Application guide for renewal of course accreditation in teach out

Version 1.0

 

Application guide for renewal of course accreditation in teach out  (PDF, 250 KB)

Background

This guide reflects TEQSA’s current process for registered higher education providers to follow when applying for renewal of course accreditation in teach out under s55 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 will engage in wider consultation with the sector about a revised regulatory risk and quality assurance framework in 2025.

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 higher education providers without self-accrediting authority (SAA) must apply to TEQSA to renew a course of study in teach out in instances where the course has been placed in provider-initiated teach out and students will be enrolled past the current accreditation expiry date.

Providers may apply to renew accreditation of a course in teach out in instances where:

  • no new enrolments will be permitted in the course
  • the course will cease to be delivered to students within 24 months of the date on which the current accreditation period is to end (which must be long enough to allow students to complete the course should they fail units or request to study part-time)
  • the provider has not previously applied to renew accreditation of the course in teach out.

Where a longer period of accreditation is required, providers may apply to renew accreditation of the course using the standard accreditation renewal process.

TEQSA’s assessment of an application to renew course accreditation in teach out covers the following standards of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (Threshold Standards):

Section Standard
Course Approval and Accreditation 5.1.3

If we identify unmitigated risks to the course 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 needs to change, 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 renewal of accreditation in teach out applications are specified in this 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
A decision on the application is made by the TEQSA decision maker. TEQSA notifies the applicant of the outcome(s), 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 renewal of course accreditation in teach out application, TEQSA highly recommends that you closely review the requirements of the TEQSA Act and the Threshold Standards to understand your obligations. The outcomes of your institutional governance and quality assurance processes should demonstrate how you meet, and will continue to meet, each of these obligations.

Evidence requirements

TEQSA has recently revised its approach to the evidence it requires for renewal of course accreditation in teach out applications. TEQSA will no longer issue a Confirmed Evidence Table (CET) and will instead publish the evidence requirements in this application guide and on TEQSA’s website.

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 course re-approval by the peak academic governing body, will typically be sufficient to demonstrate compliance with the Threshold Standards.

Where TEQSA establishes that credible teach out arrangements provide assurance that the course will continue to meet the Threshold Standards by ensuring continuity of course resourcing, including support services, and student achievement of course outcomes, it should not be necessary to seek further evidence.

Applications for renewal of course accreditation in teach out should include the following evidence:

  • a written submission of no more than 5 pages outlining how the provider’s academic governing body assured itself of the quality of the course and that it continues to meet the Threshold Standards (self-assurance report). In this context the self-assurance report should:
    • describe how the peak academic governing body assured itself of the effectiveness of the teach out plan, and relatedly assured itself that the course of study continues to meet the Threshold Standards
    • synthesise and refer to supporting evidence that demonstrates the claims put forward

For additional guidance on self-assurance reports, see the next section and the key considerations for providers preparing a self-assurance report (renewal of course accreditation in teach out).

  • an index listing any supporting evidence referenced throughout the self-assurance report (index)
  • academic governing body meeting minutes considering and giving final internal re-approval of the course in teach out (minutes).

You are asked to complete the ‘Renewal of course accreditation (teach out) with self-assurance report’ application form in the provider portal and only submit those 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

TEQSA acknowledges the nature of risk and the institutional responses to manage risk will vary for each provider, according to the context in which it is operating.

Provider category, modes of delivery, provider size and scale, fields of education being delivered, and transnational or third-party delivery are examples of relevant factors that may inform a provider’s approach to self-assurance and the management of different types of regulatory risk.

Self-assurance reports will inform TEQSA’s understanding of how a provider’s self-assurance mechanisms address key regulatory risks and support the achievement of outcomes in delivering higher education. This will support TEQSA in determining compliance with the Threshold Standards and arriving at a decision in its regulatory assessments.

The report should demonstrate the effectiveness of your self-assurance processes as an integral part of your day-to-day operations. In preparing the report, you should consider the risks to the course that emerge from provider-initiated teach out. We encourage all providers to review the key considerations for providers preparing a self-assurance report (renewal of course accreditation in teach out).

Stage 2: Submit your application

Submitting your application

Section 55 of the TEQSA Act outlines the process for applying to renew accreditation of a course of study. This includes applications to renew course accreditation in teach out.

It specifies that applications for renewal of course accreditation are to be:

  • In the approved form. The renewal of course accreditation in teach out application form is in the provider portal. Please visit our website for more information about accessing and submitting an application using the TEQSA provider portal.
  • Accompanied by the relevant fee. Fees are determined under section 158 for an application under this section. Please visit our website for more information on our application fees.
  • Submitted to TEQSA at least 180 calendar days before the current accreditation period ends. If you cannot apply by this date, you should contact TEQSA as early as possible at assessments@teqsa.gov.au. Any decision to approve a submission after this date is made at TEQSA’s discretion.

The application will only be considered received by TEQSA once both the approved form 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 more information, 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 and the fee has been paid.

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

Once you make a valid application to renew accreditation of your course in teach out, the accreditation of the course continues until TEQSA decides whether to renew the accreditation, as provided by Section 56(3) of the TEQSA Act. The status of the course on the National Register will state ‘Pending Renewal’ until such time TEQSA makes its decision on the application.

Stage 3: TEQSA’s assessment

Section 56 of the TEQSA Act outlines the process for making decisions on applications to renew accreditation of a course of study.

TEQSA will assess whether the application and outcomes described in the supporting evidence confirm the accredited course continues to meet the applicable Threshold Standards.

TEQSA’s assessment focuses on the effectiveness of the provider’s re-approval processes for the course. This is to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by the provider’s decision to teach out the course, and that risks to the quality of education in the course and the achievement of the intended learning outcomes, are effectively identified and managed throughout the teach out period.

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.

External advice

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

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 renewal of course accreditation in teach out applications, please contact the Assessment Manager handling your application, or the Courses team at assessments@teqsa.gov.au.

Stage 4: Findings and recommendations

If the assessment team finds that the requirements of the Threshold Standards for renewal of accreditation in teach out 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 in this regard are set out in s56(5) 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 and impose conditions on the course accreditation

or

  • reject the application.

When considering whether to impose conditions, or to reject the 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 course as part of the renewal of accreditation.

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 have been imposed on the course as part of the renewal of accreditation in teach out, we will provide you with reasons for the decision and details of any relevant review rights.

Our obligations with respect to notifying providers of our decisions about renewal of accreditation and conditions of accreditation are set out in s57 and s54 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

From 1 January 2023 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 course accreditation, 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 and course accreditation to facilitate transparency of our processes, regulatory decisions and the reasons for those decisions.

A public report contains the name of the application 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 for renewal of course accreditation in teach out has been approved, or where review rights have expired following a decision to reject an application for renewal or to impose conditions, the relevant entry on the National Register will be updated. Where conditions are imposed on the course as an outcome of the renewal of accreditation assessment, details of those conditions will also be published.

For courses renewed in teach out, the National Register will include a status advising that the course has been accredited to facilitate teach out, and that no further enrolment of students will be permitted.

Please refer to our website to access the National Register.

Document information

Version # Date Key changes
1.0 15 July 2025