Frequently asked questions
Who can apply to accredit a course?
Which courses can be accredited?
How long does a course accreditation last?
How long does it take to process an accreditation application?
Who can apply to accredit a course?
Any organisation or individual responsible for the development of a course can apply to have that course accredited. This can be the course copyright owner or the course developer.
However, an accredited course must be delivered by a registered training organisation for the qualification/statement of attainment to be issued as nationally recognised training. The organisation must seek registration, which is a separate process.
Which courses can be accredited?
Only courses leading to an Australian Qualifications Framework qualification or statement of attainment can be accredited. These include:
- courses based on a combination of units of competency from different training packages or endorsed national competency standards, so that the outcomes of the new courses meet industry, enterprise and/or community needs not covered by existing training packages;
- courses based on competencies developed to meet an identified training need, where no relevant training packages and/or endorsed competency standards exist;
- combinations of (1) and (2);
- courses based on learning outcomes where the course developer can justify that it is not possible to develop appropriate competencies e.g. some areas of general education. The course accrediting body must approve the proposed course concept prior to course development.
A state or territory course accreditation body will not accredit a course if:
- the outcomes can be achieved through the contextualisation of an existing training package in accordance with its packaging rules and customisation advice;
- the course is comprised of learning outcomes or competencies that ultimately achieve the competencies of a training package qualification.
How long does course accreditation last?
A course may be accredited for up to five years. If it is expected that the training needs of an industry sector will be covered by a training package, or revisions to an existing package, in the near future, accreditation will be approved for less than five years.
How long does it take to process an accreditation application?
The accreditation process usually takes around 20 working days, where all required documents are lodged with the submission. The template for course documentation for accreditation - and, if applicable, the template for developing units of competency - should also be adequately addressed. Where the application has to be returned to rework and resubmit any sections, the approval will be delayed.
For more information, see Developing and submitting a new course for accreditation.
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