• Application guide for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore

    Version 1.0: Effective from 1 January 2026

    Application guide for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore  (PDF, 251 KB)

    Background

    This guide reflects TEQSA’s current process for registered and prospective higher education providers to follow when applying to become an ‘authorised offshore provider’ under Part 3A of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act).

    We are undertaking a review of our regulatory risk framework that will inform the evolution of TEQSA’s regulatory approach. This will ensure regulatory efforts are aligned with the most critical risks that require regulatory intervention, allowing TEQSA to most effectively prioritise our resources and regulatory activities. We are engaging in wider consultation with the sector about a revised regulatory risk and quality assurance framework.

    The best way to stay informed about consultation opportunities and updates about TEQSA’s approach to risk-based regulation is to sign up to our monthly TEQSA e-News update.

    This guide will be updated as we further align our regulatory processes and operations to a revised regulatory risk and quality assurance framework.

    Assessment scope

    Registered and prospective higher education providers seeking to offer or confer Australian higher education awards for courses delivered at offshore premises must apply to TEQSA for authorisation under section 44E of the TEQSA Act.

    TEQSA’s assessment of an application for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore covers the following standards of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (Threshold Standards):

    Section Standards
    Admission 1.1
    Learning Outcomes and Assessment 1.4
    Qualifications and Certification 1.5
    Facilities and Infrastructure 2.1
    Diversity and Equity 2.2
    Wellbeing and Safety 2.3
    Course Design 3.1.4
    Staffing 3.2
    Learning Resources and Educational Support 3.3
    Academic and Research Integrity 5.2
    Delivery with Other Parties (if applicable) 5.4
    Corporate Governance 6.1
    Corporate Monitoring and Accountability 6.2.1
    Academic Governance 6.3

    If we identify unmitigated risks to quality and integrity in offshore delivery during our assessment that affect standards beyond the specified assessment scope, our regulatory response and assessment will be proportionate to those risks and tailored to the specific circumstances.

    We will contact you if we need more information, or if the scope of our assessment changes, giving you the chance to provide additional details and address our concerns before we reach a decision on the application.

    Please refer to our website for more information about how we regulate.

    Procedural fairness

    TEQSA is committed to affording procedural fairness to applicants before deciding on an application that adversely and directly affects their rights and interests. These include:

    • giving an applicant notice of each prejudicial matter that may be considered against them
    • giving an applicant a reasonable opportunity to be heard on those matters before an adverse decision is made
    • the adverse decision will be soundly based on the facts and issues that were raised during the application process, and this will be apparent in the records of the decision.

    The precise requirements for procedural fairness can vary from one situation to another. The required procedural steps may vary according to the nature of the matter being dealt with and the facts and issues in dispute. The steps TEQSA will take in each situation will be tailored to ensure that they are consistent with procedural fairness requirements that apply to the situation.

    Overview

    Stage 1 Prepare your application
    The evidence requirements for all applications for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore are specified in this application guide and published on TEQSA’s website. You are encouraged to review relevant resources, published guides and guidance notes in preparing your application.
    Stage 2 Submit your application
    The application must be in the approved form and accompanied by the required evidence and the relevant application fee.
    Stage 3 TEQSA’s assessment
    TEQSA’s assessment team assesses the application and documents its findings. This stage may involve requests for additional information, or an expansion of assessment scope consistent with identified risks.
    Stage 4 Findings and recommendations
    The assessment team makes recommendations to the TEQSA decision maker.
    Stage 5 Decision
    Decision on the application is made by the TEQSA decision maker. TEQSA notifies the applicant of the outcome, and the reasons for the decision.
    Stage 6 Publication
    TEQSA publishes the decision, and the reasons for the decision, on the National Register.

    Application process

    Stage 1: Prepare your application

    In preparing your application, TEQSA highly recommends that you closely review the requirements of the TEQSA Act and Threshold Standards to understand your obligations. The outcomes of your institutional governance and quality assurance processes should demonstrate how you comply with each of these obligations.

    Applications by prospective higher education providers for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore must be accompanied by an application for provider registration.

    Evidence requirements

    TEQSA has recently revised its approach to the evidence it requires for application-based assessments.

    Our intention is to reduce the required volume of evidence, such that a detailed and comprehensive self-assurance report, together with evidence of oversight of quality and integrity in the recruitment, admission, and support of students, the delivery of Australian courses and conferral of Australian awards offshore, compliance with offshore laws and regulatory systems, and management of third-party arrangements (TPAs) by the peak governing body, will typically be sufficient to demonstrate compliance with the Threshold Standards.

    Where TEQSA establishes that mechanisms for oversight are satisfactorily robust, it should not be necessary to seek further evidence.

    Applications for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore should include the following evidence:

    • A written submission of no more than 10 pages outlining how the provider’s governing body has assured itself of the integrity of its oversight of quality and integrity in the provision of Australian courses offshore, and that it continues to comply with the Threshold Standards (self-assurance report)
    • An index listing any supporting evidence referenced throughout the self-assurance report (index)
    • Where delivery is to be undertaken with a third party, details of the arrangement including proposed division of responsibilities and quality assurance arrangements, with supporting evidence (third-party arrangement details)
    • A document listing the Australian courses to delivered offshore with their TEQSA course IDs (where accredited by TEQSA), and details of the planned delivery site(s), including: street address, city, state, country, postcode, phone number, website, and whether the delivery site is owned/leased by the provider, or by another provider (course and delivery site details).

    In completing your application, you are asked to submit the documents requested above. Any additional supporting evidence should be listed in the self-assurance report index and made available to TEQSA if requested.

    Self-assurance report

    In preparing the report, you should consider the risks relevant to recruitment, admission, and support of students, delivery of Australian courses and conferral of Australian awards, compliance with offshore laws and regulatory systems, and management of third parties, and individual provider and sector-wide risks to quality and integrity in offshore delivery. We encourage all providers to review the key considerations for providers preparing a self-assurance report for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore. 

    Stage 2: Submit your application

    Submitting your application

    Section 44B of the TEQSA Act outlines the requirements for applying for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore.

    Applications for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore are to be:

    • In the approved form. The authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore form is available in the Provider Portal.
    • Accompanied by any information, documents and assistance that TEQSA requests. The information and documentation that we request is documented above, unless otherwise specified.
    • Accompanied by the relevant fee. Fees are determined under s158 of the TEQSA Act. Please visit our website for more information on our application fees.

    The application will only be considered received by TEQSA once the approved form, requested evidence and fee payment have been received.

    TEQSA expects that most of the evidence you are referencing in your application and self-assurance report will be existing documents that have been produced and used for internal purposes. We encourage providers to use URLs and hyperlinks where possible for information that we can easily download from your website. We ask that you do not use URLs or hyperlinks for any internal systems, for example, SharePoint or other document management solutions.

    If you are referencing documents that have already been submitted to TEQSA, please identify in the index where this is the case. It will generally be unnecessary to submit these documents again. Please use the naming conventions described in TEQSA’s guide on naming conventions for evidence.

    When the application is ready, submit it to TEQSA via the Provider Portal. Be sure to include:

    • all required information and evidence
    • a signed declaration.

    Providing false or misleading information in an application is a serious offence under the TEQSA Act.

    Confidentiality and accuracy of information

    TEQSA has statutory obligations in relation to confidentiality, however, we operate within a public accountability framework. Where you consider that your information should be treated as confidential by TEQSA, you should contact us before providing the information. For further details, see our approach to confidential information.

    Payment of assessment fees

    After you submit your application, you will receive an invoice as final confirmation of your application and request for payment. Note that TEQSA does not have an online payment facility.

    TEQSA will only commence assessing your application after it has been submitted in the approved form with the requested evidence, and the fee has been paid.

    Application fees do not attract GST. TEQSA’s ABN is 50 658 250 012.

    Stage 3: TEQSA’s assessment

    Section 44C  of the TEQSA Act outlines the process for making decisions on applications for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore.

    TEQSA will assess whether the application and outcomes described in the supporting evidence confirm continuing compliance with the Threshold Standards.

    TEQSA’s assessment focuses on the effectiveness of the provider’s monitoring, review and improvement processes in ensuring key risks to quality and integrity in the provision of Australian courses offshore are being effectively identified and managed.

    Requests for further information

    TEQSA may request further information, documents or assistance from you throughout the assessment process. For example, you may be asked to provide evidence from your index, address apparent gaps or clarify aspects of your evidence, or explain how certain policies and procedures are implemented in practice. We will ask you to respond to requests for further information via the Provider Portal.

    Should TEQSA request documents that are written in a language other than English, TEQSA will require these to be translated by an authorised translator accredited as a ‘Professional Translator’ for the source language into English by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).

    External advice

    In some circumstances, TEQSA may choose to obtain external discipline or governance advice to assist with our analysis of specific parts of an application. External advice may inform TEQSA’s understanding and assessment of application material but does not form the basis for regulatory decisions made by TEQSA.

    Wherever external advice is sought as part of the assessment process, you will be given an opportunity to state whether you consider there to be a potential or real conflict of interest with any of the proposed suppliers in relation to your application. TEQSA will take this into account before deciding which supplier to engage.

    Site visits

    TEQSA may visit one or more of your delivery sites or headquarters if required. We may conduct these virtually or in-person. At this visit, we may, for example, inspect facilities, equipment and resources, or clarify how relevant procedures, policies and operations are implemented through interviews with key personnel.

    Site visits are another way of collecting evidence, and TEQSA will use observations and discussions held during a site visit in our assessment and decision-making to supplement or validate your written evidence. At the site visit, we may interview various groups including students, staff, and members of corporate and academic boards.

    Assessment timeframes

    TEQSA’s assessment timeframes are subject to a range of factors that can affect the time taken to make our assessments, including:

    • the regulatory history of an existing provider, including the outcomes of previous assessments relevant to the application
    • the strength and relevance of evidence presented by the applicant
    • the risk of non-compliance with the Threshold Standards and the ability of the provider to demonstrate it has mitigated those risks
    • the time taken by the provider to respond effectively to requests for information
    • the level of resourcing available to TEQSA
    • whether an adverse outcome is being considered.

    Enquiries about your application

    TEQSA has specialist contact teams across the agency that are best placed to assist you in a timely and efficient manner when you have a specific enquiry about one of our functions.

    For enquiries relating to applications for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore, please contact the Assessment Manager handling your application, or the Transnational Education team at tne@teqsa.gov.au.

    Stage 4: Findings and recommendations

    If the assessment team finds that the requirements of the Threshold Standards are met, it will recommend the TEQSA decision maker approve the application.

    If the assessment team finds that the requirements of the Threshold Standards are not met based on identified concerns, and the concerns form the basis for a recommendation to reject the application, we will provide you with reasons for the proposed rejection. Our obligations to notify providers of a proposed rejection are set out in subsection 44C(6) and section 44D of the TEQSA Act.

    The assessment team will review any commentary and information you provide before presenting final recommendations to the TEQSA decision maker.

    Stage 5: Decision

    The TEQSA decision maker will consider the recommendations made by the assessment team and reach a decision. In reaching a decision, the decision maker will have regard to the 3 basic principles for regulation set out in Part 2 of the TEQSA Act. These are regulatory necessity, reflecting risk, and proportionate regulation.

    The TEQSA decision maker may decide to:

    • approve the application
    • approve the application, but impose conditions on the authorisation
      or
    • reject the application.

    When considering whether to impose conditions, or to reject your application the decision maker will consider any representations made by you in response to the reasons set out by TEQSA.

    Notifying you of the decision

    TEQSA will send you a Notice of Decision within 30 calendar days of making a decision to approve or reject your application. The notice will include the details of any conditions placed on the authorisation as part of the assessment outcome.

    In some cases, we may also request further information and/or may notify you of areas that may be explored further in future regulatory processes or compliance activities. TEQSA may also make observations about areas for improvement to support quality enhancement.

    If your application is rejected, or if conditions are imposed on the authorisation as part of the assessment outcome, we will provide you with reasons for the decision and details of any relevant review rights.

    Our obligations to notify providers of our decisions are set out in section 44D of the TEQSA Act.

    Review of decisions

    Certain decisions made by TEQSA are reviewable. Please refer to our website for more information about reviews of TEQSA decisions.

    Cost recovery

    TEQSA is required to fully recover costs for most regulatory activities in accordance with the Australian Government Cost Recovery Policy. The relevant charges for various compliance activities undertaken by TEQSA, including the charges for monitoring compliance with a condition or voluntary undertaking imposed on a registration, course accreditation, or authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore are set out on the part of TEQSA’s website concerning the registered higher education provider charge (RHEP charge).

    Stage 6: Publication

    Public report

    TEQSA normally publishes reports of all decisions about provider registration, course accreditation, and authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore to facilitate transparency of our processes, regulatory decisions and the reasons for those decisions.

    A public report contains the name of the applicant to which the decision relates, the decision that has been made and the main reasons for the decision, and the legislative provision(s) which were the subject of the findings that informed the decision. If your application is rejected or conditions are imposed on the course, TEQSA will consider any feedback you may have given on the draft public report before this is published on the National Register.

    Refer to TEQSA’s policy about public statements on TEQSA’s regulatory decisions and processes for more information on our approach.

    Updating the National Register

    Where an application has been approved, or where review rights have expired following a decision to reject an application or to impose conditions, the relevant entry on the National Register will be updated. Where conditions are imposed on the authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore as an outcome of the assessment, details of those conditions will also be published.

    Please refer to our website to access the National Register.

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  • How to apply for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore

    Registered and prospective higher education providers may apply to TEQSA for authorisation to offer or confer Australian higher education awards for one or more offshore provided Australian courses of study.

    Applications must be submitted using the approved online application form through the Provider Portal, include all information requested, and be accompanied by the applicable fee. See more information on our fees page.

    The application will only be considered received by TEQSA once the approved form, requested evidence and fee payment have been received.

    Application guide for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore

    It is essential that providers read the application guide for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore before submitting an application. The application guide explains the application process, sets out the required evidence that will need to be submitted with each application, and provides guidance in preparing the application.

    Key considerations for providers preparing a self-assurance report (authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore)

    All providers are required to prepare and submit a self-assurance report as part of an application for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore. This report should demonstrate the effectiveness of a provider’s self-assurance processes in monitoring, managing and mitigating risks to quality and integrity in the provision of Australian courses offshore including to recruitment, admission and support of students, delivery of Australian courses and conferral of Australian awards, compliance with offshore laws and regulatory systems, and management of third parties as an integral part of their day-to-day operations.

    Guidance on what TEQSA recommends providers consider in preparing the report is available on our website.

    Further information

    For more information or assistance with preparing an application for authorisation to provide Australian courses offshore, please contact the Transnational Education team at tne@teqsa.gov.au. 
     

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  • Contact us

    Provider enquiries

    Provider enquiries can be directed to:

    General enquiries

    General enquiries can be directed to:

    Reporting academic cheating services

    Use this form to report a suspected illegal academic cheating service or website

    Complaints or concerns

    To raise a complaint or concern about a provider, visit our Raising a complaint or concern page.

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    If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service.

    Postal address

    TEQSA
    GPO Box 1672
    MELBOURNE VIC 3001

    Media enquiries

    Visit our Media Centre.

    Request a TEQSA speaker

    TEQSA welcomes the opportunity to speak at higher education, government and regulatory or quality assurance events.

    To request a TEQSA speaker, please complete our online form for a response within 5 working days.

    Key contacts at TEQSA (for providers)

    TEQSA has specialist contact teams across the agency that are best placed to assist you in a timely and efficient manner when you have a specific enquiry. 

    Provider portal

    If you have a query about the provider portal, contact the TEQSA Enquiries Management team at providerenquiries@teqsa.gov.au.

    More information is available on our Provider portal page. 

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    Related links

  • Provider enquiries help and support

    On 1 April 2025, TEQSA implemented a new centralised enquiries approach that will deliver greater benefits for registered higher education providers.

    TEQSA’s Enquiries Management team is now the dedicated first point of contact for all new provider enquiries.

    Providers making a future enquiry should use the following contact details:

    TEQSA will aim to respond provider enquiries within 5 business days. Complex enquiries may take longer, however we will keep you updated and informed on our progress including when additional time is needed.

    The shift to a centralised model, foreshadowed during our service charter consultation in 2024, reinforces TEQSA’s commitment to deliver high-quality and timely service to the higher education sector.

    With the release of our updated service charter later this year, TEQSA remains focused on continuous monitoring and review to strengthen our service and approach to stakeholder engagement.

    More information

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  • Vale Dr Lin Martin AO, TEQSA Commissioner 2015-2020

    TEQSA was saddened to learn of the passing of former TEQSA Commissioner Dr Linley (Lin) Martin AO, on 28 December 2025.

    Dr Martin was appointed as a TEQSA Commissioner in 2015 and made a valuable contribution to TEQSA through to January 2020. Beyond her role as Commissioner, Dr Martin is recognised for her significant contributions to Australian higher education, including in the areas of student equity policy and enhancing the student experience.

    Dr Martin held several key roles across the Australian higher education sector throughout the span of her career.  She was a strategic leader and policy thinker working across several higher education institutions, including RMIT University, The University of Melbourne, Deakin University, the University of New South Wales, Flinders University and the University of South Australia. She was a mentor to many colleagues across the sector while also contributing in the roles of Non-Executive Director of Cooperative Action by Victorian Academic Libraries (CAVAL) and Senior Adviser to the Bradley Review in 2008, among a broad array of other key sector appointments.

    In 2020 she was appointed an Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to education, and particularly to student equity, educational standards and academic administration.

    On behalf of past and present Commissioners and staff, TEQSA extends its deepest sympathies to Dr Martin’s loved ones and colleagues.

    Date
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    Lin Martin

  • Provider portal information

    TEQSA provider portal security update
    TEQSA has strengthened its level of protection in the provider portal to protect users against digital data attacks. Further details

    What is the provider portal?

    The provider portal is an initiative to make it easier for higher education providers to engage with TEQSA, by submitting applications and responding to information requests online.

    Access to the provider portal is by login only – TEQSA supplies login and password details to providers as required.  

    Features of the portal include:

    • providers can work progressively on applications online
    • the ability to access both TEQSA and CRICOS application forms, upload documents and links as evidence, and submit multiple applications
    • generate a PDF version of applications at any time to check on progress
    • edit evidence (including the ability to delete documents) in any section up until an application is submitted
    • respond to information requests online and submit any additional evidence that may be requested
    • see the status of assessments generated as a result of an application.

    The provider portal also acts as a document repository that allows providers to reuse documents already submitted as part of other applications or information requests. 

    TEQSA staff have access to the provider portal and can assist with any questions or administration – including maintaining the document repository – however TEQSA case teams will only commence work on applications following submission and the receipt of payment. Such access will typically only be used when requested by a provider in order to address questions or assist the provider in some way.

    We welcome feedback on the provider portal and will work to progressively implement improvements.

    Provider portal – frequently asked questions (FAQs)

    Provider portal walkthrough video

    The provider portal walkthrough video provides an overview and shows how to create, manage and submit applications, and update and submit requests.

    View the provider portal walkthrough video on our YouTube channel.

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  • Provider portal - frequently asked questions (FAQs)

    Body

    This document contains responses to frequently asked questions relating to the TEQSA provider portal. Contact the TEQSA Enquiries Management team at providerenquiries@teqsa.gov.au if you have additional questions.

    Getting started

    1. How is access to the provider portal arranged?

    For existing TEQSA registered providers, the principal contact or CEO/PEO should email the TEQSA Enquiries Management team (providerenquiries@teqsa.gov.au), and include the full name, email address, phone number and role (TEQSA application contact, ESOS application contact, or both) for the proposed user/s. TEQSA will email the login details and relevant information to the nominated user/s directly.

    For prospective initial registration applicants, the principal contact or CEO/PEO should email the Initial Registration Assessment team (new.registration.enquiries@teqsa.gov.au) approximately 6 months prior to applying for initial registration to TEQSA to arrange portal access.

    2.  Which internet browsers can I use to access the provider portal?

    For a PC:

    Chrome

    Internet Explorer (IE) 10 or 11
    For a Mac:

    Chrome

    		  

    Check what version of what browser you are currently using.

    Note:

    • The portal, including application forms, will not behave correctly in other browsers (e.g. Firefox)
    • Specific portal functions (e.g. drag-and-drop functionality) will not work in earlier versions of Internet Explorer
    • If using IE11 and Active X filtering block is set on, the display of invoices at the point of submission may be blocked - use Chrome instead
    • If using Windows 8 and IE11, some portal functions may not work – if you are experiencing issues, try using Chrome instead.

    3. How can I change or reset my password?

    The initial password is a temporary password assigned by TEQSA. The user is required to change this on first log in. The federal government requirement is that passwords are at least nine characters long, and contain at least:

    • one upper case alphabet character
    • one lower case alphabet character
    • one number
    • one of the following special characters: !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, * and/or -

    Users can self-manage their portal password using the ‘Forgotten your login details?’ option on the Sign In screen, or ‘Change Password’ drop-down option when logged in to the portal (not available when working within an application form). Passwords used in the past year cannot be re-used.

    Note: Five failed login attempts from the Sign In screen will lock the user’s account. If your account is locked, the ‘Forgotten your login details?’ functionality will not work, and you will need to contact the TEQSA CRM team (CRM@teqsa.gov.au) to have your account unlocked and password reset.

    4. Is there a time out period?

    There is a time out after 30 minutes of inactivity. The message ‘Your current session has expired, please login again.’ will appear if you try to do anything in the portal after 30 minutes of inactivity. You can log back in to resume work.

    Note: Changes made but not saved before the time out occurs will be lost.

    5. What training materials are available?

    A walkthrough video is available on our YouTube channel. Contact the TEQSA Enquiries Management team at providerenquiries@teqsa.gov.au if you require additional assistance.

    6. Is there a limit to the number of users who can have provider portal access?

    No. There is no restriction on the number of provider portal users for any given provider.

    7. Will all users have the same rights, or will the ability to submit applications and requests be restricted to selected people?

    All portal users for the same provider have the same level of access to the provider portal. All users can update any existing application or request, and create and submit applications. The ‘Modified By’ and ‘Submitted By’ details show the last user to update/submit an application or request.

    8. Can TEQSA staff see what providers are working on in the provider portal?

    Yes. TEQSA staff will have access to the provider portal to assist with any questions or administration, including maintaining the document repository, but TEQSA Assessment Managers will only commence work on applications and requests following submission (and receipt of any applicable fee/s).

    Note: TEQSA staff will not usually look at the provider portal unless it is necessary to do so following contact from a provider (e.g. in order to address questions or assist the provider in some way).

    9. How will the provider portal support related providers where the same contact deals with TEQSA with regard to more than one provider?

    Each username is linked to a single registered legal entity (not trading name) in the portal, rather than a group of related providers from which a specific provider could be selected.

    The user will require a different username (i.e. email address) for each provider they require portal access for.

    10. How can I view the content of each form?

    Sample portal screenshots and application snapshots of most application forms available in the provider portal can be obtained from the TEQSA Enquiries Management team at providerenquiries@teqsa.gov.au.

    Alternatively, you may also choose to start an application (refer to How do I start an application?) and create a PDF snapshot (refer to How do I take a snapshot of an application?).

    11. How do I start an application?

    Click on the ‘TEQSA Forms’ or ‘CRICOS Forms’ buttons on the left hand side of the Home page or Applications page to see the lists of forms currently available to you in the provider portal. Click on the button for a specific form to read the form overview, then click on the ‘Continue’ button to start an application or the ‘Cancel’ button to return to the Home page.

    Note: You should refer to the relevant guidance notes to confirm evidence requirements, or contact the relevant TEQSA Regulatory Operations team (Initial Registration, Renewal of Registration and/or Courses Teams), if you have specific questions about evidence requirements for your application.

    Providers can contact relevant teams by referring to TEQSA’s key contacts webpage.

    12. What should I do if I want to start an application but cannot find the relevant application form in the lists of available forms?

    Discuss the issue with the TEQSA Enquiries Management team at providerenquiries@teqsa.gov.au. Additional forms can be made available as needed.

    13. How can existing applications be edited (i.e. opened and worked on after initial creation)?

    Click on the ‘…’ icon beside the relevant application on the Home page or Applications page, then select the ‘Edit Application’ menu option.

    Note: If you think that your changes to an application are not being saved between portal sessions, it may be that you are opening a new application each time (by selecting the form from the left hand side menu option) rather than editing your existing application/s.

    Application management

    14. Is there a limit to the number of concurrent applications that a provider can work on in the portal?

    No. There is no limit.

    15. Can multiple users work on the same application at the same time?

    Technically, yes. However, the responses saved by the last user to modify the application will overwrite any changes made by other user. To avoid any possible complications, it is highly recommended that only one person should update any given application at any given time. This must be managed by the provider as there is no system restriction that prevents multiple users accessing the same application at the same time.

    16. Can separate applications be started and worked on by different staff concurrently, and then merged?

    No. There is no merging capability available.

    17. What happens if I use the browser’s Back button when working on an application form?

    Clicking on the browser’s Back button when editing an application form will result in the loss of any unsaved changes. You may be returned to the portal Home page or see a 404 error message displayed on the screen. If this should happen, try using the browser’s Forward button to return to the application form.

    You should use the form navigation links on the left hand side to switch between pages/sections. To exit an application form, click on the ‘Close’ (Overview) or the ‘Save & Close’ (all pages except Overview) button.

    18. What happens if I use the browser’s Refresh button when working on an application form?

    Clicking on the browser’s Refresh button will reload the form. Any unsaved changes will be lost and the first page of the application form will be displayed.

    19. Is there an ‘auto save’ for responses to questions within application forms?

    No. However, a warning message will appear if you try to navigate away from a page without saving any changes you have made.

    20. How do I take a snapshot of an application?

    Click on the ‘Create PDF’ button to take a snapshot of the application as it stands at that point in time. The application snapshot shows all questions, saved responses (e.g. text entry and drop down options selected), and evidence (i.e. files and links) attached.

    21. How do the application guides relate to the application forms?

    The application forms are typically more granular than the corresponding application guides, so providers should use the application form to structure and group evidence when preparing evidence offline. Providers may find that the structure of some application guides differ slightly to the application forms.

    22. Can the course name/s or other description be added to an application to easily identify it when viewing the lists on the Home or Applications page of the portal?

    Yes. Notes can be added against any application, whether submitted or not, by clicking on the ‘…’ icon next to the relevant application (on the Home or Applications page) and selecting the ‘Edit Notes’ menu option.

    Note: These notes do not form part of the application and are not seen by the TEQSA Enquiries Management team (providerenquiries@teqsa.gov.au) or the assessment team.

    23. How will the provider know who has worked on an application?

    All users with access to the provider portal can start, edit and submit applications. The portal will track the name of the person who most recently edited/saved/submitted an application and display this in the ‘Modified By’ column, alongside the date of the change.

    Note: If a user opens an unsubmitted application form and clicks on the ‘Save & Close’ button without making any changes to the application, the ‘Modified By’ and ‘Modified’ details will be updated regardless. To avoid this, use the ‘Close’ button on the Overview page of the form instead.

    24. Can the status of an application be changed from ‘Ready for Submission’ back to ‘Awaiting Provider Completion’?

    No. Selecting ‘Ready to Submit’ within an application allows providers to manage/sort applications by status. However, applications with a status of ‘Ready for Submission’ can still be edited.

    25. How do I delete an application that has been created but not yet submitted?

    Providers cannot delete applications themselves. Please email the TEQSA Enquiries Management team at providerenquiries@teqsa.gov.au, requesting removal/deletion of any unwanted applications.

    Note: Deleted applications will be completely removed from TEQSA systems. Application deletion cannot be reversed.

    26. Are electronic signatures supported?

    No. Templates are provided for declarations. The relevant declaration template should be downloaded from within the application form, printed, signed, scanned and uploaded back into the application.

    27. Will TEQSA provide feedback on the status of applications prior to submission?

    No. TEQSA Assessment Managers do not proactively offer feedback or updates on applications before they are submitted.

    28. Will the portal show the status of an application after submission (i.e. as TEQSA progresses the application)?

    No. Providers only see three status values for applications on the portal: Awaiting Provider Completion; Ready for Submission; and Submitted. The provider does not see the status of applications as they are progressed internally by TEQSA.

    Application reuse

    29. Is it possible to reuse content from applications submitted before provider portal access was granted?

    The provider portal will only display full details for applications that were submitted to TEQSA via the portal. Although records for applications submitted via post/email may appear in the provider portal, they will not include an invoice, PDF snapshot, or the evidence submitted (also, evidence submitted via post/email will not be available in the provider’s document repository).

    30. Can existing portal based applications be copied and saved with changes as a new application?

    No. There is no ‘copy and change’ functionality for applications in the provider portal. Applications submitted via the portal are available for reference, including the PDF snapshot produced by the system at the time of submission (allowing cut and paste of text responses) and the evidence attached - refer to How do I view a submitted application?.

    Evidence (context, documents and links) management

    31. How can text box responses be formatted?

    The data entry fields in application forms allow for basic text entry with no special formatting. If you want to format your response to such questions in a particular way, you could prepare your response offline and submit it as a document (e.g. Word or PDF) in the ‘Attach evidence here’ section (or on the additional information page).

    32. How many characters can be entered into a text box response in an application form?

    A maximum of 4000 characters is allowed (either by direct entry or pasting in copied text). Only the first 4000 characters will display/save if you attempt to copy and paste more than 4000 characters of text.

    A character count message beneath the multiple line text boxes indicates the number of characters in your response - this character count will display in red if your response contains 3900 characters or more. Upload a document (e.g. Word or PDF) in the ‘Attach evidence here’ section (or on the additional information page) if more space is required.

    33. What file types are supported?

    The following file types are supported:

    doc

    pdf

    mp3

    swf

    mdb
    docx

    txt

    mp4

    jpg

    zip
    xls

    csv

    wav

    tif

    html
    xlsx

    xml

    wma

    db

    		  

    Contact the TEQSA Enquiries Management team at providerenquiries@teqsa.gov.au before submitting a file of a type that does not appear in the list above.

    34. Are there any file name restrictions?

    Yes. An error message will appear when attempting to upload any file with a file name:

    • of more than 128 characters in length
    • containing any of the following characters:
    tilde (~)

    asterisk (*)

    pipe (|)

    angle brackets (< or >)
    hash (#)

    plus (+)

    colon (:)

    braces ({ or })
    percent (%)

    slash (/)

    quotation mark (")
    ampersand (&)

    backslash (\)

    question mark (?)

     

    35. Is there a limit to the size of files I can upload?

    Yes. The size limit for each file is 10MB. If you attempt to upload larger files to an application or request, an error message will appear and the applicable row in the file list will turn pink.

    Larger files could be provided via a link (e.g. to provider’s website or YouTube). Alternatively, contact the TEQSA Enquiries Management team at providerenquiries@teqsa.gov.au for an alternative option.

    36. How will the file name and size restrictions impact upon bulk drag-and-drop of documents?

    The drag-and-drop functionality allows for the simultaneous upload of multiple documents to the portal. Any documents that fail to meet the file name and size requirements will be rejected. Other documents included in the same drag-and-drop that satisfy these requirements will be accepted.

    37. How can I reuse a document previously added to an application or request?

    All files uploaded to an application or request are automatically saved to the provider’s document repository. Documents can then be assigned from the document repository to other questions in the same application, as well as other applications or requests.

    To assign a file to an application or request, click on the green triangle symbol next to the words ‘Assign from document repository’. This will ‘twist’ open and display the files in the document repository.

    You can use the search (within applications, not requests), sort and/or filter functions to find the document/s you wish to assign to the question or request. Activate/select the ‘tick’ box against the relevant document/s, and then select the ‘Assign all selected’ button. The selected document/s will then be assigned to the application question or request.

    Note:

    • if you cannot open or use the document repository, you may not be using a compatible browser - refer to Which internet browsers can I use to access the provider portal?
    • due to the restricted size of the document repository on the screen, you may wish to use the ‘Open in New Window’ button (within applications, not requests) to view the document repository in a new tab
    • if you use the small grey triangles beneath the list of files to move forward/back a page within the document repository, any documents selected will be deselected before the list of documents is refreshed (i.e. you should select and assign files page by page).

    38. How can I reuse a link (URL) previously added to an application or request?

    Due to the transitory nature of website content, the web addresses (URLs) for relevant links are not saved in a ‘repository’ and must be entered in full each time they are used.

    If a link to a particular file (rather than webpage) is likely to be reused in future, consider adding the file itself to the question or request as this will place a copy in the document repository.

    39. Can I remove a file from an application or request?

    Yes, provided the application or request has not yet been submitted to TEQSA:

    • click on the ‘…’ icon next to the file you wish to remove from the response
    • click on the ‘…’ icon within the pop-up box that appears
    • select the ‘Delete’ menu option.

    Note: This will not delete any instances of this file in the same application, other applications or requests, or the document repository. As users cannot delete files from the document repository itself, contact the TEQSA Enquiries Management team at providerenquiries@teqsa.gov.au if any files need to be deleted from the document repository.

    40. Can I replace an uploaded file with an updated version?

    Yes, but only if the application or request has not yet been submitted to TEQSA:

    1.  Replacing a document with an updated version with the same file name

    • Use the ‘+ new item’ or drag-and-drop functionality to add the new version of the document to the question or request. A message will appear asking if you want to replace the existing version or not. If you select ‘Replace It’, the new version applies to that question/request and the document repository.

    2.  Replacing a document with an updated version with a different file name

    Delete the existing document from the question/request (refer to Can I remove a file from an application or request?), and use the ‘+ new item’ or drag-and-drop functionality to add the new version of the document against the question/request. Both files will be available in the document repository.

    Note:

    • replacing a document by following either set of steps described above will only apply to the unique instance of the document against the question or request concerned. If the ‘old’ document appears elsewhere in the same application, or in any other applications or requests, the other instances of the ‘old’ document will remain unchanged (i.e. not automatically deleted and/or updated)
    • version control will still apply when the same document is added, using the ‘+ new item’ or drag- and-drop functionality, to a different question in the same application. Use the ‘Assign from document repository’ functionality if you want to add the same document to multiple questions or requests - refer to How can I reuse a document already added for an application or request?
    • the document repository always contains the latest version of a document that has been added or refreshed anywhere in an application or request. Responses to questions in applications link to the specific version added to that question, even if a later version of the document is added against another question/request (thus updating the document repository)
    • any changes to document content or file name should be handled external to the portal before following the steps described above.

    Application submission

    41. How do I submit an application?

    There is two-stage process to submit one or more applications:

    1. Select the required application/s to submit from the Applications page (not Home page)

    • Select ‘Applications’ from the menu options in the portal banner at the top of the screen, and then select the ‘Not Submitted’ filter (under the ‘Applications’ heading, next to the search box)
    • Activate/select the ‘tick’ box against the relevant application/s for submission
    • Click on the ‘Submit all selected’ button.

    2. Review the draft invoice, then either confirm or cancel the submission

    • Check the draft Submission Confirmation/Invoice to confirm that the correct application/s were selected
    • Click on the ‘Confirm Submission’ or ‘Cancel Submission’ button, as appropriate.

    Once you have confirmed the submission, the final Submission Confirmation/Invoice can be accessed via the application/s you have just submitted - refer to What is the difference between the draft and final invoice? and How do I access a copy of the invoice for a submitted application?.

    Note: Your application/s will only be submitted to TEQSA when you click on the ‘Confirm Submission’ button. Although you will see a ‘Processing…’ message while the system completes the submission process, you will not get a message following successful application submission - refer to How will I know that the application submission process was successful?.

    42. What should I do if the actual invoice does not appear on the Draft Invoice page?

    For most environments, the draft invoice should appear as an embedded PDF within the web page, beneath the ‘Draft Invoice’ heading and the ‘Confirm Submission’ and ‘Cancel Submission’ buttons.

    If you do not see the draft invoice appear as an embedded PDF, it may have been downloaded as a PDF to your computer. Check for any newly created PDFs which may be the draft invoice. You may have to minimise one or more screens to display the ‘Open PDF’ command. Alternatively, the issue may be with your browser – refer to Which browsers can I use with the provider portal?.

    43. What if the invoice displays but does not show any invoice items?

    This situation will occur if you are trying to submit one or more course accreditation and/or re- accreditation applications that have not had any courses included in the application/s. Click on the ‘Cancel Submission’ button, add the required course/s to the relevant application/s and then attempt resubmission. Each course should appear in the invoice as a distinct invoice item.

    44. Can applications with a status of ‘Awaiting Provider Completion’ actually be submitted?

    Yes. Applications with a status of either ‘Awaiting Provider Completion’ or ‘Ready for Submission’ can be submitted.

    It is not mandatory that the ‘Ready to Submit’ button be pressed within the application form to change the application’s status before it can be submitted. However, it is important that providers ensure that applications are complete and accurate, and double check the correct application/s are included in the draft Submission Confirmation/Invoice, before submitting them to TEQSA – refer to Can a submitted application be edited, or a submission reversed?.

    45. Can multiple applications of the same or different types be submitted together?

    Yes. If you have a large number of unsubmitted applications, you may need to use the sort/filter functionality of the applications list to get the relevant applications on the same page. The ‘Draft Invoice’ screen will display the applications proposed for submission together for final review before the submission is confirmed.

    46. Will the portal check that an application is complete prior to submission?

    No. There are no mandatory sections in any application form, and only a few mandatory fields in selected forms (e.g. the course name, AQF level and broad/narrow/detailed fields of education are required when adding courses in a course accreditation application). Providers must ensure that applications are complete and accurate, as included in the application declaration, before submitting them to TEQSA.

    47. How will I know that the application submission process was successful?

    Following successful application submission, you will be redirected to the ‘Not Submitted’ view of the Applications page. The application/s you just submitted will no longer appear in this list, but can now be found on the ‘Submitted’ or ‘All’ views of the Applications page.

    48. How do I view a submitted application?

    • Select ‘Applications’ from the menu options in the portal banner at the top of the screen, and then select the ‘All’ or ‘Submitted’ filter (under the ‘Applications’ heading, next to the search box)
    • Click on the ‘…’ icon and select the ‘View Application’ menu option to access the application PDF (via URL, or ‘Application Snapshot’ in the document list), associated evidence, and final invoice PDF (via URL).

    49. Can a submitted application be edited, or a submission reversed?

    No. Submitted applications are ‘locked’ and the system does not allow ‘roll back’ or reversal of application submissions. Accordingly, it is important that providers ensure that applications are complete and accurate, and double check the correct application/s are included in the draft Submission Confirmation/Invoice, before submitting them to TEQSA.

    If amendments are required to a submitted application, discuss the situation with your Assessment Manager. Options may include:

    • emailing the Assessment Manager, attaching updated/extra evidence
    • the Assessment Manager creating a request for the provider to use to upload the extra evidence via the portal.

    Invoices and payment processing

    50. How do I access a copy of the invoice for a submitted application?

    • Select ‘Applications’ from the menu options in the portal banner at the top of the screen
    • Select the ‘All’ or ‘Submitted’ filter (immediately under the ‘Applications’ heading, next to the search box)
    • Click on the ‘…’ icon next to the applicable application and select the ‘View Application’ menu option
    • Click on the Invoice link to view the Submission Confirmation/Invoice.

    51. Does the provider have to pay before an application can actually be submitted?

    No. Application submission via the provider portal is independent of payment processing. However, your application/s will not be reviewed until the application fee, if applicable, has been received by TEQSA.

    52. What is the difference between the draft and final invoice?

    The draft invoice is provided as part of the submission process to allow the provider to double check the application/s (and course/s, where applicable) selected for submission and confirm fee/s due, if applicable.

    The final invoice can be accessed immediately after confirming a submission - refer to How do I access a copy of the invoice for a submitted application?.

    Note: The draft invoice will only have an invoice ID (but no ‘Submitted’ date or ‘Submitted By’) at the top of the invoice, whereas the final invoice will include all of these details.

    53. How can I access invoices for Substantive Assessment fees (applicable to applications for initial registration or course accreditation)?

    Although initial invoices for fees relating to preliminary assessment and full assessment services are generated by the system, substantive assessment fees will appear on manually created invoices which will be emailed to providers by their Assessment Manager at an appropriate time (these will not be available on the provider portal).

    Request management

    54. Do I need to regularly check the portal to see if a new request has been added?

    No. Assessment Managers from the relevant TEQSA team (Initial Registration, Renewal of Registration, Courses, CRICOS, Material Changes, Compliance and Investigations) will communicate with providers (via email or phone) about any new requests that have been made available in the provider portal.

    55. How do I respond to a request?

    Click on the ‘…’ icon next to the applicable request on the Home or Requests page, then select the ‘Respond to Request’ menu option. There are two main sections for documents:

    Request Documentation From TEQSA

    • This section may contain documentation from your Assessment Manager regarding this request.

    Provider Response Documents

    • This section is where the provider should add the response document/s (using the ‘+ new item’ option or drag-and-drop functionality).

      Note: If you want to add a text response in addition to documents, create a document (e.g. Word or PDF) containing your text response and upload this file under the Provider Response Documents section.

      When the response is complete, use the ‘Submit’ button to submit the request to TEQSA. Then email the Assessment Manager to the fact that your response to the request is now ready for review.

    56. How do I manage evidence (documents and links) when responding to a request?

    Refer to the FAQs under Evidence (context, documents and links) management.

    Troubleshooting

    57. I get a red error message when trying to sign in

    • Ensure that you are using the correct username and password when trying to sign in
    • If you have forgotten your password, or get this error message after a few attempts to sign in, use the ‘Forgotten your login details?’ function from the Sign In page to reset your password
    • If you get a red error message after entering your username on the ‘Have you forgotten your password?’ page, it could be that you have entered the wrong username or that your account has been locked due to too many unsuccessful login attempts. In this instance, you will need to contact the TEQSA CRM team at CRM@teqsa.gov.au.

    58. I can sign in and change my temporary password, but cannot get into the portal after pressing the ‘Continue’ button

    Ensure that you are using an internet browser that is compatible with the portal – refer to Which internet browsers can I use to access the provider portal?.

    59. I have previously seen an invoice for an application that is still showing as ‘Not Submitted’ in the portal

    The invoice you saw was a draft invoice, generated in the first stage of the two-stage submission process. You must press the ‘Confirm Submission’ button on the ‘Draft Invoice’ screen to complete the submission process – refer to How do I submit an application?.

    Each time the first stage of the submission process is actioned, the draft invoice created will have a unique ID number.

    Note: the draft invoice will only have an invoice ID (but no ‘Submitted’ date or ‘Submitted By’) at the top of the invoice, whereas the final invoice will include all of these details.

    60. Nothing happens when I click on the ‘Open in New Window’ button

    Ensure that your browser’s pop-up blocker is disabled or that the portal is an exception/allowed site.

    • In Chrome:
      • click on the square button with three horizontal lines to the right of the address bar at the top of the screen (if you hover over the button, the text ‘Customize and control Google Chrome’ will display)
      • click on the ‘Settings’ menu option
      • scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the ‘Show advanced settings…’ link
      • click on the ‘Content settings…’ button under the ‘Privacy’ heading
      • scroll down to the Pop-ups heading and either select ‘Allow all sites to show pop-ups’ or click on the ‘Manage exceptions…’ button and add [*.]teqsa.gov.au/Allow to the list of ‘Pop-up exceptions’ and click on the ‘Done’ button
      • click on the ‘Done’ button.
    • Internet Explorer:
      • click on the cog icon in the top right corner of the screen
      • click on the ‘Internet options’ menu option
      • click on the ‘Privacy’ tab
      • either untick the checkbox next to ‘Turn on Pop-up Blocker’ or click on the ‘Settings’ button under the Pop-up Blocker heading and add https://portal.teqsa.gov.au to the list of ‘Allowed sites’ and click on the ‘Close’ button
      • click on the ‘OK’ button.
    Stakeholder
    Publication type

    Related links

  • Guru-Kool Pty Ltd, trading as Adelaide Institute of Sciences

    Application for registration and course accreditation

     

    Decision: Rejected
    Date of decision: 10 December 2025
    Main reasons for decision:

    The decisions were made on the basis that TEQSA was not satisfied that Guru-Kool Pty Ltd, trading as Adelaide Institute of Sciences, meets the following provisions of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021:

    • Standard 6.1.1, 6.1.2 (a), 6.1.3(a) (c) and (e), in relation to Corporate Governance
    • Standard 6.2.1(b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) in relation to Corporate Monitoring and Accountability
    • Standards 6.3.1 (a, b), and 6.3.2 (a) and (c) in relation to Academic Governance
    • Standards 5.1.2 and 5.1.3(a-b) in relation to Course Approval and Accreditation
    • Standards 5.3.3 and 5.3.4(a-b) in relation to Monitoring, Review and Improvement
    • Standards 5.4.1 and 5.4.2 in relation to Delivery with Other Parties
    • Standard 1.3.4 in relation Orientation and Progression
    • Standards 1.4.1,1.4.3, 1.4.4 in relation to Learning Outcomes and Assessment
    • Standards 1.5.4, 1.5.7(b) and 1.5.10 in relation to Qualifications and Certification
    • Standard 2.1.1 in relation to Facilities and Infrastructure
    • Standards 2.2.3 in relation to Diversity and Equity
    • Standards 2.3.2 in relation to Wellbeing and Safety
    • Standards 3.1.4 in relation to Teaching
    • Standards 3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.2.3(a-c) and 3.2.4 in relation to Staffing
    • Standards 7.1.1, 7.1.2 in relation to Representation
    • Standards 7.2.2 (a) (d) and (g) and 7.2.3 in relation to Information for Prospective and Current Students
    • Standards 7.3.1 (a-b), (d-i) and (k-l), 7.3.2(a), (c), (e) and (g), and 7.3.3 (a) in relation to Information Management.

    The decision to reject the application for accreditation of the course was made as a consequence of the application for registration being rejected and fundamental deficiencies in critical academic governance Standards as detailed above.
    Review stage:  

     

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