Teacher Registration (Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programmes) Regulations 2012

These regulations set the procedural and substantive framework by which the Teacher Registration Board (the Board) in Western Australia accredits initial teacher education programs for the purposes of the Teacher Registration Act 2012. Mechanically, the instrument does the following.

• Establishes who may apply. Only an “education provider”, defined by reference to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (Commonwealth) s 5 as a registered higher education provider, may make an application to the Board (reg 5(2); reg 3 definition of education provider).
• Creates two accreditation pathways. The Board may accredit under a general standards route (reg 10(1), which requires satisfaction of the Board’s accreditation standards) or under a specified, alternative pathway for programs that meet explicit degree, duration, professional content and supervised-practice thresholds (reg 10(2) as inserted by SL 2025/161 r. 8).
• Specifies application formalities and fees. Applications must be in writing in any Board-approved form and, for programs being accredited under reg 10(1), must be accompanied by a non‑refundable fee of $2 256 (reg 5(3)(a)-(c); reg 5(4)). The same fee applies to re‑accreditation in those cases (reg 6(4)(b)).
• Sets accreditation term and continuity rules. Accreditation or re‑accreditation generally runs for five years unless the Board approves a shorter period (reg 13(1)). If a re‑accreditation application is lodged in accordance with reg 6, accreditation is taken to continue until the application is decided (reg 13(2)).
• Gives the Board powers to impose, modify or cancel conditions on accreditation at or after grant (reg 15), and requires the Board to cancel accreditation as soon as possible where a program no longer meets the relevant requirements or conditions (reg 16).
• Imposes notification, information and procedural steps. An education provider must give the Board at least three months’ written notice of any intended significant change to an accredited program (reg 14). The Board may request further information, statutory declarations or consent to obtain information from third parties (reg 7).
• Prescribes show‑cause and notice processes. The Board must give a reasonable opportunity to show cause before refusing an application or before imposing certain conditions or cancelling accreditation (reg 23). The Board must issue written notice of decisions to applicants and accredited providers within 14 days (regs 20-22).
• Provides internal review by the Minister. An applicant or education provider affected by an accreditation decision under reg 23 may request a review by the Minister within 30 days; the Minister may appoint qualified reviewers, is not bound by their recommendations, must afford the applicant an opportunity to be heard, and must provide written reasons (reg 24). The regulation states the Minister’s decision is final and not subject to appeal or further review (reg 24(8)).
• Provides for a public register. The Board must keep and make available a register of accredited programs containing prescribed fields (reg 25). The register may be electronic and may form part of a national register held by AITSL (reg 25(2)). Certified copies of register information can be obtained for $50 (reg 26(3)).
• Recognises national accreditation arrangements and transitional accreditations. A program accredited under a national scheme, whether by the Board or by an authorised body in another State/Territory, counts as accredited for the Act’s purposes (reg 4(1)(b)). Certain named programs are taken to be accredited until 30 June 2026 (reg 4(2)).

The regulations also set out specific content and procedural thresholds introduced or amended by later statutory instruments. Notably, regulation 10(2) (the alternative pathway with minimum degree lengths, one year of professional teacher education content and at least 45 days of supervised teaching practice) is an express statutory test inserted by SL 2025/161 r. 8. The instrument therefore combines procedural checks, substantive entry standards and an internal administrative review path, anchored to TEQSA definitions and a national accreditation architecture (reg 3; reg 4; reg 25(2)).

All statutory references in this note are to the provisions of the Teacher Registration (Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs) Regulations 2012 as compiled in the supplied text.

The regulations revolve around a small set of core legal and administrative concepts: program, education provider, accreditation pathways, conditions, cancellation, notice and review. Each has a statutory definition or operational rule that shapes incentives for providers and the discretion available to the Board.

Program and education provider. The regulations adopt TEQSA‑based definitions. “Program” means an initial teacher education program that is designed to qualify a graduate to teach and is an accredited course under the TEQSA Act (reg 3). “Education provider” means a registered higher education provider as defined in TEQSA s 5 (reg 3). This links Board accreditation to Commonwealth higher education regulation and limits applicants to TEQSA‑registered bodies. The Board must cancel accreditation if the program ceases to be authorised under TEQSA (reg 18(1)). This creates an operational dependency between TEQSA authorisation and Board accreditation.

Two accreditation gateways. Regulation 10 sets two distinct mechanisms.

• Regulation 10(1) refers to programs that meet the Board’s accreditation standards. The standards themselves are not reproduced in the regulations; they are a threshold the Board must be “satisfied” the program meets (reg 10(1)(a)). This is the traditional, standards‑driven accreditation route.
• Regulation 10(2) provides an alternative statutory route, with objective minimums: the program leads to a bachelor or postgraduate degree (10(2)(a)(i)); ordinarily at least four years for a bachelor or at least one year for a postgraduate (10(2)(a)(ii)-(iii)); the program includes at least one year of professional teacher education content (10(2)(a)(iv)); and includes at least 45 days of supervised teaching practice (10(2)(a)(v). The Board still must be of the opinion that program content is sufficiently similar to programs accredited under reg 10(1) and suitable for accreditation (10(2)(b)(i)-(ii)).

Conditions and cancellation. Accreditation is always potentially conditional (reg 15(1)-(2)). The Board may impose, vary or cancel conditions at the time of grant or during the accreditation period and must ensure conditions are “reasonable and relevant” to the statutory pathway under which accreditation was granted (reg 15(3)-(4)). If the Board forms the view that the program ceases to meet its pathway requirements or a condition is being breached, the Board “must” cancel accreditation as soon as possible (reg 16(1)-(2)). Cancellation takes effect on the day notice is given (reg 16(2)) unless a later date is specified.

Procedural rules and protection of student interests. The regulations mandate procedural steps designed to protect applicants and students. The Board must give a reasonable opportunity to show cause before refusing an application or imposing certain conditions or cancelling accreditation (reg 23). The Board must take account of any show‑cause submissions and the interests of students before making a decision under the Division governing conditions and cancellation (reg 19). Notices of decisions are to be in writing and issued within 14 days, and must include reasons and, where relevant, notification of review rights (regs 20-22).

Primary affected parties

• Education providers (registered higher education providers). Only a body that meets the TEQSA definition of a registered higher education provider may apply to the Board for accreditation or re‑accreditation (reg 3; reg 5(2)). The regulations therefore exclude non‑TEQSA bodies from the Board’s accreditation process.
• Applicants (program sponsors). The education provider that owns the accreditation is the only entity that may apply for re‑accreditation (reg 6(2)).
• Students enrolled in accredited programs. The regulations require the Board to take students’ interests into account for decisions on conditions and cancellation (reg 19), and to consider student interests in Ministerial review (reg 24(6)(c)). Students are also affected by notice timing for cancellations and by continuity protections when re‑accreditation is pending (reg 13(2)).

Secondary affected parties

• Prospective students and employers. The public register (reg 25-26) makes program status publicly visible, which informs prospective students’ choice and employers’ assessment of graduate qualifications.
• TEQSA and Commonwealth higher education regulators. Program accreditation is linked to TEQSA registration and the TEQSA definition of an accredited course (reg 3; reg 18). If TEQSA revokes authorisation, the Board must cancel accreditation immediately after becoming aware (reg 18(1)). The Board’s register may also feed into a national register maintained by AITSL (reg 25(2)).
• Other State and Territory authorising bodies and national accreditation bodies. The Board may recognise programs accredited under a national accreditation scheme by other authorised bodies (reg 4(1)(b)). That creates cross‑jurisdictional recognition pathways.
• The Minister and administrative reviewers. Ministerial review is the statutory avenue for merits review of specified accreditation decisions (reg 24).

Who pays

• Education providers bear the direct application cost where accreditation is sought under the standards pathway: $2 256 for initial accreditation (reg 5(3)(c)) and a matching fee for re‑accreditation in the same pathway (reg 6(4)(b)). The regulations declare the fee non‑refundable (reg 5(4); reg 6(5)). Board staff and administrative costs are funded by the Board or its enabling Act; the regulations do not set separate charges beyond the application fee and the $50 certified copy fee (reg 26(3)).

Who decides

Duties of education providers

• Eligibility and application: Only registered higher education providers may apply; applications must be in the Board’s form if one is specified, and must specify whether accreditation is sought under reg 10(1) or reg 10(2) (reg 5(2)-(3)(a)-(b)).
• Fee payment: For accreditations under reg 10(1), the provider must pay a non‑refundable fee of $2 256 with the application (reg 5(3)(c)-(4)). The same non‑refundable fee is required for re‑accreditation in those cases (reg 6(4)(b)-(5)).
• Information and cooperation: Providers must respond to Board requests for further information, may have to verify information by statutory declaration, and may be required to give written consent for the Board to seek third‑party information (reg 7(1)(a)-(c)). The provider may also be required to attend before the Board or a committee (reg 7(2)). Failure to comply may lead to refusal of the application (reg 7(3)).
• Notification of changes: Providers must give written notice at least three months before implementing any significant change to an accredited program and must detail the proposed change (reg 14(1)-(2)).
• Compliance with conditions: Providers must comply with conditions imposed on accreditation; conditions must be reasonable and relevant to the pathway under which accreditation was granted (reg 15(1)-(4)).

Duties of the Board

• Assessment against standards: The Board may accredit only if satisfied the program meets accreditation standards (reg 10(1)(a)), or, under the alternative pathway, that statutory thresholds are met and content is sufficiently similar (reg 10(2)(a)-(b)).
• Procedural fairness: The Board must give a reasonable opportunity to show cause before refusing applications or imposing conditions/cancelling accreditation in the specified circumstances (reg 23).
• Notice obligations: The Board must give written notice of outcomes within 14 days and include prescribed content such as reasons, duration, conditions and review rights where applicable (regs 20-22).
• Register maintenance and public access: The Board must keep an accurate, up‑to‑date register and make it available to the public in a manner it considers appropriate (reg 25(1), reg 26(1)-(2)). The Board may integrate its register with AITSL (reg 25(2)).
• Cancellation timing: The Board must cancel accreditation “as soon as possible” after forming the view the program no longer meets requirements or conditions (reg 16(1)).

The regulations do not create criminal penalties or express monetary fines for non‑compliance with specific duties such as failure to notify significant change, failure to provide information, or failure to comply with conditions. Instead, enforcement is principally administrative and focused on accreditation outcomes.

Administrative enforcement mechanisms

• Refusal to consider or rejection of application. The Board may refuse to consider an application that is not made in accordance with the regulations (reg 8). The Board may refuse an application if an applicant fails to comply with an information request, including statutory declaration requirements (reg 7(3)).
• Imposition of conditions. The Board can impose conditions on accreditation at grant or during the currency of the accreditation (reg 15(1)-(3)). Conditions may be tailored to ensure the program meets the pathway requirements (reg 15(4)).
• Cancellation of accreditation. The Board must cancel accreditation as soon as possible when it forms the view the program does not meet the requirements set out in reg 10(1) or reg 10(2), or a condition is not being complied with (reg 16(1)). Cancellation can also occur at the provider’s written request (reg 17) or where a program ceases to be authorised under TEQSA (reg 18(1)). Cancellation takes effect on the date notice is provided or a later date specified (reg 16(2), reg 17(2), reg 18(2)).
• Notice and reasons. Any cancellation or imposition of conditions during the currency of accreditation must be notified to the provider within 14 days and must give reasons and, where appropriate, review rights (regs 20-22).

Procedural safeguards that affect enforcement

• Opportunity to show cause. Before refusing an application, granting subject to conditions, imposing or modifying a condition during the currency of accreditation, or cancelling accreditation under reg 16, the Board must give a reasonable opportunity to show cause (reg 23). This procedural step introduces a form of administrative due process that can temper the immediacy of enforcement.
• Ministerial review. Providers have the ability to request a Ministerial review of specified accreditation decisions (reg 24). Once exercised, the Minister’s decision is final under the regulations (reg 24(8)), which centralises the final line of administrative review.

Financial consequences

• Application and re‑accreditation fees are non‑refundable (reg 5(4); reg 6(5)). The non‑refundability of the fee is a financial consequence of pursuing accreditation when the application is refused or withdrawn. Certified copies of register information attract a $50 charge (reg 26(3)).

The regulations are tightly cross‑referenced and operationally dependent on Commonwealth higher education law and national teacher education machinery. Key interactions are:

Link to TEQSA (Commonwealth). Several provisions adopt TEQSA concepts and make Board accreditation conditional on TEQSA authorisation.

• Definition cross‑reference. “Education provider” and “program” are defined by reference to TEQSA definitions: education provider means a registered higher education provider as defined in TEQSA s 5; program must be an accredited course as defined in TEQSA s 5 (reg 3). This directly imports TEQSA eligibility metrics into the Board’s regime.
• Cancellation where TEQSA authorisation lapses. The Board must cancel accreditation immediately once it comes to the Board’s attention that the program is no longer authorised under TEQSA (reg 18(1)). This creates a direct enforcement linkage where Commonwealth regulatory changes or decisions can trigger Board cancellation obligations.

National accreditation and AITSL. The regulations explicitly permit recognition of national accreditation arrangements.

• Recognition of national accreditation. A program accredited for the purposes of a national accreditation scheme by the Board or another State/Territory authorised body is taken to be accredited for the Act (reg 4(1)(b)). This allows cross‑jurisdictional continuity and mutual recognition under national frameworks.
• Register integration. The Board’s register may form part of AITSL’s national register of accredited initial teacher education programs (reg 25(2)). This facilitates data sharing and national transparency.

Interaction with the Teacher Registration Act 2012. The regulations’ operative purpose is to implement accreditation for the purposes of the Teacher Registration Act 2012, and reg 4 defines when a program is “accredited for the purposes of the Act” (reg 4(1)). Accreditation under these regulations determines whether a program can be used to support teacher registration under the Act.

Administrative law and internal review. The regulations create a statutory internal review mechanism by the Minister for certain accreditation decisions (reg 24). While the regulations state the Minister’s decision is final and not subject to appeal or further review (reg 24(8)), the regulations do not expressly exclude judicial review by courts on legality grounds; the instrument itself simply provides no appeal. The regulations do not address non‑statutory external merits review bodies or tribunals.

The regulations have been amended multiple times since the 2012 original. The compiled text and footnotes record sequential amendments and indicate substantive insertions in recent instruments. The compilation table and in‑text amendment annotations identify the amending instruments and the regulations affected.

Key amendment instruments and dates (as shown in the compilation table and embedded annotations)

• 2015 amendments: Teacher Registration (Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programmes) Amendment Regulations 2015 (published 12 Jun 2015, substantive parts commenced 1 Jul 2015). The footnotes show reg 5 and reg 6 were amended at those times (see reg 5 and reg 6 amendment notes).
• 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022 fee amendments: Several fee adjustments were made via education and training regulations amending fees and charges, recorded at Gazette dates and commencement dates (Gazette 14 Jun 2016; 27 Jun 2017; 31 Jul 2018; SL 2022/61 3 Jun 2022).
• 2023 amendments: Teacher Registration Regulations Amendment Regulations 2023 (SL 2023/194), commenced 19 Dec 2023. Multiple provisions show amendments with reference to SL 2023/194 r. 7 (for example reg 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 header, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26). The footnotes show deletion of r 12 and Division 2 r 9 was deleted (see annotation “Division 2 (r. 9) deleted: SL 2023/194 r. 5” and “12. Deleted: SL 2023/194 r. 6”).
• 2024 amendment: Teacher Registration (Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs) Amendment Regulations (No. 2) 2024 (SL 2024/240), publication 27 Nov 2024, commencement 28 Nov 2024. This instrument amended reg 4 (reg 4 amended: SL 2024/240 r. 4), and may have introduced transitional accreditation entries (reg 4(2) lists specific programs taken to be accredited until 30 June 2026 with an amendment note SL 2024/240 r. 4).
• 2025 amendment: Teacher Registration (Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs) Amendment Regulations 2025 (SL 2025/161), publication 3 Sep 2025, substantive parts from 4 Sep 2025. This instrument inserted regulation 10(2) and regulation 11 (see annotations “Regulation 10 inserted: SL 2025/161 r. 8” and “Regulation 11 inserted: SL 2025/161 r. 8”), amended regulation 3 (SL 2025/161 r. 4), amended regs 5 and 6 fee notes (SL 2025/161 r. 6-7), amended reg 13 (r. 12 deleted earlier), reg 15 amended r. 9, reg 16 amended r. 10, reg 18 amended r. 11, reg 25 amended r.12, and Part 5 (r. 27, 28) deleted (SL 2025/161 r. 13). The compilation table records SL 2025/161 in the chain with commencement notes.

The regulations as compiled do not record any litigation or judicial interpretations. The statutory text contains no references to case law and the compilation table and notes in the supplied material do not list decisions or litigation. Relevant procedural features that affect litigation risk and review pathways are as follows.

• Finality of Ministerial review. The regulations make the Minister’s review decision “final and not subject to appeal or further review” (reg 24(8)). This establishes the internal administrative architecture for merits review under the regulations and excludes any statutory right of appeal or further merits review within the instrument itself.
• No statutory external merits appeal. The regulations do not create an external tribunal or appeal to a court or independent tribunal for accreditation decisions. The only statutory domestic review route provided is the Ministerial review under reg 24.
• Judicial review not addressed. The regulations do not mention judicial review or exclude it. They simply provide that the Minister’s decision is final and not subject to appeal under the instrument. Because the text does not comment on judicial review, the regulation does not itself provide or deny access to courts for questions of legality. The regulations do not record whether any judicial review applications have been brought in relation to these or earlier versions of the regulations.

What this means for practitioners

• The regulations provide an explicit and final administrative review path by the Minister (reg 24(2)-(8)). Parties seeking to challenge accreditation decisions under the internal process must use that mechanism and act within the 30‑day window for requesting review (reg 24(3)(a)).
• The regulations do not identify or provide for an external merits appeal, and they require written reasons for Ministerial review outcomes (reg 24(7)), but they do not say anything about judicial review. Practitioners seeking remedies beyond final administrative review would need to consider judicial avenues under general administrative law, but the regulations themselves do not address or map any such proceedings.

Because the source material contains no case law or litigation history, no decisions or judicial treatments can be summarised beyond what the statutory provisions specify about internal review finality.

Several features of the regulations can produce unintended operational consequences for providers that do not observe the rules closely. These are concrete traps or friction points that arise directly from the statutory text.

Non‑refundable fee and fee applicability. The $2 256 application fee is non‑refundable and applies only where accreditation is sought under reg 10(1) (reg 5(3)(c)-(4)). Providers relying on reg 10(2) may not be charged that fee at application, but must be clear which pathway they are invoking when they apply because the form must specify the pathway (reg 5(3)(b)). Mistakenly specifying the wrong pathway could have both procedural and financial consequences, particularly given the non‑refundable nature of the fee.

Eligibility limited to TEQSA‑registered providers. Only registered higher education providers as defined in the TEQSA Act may apply (reg 5(2); reg 3). Entities that run education courses but are not TEQSA‑registered cannot use this accreditation process and risk wasted effort if they do not confirm TEQSA status first.

Immediate cancellation upon TEQSA authorisation lapses. The Board “must” cancel accreditation immediately after it comes to the Board’s attention that the program is no longer authorised under TEQSA (reg 18(1)). Providers cannot rely on discretionary Board forbearance in the face of TEQSA de‑authorisation; Board cancellation obligations are triggered upon notice. This creates a risk: a TEQSA action or the Board’s awareness of such action will quickly terminate accreditation.

Short statutory timelines for notices. The Board must notify applicants of decisions within 14 days (reg 20(1)), and must give the provider written notice of condition imposition/variation/cancellation during the accreditation currency within 14 days after making the decision (reg 21(1)) and cancellation under reg 16 or 18 within 14 days (reg 22(1)). Providers should expect prompt issuance of formal decisions and ensure they have processes to receive and act on such notices.

“Must” cancel vs procedural show cause. Although the Board must cancel accreditation as soon as possible where statutory requirements are not met (reg 16(1)), the Board is also required to give a reasonable opportunity to show cause before cancellation in specified cases (reg 23(2)(b)). Providers should not interpret the “must” language as eliminating procedural fairness obligations; the show‑cause requirement still applies and timing can be critical.

Conditions can be imposed during currency and take immediate effect on notice. Conditions imposed or modified during the currency of accreditation take effect on the day notice is given unless the notice specifies a later day (reg 15(6)). Providers should inspect notices immediately and be ready to comply from the effective date set in the notice, which may be immediate.

This section sets out concrete steps and record‑keeping recommendations for education providers seeking initial accreditation or re‑accreditation under the regulations. Each step cites the controlling provisions to ensure compliance with the statutory requirements.

1. Confirm TEQSA status before doing anything else (reg 3; reg 18(1))

   • Ensure your institution is a TEQSA‑registered higher education provider and that the program is an accredited course under TEQSA s 5. The Board’s jurisdiction to consider an application is limited to TEQSA‑registered providers (reg 3; reg 5(2)).
   • Maintain awareness of TEQSA authorisation status because if the program ceases to be authorised, the Board must cancel accreditation as soon as it learns of that fact (reg 18(1)).

2. Choose the accreditation pathway carefully and complete the correct form (reg 5(3)(b))

   • Decide whether to seek accreditation under reg 10(1) (the Board’s accreditation standards) or reg 10(2) (if your program meets the objective thresholds introduced by SL 2025/161).
   • Complete the Board’s approved application form and ensure it explicitly specifies the pathway you are invoking (reg 5(3)(a)-(b)).

3. Prepare supporting evidence and be ready for Board information requests (reg 7)

   • Assemble curriculum documentation, assessment frameworks, practicum placement schedules and supervision arrangements, teaching staff CVs, and any TEQSA correspondence.
   • Be prepared to verify information by statutory declaration if requested, and to sign written consent allowing the Board to obtain relevant information from third parties (reg 7(1)(b)-(c)). Establish processes for obtaining statutory declarations and third‑party consents promptly.
   • Anticipate attendance requests from the Board or a committee and arrange for appropriate senior staff to be available to attend and answer questions (reg 7(2)).

4. Pay the correct fee where applicable and understand refund status (reg 5(3)(c)-(4); reg 6(4)(b)-(5))

   • If seeking accreditation under reg 10(1), include the non‑refundable fee of $2 256 with the application (reg 5(3)(c)-(4)). The same fee applies for re‑accreditation where the program was originally accredited under reg 10(1) (reg 6(4)(b)-(5)).
   • Confirm the current fee schedule with the Board before lodging application, because the compilation table shows fees have been adjusted by amending instruments over time.