• Teaching and learning

    One of the most common areas of complaint with online teaching and learning during the pandemic was insufficient engagement with teaching and tutoring staff, and an expectation of greater interaction with individual students. Many students missed the informal interaction before or after lectures and tutorials that occurred when studying face-to-face.

    Preparation and management

    Teaching approaches

    Providing effective online feedback

    Hybrid learning

     

    TEQSA makes the information on this webpage available to assist higher education providers, ELICOS providers and foundation program providers in building good practice. It has been obtained from a range of external sources and has not been generated by or on behalf of TEQSA unless otherwise noted. You should read, and carefully consider, the disclaimer before accessing any of the material.

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  • Artificial intelligence: advice for students

    Generative Artificial Intelligence, commonly known as generative AI or AI, is progressing at a rapid rate. This form of technology includes AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT.

    It’s important to understand that, depending on your university or college’s policies, using AI as part of your studies may be restricted or banned.

    Alternatively, there might be subjects or tasks where the use of AI is encouraged or even required.

    Where use of AI is permitted, you will need to understand how the use of these tools is referenced.

    Use of AI in a way that is not consistent with your institution’s rules can result in a finding of academic misconduct.

    TEQSA encourages all higher education students to discuss expectations around AI with their institution and ensure they follow their university or college’s instruction to avoid breaching academic integrity.

    Because rules might be different in various disciplines, it’s best to make sure you understand the expectations for each assessment task.

    Assessments and AI

    TEQSA does not mandate a particular form of assessment be used - the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 requires institutions to assess a student’s knowledge and understanding of the subject.

    The increasing sophistication of AI might mean that some assessment tasks are redesigned to ensure students cannot substitute student work with material produced by AI.

    Redesigning assessments is an appropriate response to the risks posed by AI and is one that TEQSA supports.

    You should discuss any concerns you have about how changes to assessment could impact you due to disability or other circumstances with your university or college.

    All Australian higher education institutions are required to have policies and procedures to respond to student concerns – you can usually find them on your university or college’s website or student portal.

    Other AI resources for students

    We’re sharing these links to assist students in understanding how AI works and how to ethically use it while upholding their academic integrity.

    Remember, before following any advice within these links, you should first check with your institution.

    Translated versions

    The information on this webpage has been translated into various languages.

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  • Understanding academic integrity

    These pages define academic integrity and explain different types of cheating to help students understand the risks and penalties for poor behaviour. This information will help you to identify, avoid and report illegal cheating services. The information on these pages is designed to help you to understand these topics. If you need information more relevant to your circumstances, please speak with your tutor or school. 

    How to use this site

    Navigate to a section using the links below:

    What is academic integrity?

    Identifying, avoiding and reporting illegal cheating services

    Download hub (free resources)

    Translated resources

    Frequently asked questions icon

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  • TEQSA’s work to support social cohesion and safety in higher education

    TEQSA is working to develop updated guidance to support compliance with provider obligations under the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021.

    Our work is focused on supporting universities and other higher education providers to assure themselves that discussion around contested ideas does not risk student and staff wellbeing and safety, while being cognisant of the sector’s commitment to freedom of speech and academic freedom.

    This is part of TEQSA’s ongoing work to improve system responses to these issues within Australia’s higher education sector.

    TEQSA’s current work is focused on:

    • identifying and sharing best practice
    • updating guidance materials for higher education providers
    • developing statements of regulatory expectations about student grievances and complaints processes and academic adjustment/special consideration policies
    • continuing to engage with stakeholders including students, providers and other government agencies and experts.

    Roundtable meetings

    To support the development of updated guidance, TEQSA held roundtable meetings in October and November 2024, and February 2025.

    Invitees to these meetings include universities, students and other stakeholders, including the National Student Ombudsman, Australian Human Rights Commission, Universities Australia, the Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in Australia and the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia in Australia.

    TEQSA social cohesion roundtable with vice-chancellors on 31 October 2024

    TEQSA social cohesion roundtable with university managers on 15 November 2024

    Details regarding the 25 February 2025 roundtable meeting are not available.

    Guidance materials

    The following information lists TEQSA guidance and correspondence to providers.

    Stay informed

    Updates on this work, including consultation opportunities, will be communicated via TEQSA’s website, our monthly e-News and social media channels. Be sure to sign up to our e-News to keep informed.

    If you have any questions about this work, please email socialcohesion@teqsa.gov.au.

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  • Fees and charges

    TEQSA’s fees and charges recover costs for regulatory activities undertaken to support Australia’s higher education sector.

    Costs are recovered from higher education providers in 2 ways:

    1. Registered Higher Education Provider (RHEP) charge paid annually by all providers, the charge is the sum of a base component and a compliance component
    2. Application fees for regulatory activities related to:
      • registration
      • course accreditation
      • variation or revocation of conditions

    TEQSA fees and charges are determined by legislative instruments

    TEQSA’s fees and charges are determined by way of legislative instrument. TEQSA’s fees and charges from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026 are based on the amended Cost Recovery Implementation Statement and set out in the following legislative instruments:

    Learn more about fees and charges

    In this section, you can find detailed information about our fees and charges, including:

    For frequently asked questions about cost recovery, visit our FAQs page.

    Last updated:

  • Sector alert: Commercial academic cheating service activities on campus

    Body

    12 February 2026

    TEQSA is aware of accounts of aggressive and direct promotional activities of commercial academic cheating services that target students studying for an Australian higher education award. The accounts suggest operators of these services are approaching students on campuses to promote their services and collect students’ contact details. This follows concerns TEQSA raised in a previous sector alert, of students being approached in online environments, including directly through email, social media and class groups set up in messaging apps.

    These accounts suggest these activities are organised and coordinated and may involve:

    • coercing students who have previously used commercial academic cheating services, under threats of blackmail, to sign-up other students
    • offering students incentives and convenient ways to register or sign-up for commercial academic cheating services.

    Engaging illegal academic cheating services may leave students vulnerable to identity theft and blackmail, and increase cyber security risks for students and higher education providers.

    Background

    Amendments to the TEQSA Act in September 2020 made it illegal to provide or advertise a commercial academic cheating service in Australia. Since then, TEQSA has worked to block illegal cheating websites and remove social media accounts and posts that advertise these services, disrupting their business model.

    In April 2024, TEQSA issued a sector alert to providers advising of changes in the marketing and promotional behaviour of commercial academic cheating services. The alert highlighted the direct promotional activities used by these operators to target students through email or via class groups set up in messaging apps or on social media platforms.

    Research shows commercial academic cheating services are frequently coordinated by organised groups and can involve criminal behaviour, putting students who use them at risk of blackmail or identity theft. Blackmail activities can include demands for further payment, class materials or contact details of other students.

    If you become aware of information or evidence relating to a commercial academic cheating service targeting your institution, or being used by students at your institution, you can lodge a report via our website.

    Immediate provider actions

    TEQSA stresses the need for Australian higher education providers to be vigilant in addressing risks to academic integrity by engaging in a range of activities to educate students, detect cheating, upskill staff and report cheating services.

    TEQSA expects all providers to reassess the risks and effectiveness of their responses to these risks, including ensuring:

    • information on the risks of using these services is shared with students as part of their induction
    • the risks associated with using academic cheating services are clearly and regularly communicated to students as part of ongoing discussions about academic integrity
    • students are aware of how to access genuine study support, should they need it. Additional resources to support students with academic misconduct are available on our website
    • students and staff are aware of, and have clear pathways to, raise an alert with campus security (for example, via a security app or a phone number), should cheating service activities or recruiters on campus require an immediate response
    • students know how to access security and support services if, for example, they are experiencing blackmail
    • students and staff are made aware of the potential for class groups on messaging apps and social media platforms to be infiltrated by academic cheating services
    • students and staff are regularly reminded of their obligation to comply with IT security protocols
    • IT systems are monitored for suspicious activity, and spam filters and other tools are updated to quarantine emails to students that advertise illegal cheating services
    • consideration is given to reissuing the login credentials and requiring password updates
    • posters, business cards and other material posted or left on campus promoting commercial academic cheating services are promptly removed.

    Resources

    Previous relevant updates from TEQSA

    Supports for students

    TEQSA has the following supports for students available on our website:

    Additional TEQSA resources

    Information about Australia’s anti-commercial academic cheating laws

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  • Sector alert: academic cheating services online and on campus

    TEQSA has written to all providers in response to accounts of aggressive and direct promotional activities of commercial academic cheating services targeting students both online and on campus. Our Sector alert: Commercial academic cheating service activities on campus can be read on our website.

    Providing or advertising commercial academic cheating services is illegal in Australia, and undermines academic integrity standards. Additionally, engaging with these services can leave students at risk of blackmail and identity theft, and increase institutional exposure to cyber security risks.

    TEQSA’s sector alert outlines TEQSA’s expectations and immediate actions for providers to take, to help students understand the risks of using commercial academic cheating services and the supports available to them.

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    Sector alert

  • Request a TEQSA speaker at a conference or event

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

    To assist us in managing your request, we ask that you complete the below form, and our team will respond within 5 working days.

    Please note: TEQSA requires at least 28 days advance notice of any request for a TEQSA representative to speak at a conference or event, and that TEQSA is not able to provide speakers for all requested events.

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    About you

    About your request

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  • Extensions to the period of provider registration or course accreditation policy

    Body

    Purpose

    The purpose of this policy is to describe TEQSA’s approach to considering extensions to the period of provider registration or course accreditation under sections 37A and 57A of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act).

    Legislative authority

    Section 37A of the TEQSA Act provides that TEQSA may extend the period of a registered higher education provider’s registration. The extended period may exceed seven years.

    Section 57A of the TEQSA Act provides that TEQSA may extend the period of the accreditation of a course of study. The extended period may exceed seven years.

    Principles

    1. TEQSA may consider extending the period of a provider’s registration or the period of accreditation of a course of study for a range of reasons. These include:
      1. to reflect an established track record of low-risk, high quality delivery of higher education, either across a provider’s operations or with respect to one or more courses
      2. to harmonise periods of registration and accreditation, or harmonise periods of registration under the TEQSA Act and another act (such as the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000)
      3. to provide for efficient management of TEQSA’s workload.
    2. Relevant matters when considering a possible extension under section 37A or section 57A include, but are not limited to, the following:
      1. the provider’s history, including the history of its scholarship, teaching, research, students’ experiences, financial status and capacity, and compliance with the Higher Education Standards Framework, TEQSA Act and other laws regulating higher education
      2. matters relevant to the risk of the provider not complying with the Higher Education Standards Framework or the TEQSA Act in the future, including its internal quality assurance mechanisms and its financial status and capacity
      3. any material risks to students or quality identified in the risk assessments for the provider
      4. the quality of data submitted by the provider as part of TEQSA or other Australian Government information collection processes
      5. TEQSA’s anticipated workload during the period when the provider’s registration or course accreditation is due to expire
      6. the period of any other registration or accreditation of the provider (including registration under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 or the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011), and the extent to which harmonisation of the expiry dates of registration or accreditation would benefit the provider
      7. any relevant comments or evidence from the provider
      8. any relevant comments or evidence from other agencies, including (but not limited to) the Department of Education, the Australian Skills Quality Authority
      9. the need for any decision, and the process leading to any decision, to be appropriate, fair, objective, and defensible.
    3. The TEQSA Act does not limit the period for which a provider’s registration or course accreditation may be extended. With this in mind, TEQSA will usually extend registration or accreditation for a period no longer than seven years, to provide an appropriate opportunity for a scheduled review of the provider or a particular course. Further, in circumstances where a short extension is being considered (up to 12 months), it may be more appropriate to first consider allowing a provider to submit its application for renewal at a date later than the usual 180 days prior to expiry – this would allow an extension to be considered closer to the expiry date if it becomes necessary.

    Contact

    A provider can contact TEQSA’s Enquiries Management Team if there are any enquiries about extensions to the period of provider registration or course accreditation.

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