The Australian Qualifications Framework

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The AQF Second Edition January 2013

The AQF Second Edition January 2013 provides the complete set of AQF policies and objectives and information about the governing and monitoring arrangements for the AQF. Implementation arrangements for the revised AQF are also included.

Addendums to the Second Edition

Additional AQF Qualification: Undergraduate Certificate
An addendum has been published to the AQF Second Edition January 2013 to add a new qualification type to the AQF, the Undergraduate Certificate, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Addendum No.5 to the AQF Second Edition January 2013: Amended Qualification Type: AQF Issuance Policy, Masters Degree (Extended) 
An Addendum No.5 to the AQF Second Edition January 2013: Amended Qualification Type: AQF Issuance Policy, Masters Degree (Extended) has been published to incorporate changes to the AQF Issuance Policy. 
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AQF Explanations

A set of written explanations on the AQF, that formalise responses provided to the many stakeholder requests for support in understanding the AQF over the past year, can be found below. They are intended to assist those using the AQF and do not change the AQF in any way or add any additional requirements. The Explanation on the Volume of Learning was updated in May 2014.

Explanations about AQF terminology are as follows:

Credit

AQF terminology

AQF Glossary of terminology

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) includes qualifications across the different education and training sectors and in a broad range of fields of study/disciplines. The terms used in the AQF are not sector specific and do not preclude sector-specific terms being used in the different education and training sectors.

To maximise consistency in understanding and interpretation of the terminology used in the AQF, the terminology is defined in a glossary. The terminology is an essential component of the levels criteria, qualification type descriptors and policies which cannot be correctly used without the use of the definitions in the glossary.

View or download the AQF glossary.

All of the terms in the glossary are defined in the context of their use in AQF policies. Only those words or phrases that occur in the AQF levels criteria, qualification type specifications or policies are included in the glossary.