian Skills Quality Authority website.

Complaints

How can I make a complaint about my education provider?

It is best for you to try to resolve the complaint directly with your education provider. All education providers are required to have processes in place to deal with student complaints. For public education providers (for example, TAFEs and public universities) you may be able to contact the relevant Commonwealth, state or territory Ombudsman with your complaint. International students studying with a private education provider can contact the Overseas Student Ombudsman.

For higher education providers, you may wish to contact the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). TEQSA uses information from student complaints in assessing whether a registered higher education provider continues to comply with the Higher Education Standards Framework.

For vocational education and training providers, the national regulator is the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). ASQA is responsible for assessing the compliance of VET providers with the VET Quality Framework, including the Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations available on the ASQA website.

Some VET institutions in Victoria and Western Australia may come under the jurisdiction of their respective state regulators, rather than ASQA. These state regulators are the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority and the Western Australian Training Accreditation Council. You can check which regulator has jurisdiction over your VET provider by consulting the provider’s registration information on the National Register at training.gov.au.

Changes to Master's Degree specifications

Our organisation has adjusted our Master's Degrees to meet the Specifications of the AQF 2013. Do we need to make any further changes to be compliant with the new 2014 Master's Degree Specification?

No. If your Masters Degrees met the requirements of the AQF 2013 there is no need for further work. The changes to the Specification are minor and involve only the documentation of the volume of learning. The key aspect – the learning outcomes of the Masters Degree – remain the same.

What are the changes to the Master's Degree specification?

The revised Master's Degree Specification is included in the Addendum to the AQF Second Edition January 2013: Amended Qualification Type: Masters Degree. This Addendum replaces pages 59-62 of the AQF Second Edition. The two key changes are summarized below.

Change 1

The volume of learning descriptors for the Masters Degree (Research) and the Masters Degree (Coursework) have been simplified by deleting the former complex prescriptions. The volume of learning descriptors now comprise a single sentence, and are as follows:

• Volume of learning
• The volume of learning of a Masters Degree (Research) is typically 1 – 2 years.
• The volume of learning of a Masters Degree (Coursework) is typically 1 – 2 years.
• The volume of learning of a Masters Degree (Extended) is typically 3 – 4 years following completion of a minimum of a 3 year level 7 qualification

Change 2

The statement on the volume of learning under the heading Responsibility for accreditation and development (last dot point at page 62) AQF Second Edition 2013 has been amplified:

• The volume of learning is sufficient for graduates to achieve the learning outcomes for a qualification of this level and type. The volume of learning must take into account the level of the previous qualification and / or knowledge and skills required for entry and whether the purpose is for deepening or broadening knowledge and skills

Are the volume of learning requirements of the Masters Degree in any way affected by the changes?

No. There is no change to policy.

Why were the changes made, who was involved and what are the benefits?

Stakeholders had expressed concerns that the former statement on the volume of learning was overly complex, unnecessarily prescriptive and removed focus from the important aspect – the learning outcomes.

The new Masters Specification was developed with the advice of the higher education members of the AQF Council and in consultation with the Universities Australia AQF Standing Group, TEQSA and representatives of other higher education providers, including CoPHE and ACPET.

The changes make the Masters Degree Specification more user-friendly and bring greater consistency and clarity to the AQF. The volume of learning statement for the Masters Degree is now consistent with that for other AQF qualifications. The amplification of the statement on the volume of learning (see the Addendum page 8) makes it consistent with the statement for the Graduate Certificate and the Graduate Diploma qualification types, which often are nested within the Master Degree (Coursework). The removal of the prescriptive elements maximises professional discretion in the design and development of programs of learning leading to a Masters Degree.