Covid-19 and 2020 study

If your final year of initial teacher education (ITE) was studied in Australia during 2020 AITSL needs additional evidence that outlines how your study was or was not affected by COVID-19. This evidence will allow AITSL to confirm that your study meets approved changes agreed by State and Territory teacher registration boards.

If your study was not affected by COVID-19 you will find the information you are required to provide in the section ‘What additional information needs to go on the supervised teaching practice statement’.

What supervised teaching practice (STP) undertaken in 2020 will AITSL consider for ITE study in Australia?

1. Remote/alternative STP undertaken because of COVID-19

Remote/alternative supervised teaching practice, undertaken because of COVID-19 and as part of your ITE qualification, will be considered, and assessed on a case by case basis.  

Remote/alternative STP likely to be assessed suitable will:

• have been supervised
  
• will have provided you the opportunity to practice the key aspects of teaching such as lesson planning, teaching, assessing and classroom management
  
• will have been with the curriculum and age range relevant to your nominated occupation.

It is unlikely that applications with all 45 days undertaken via remote/alternative STP will be found suitable. 

2. Face to face STP outside the nominated occupation

AITSL will also consider face to face supervised teaching practice where only half (23) of the 45 days you have undertaken were within the age range and setting for your nominated occupation. The remaining days may have been face to face with an age range outside your nominated occupation.

What if I was studying my ITE in Australia, in 2020, but had to study online outside of Australia due to COVID-19?

If your location of study for your ITE qualification has been impacted by COVID-19 this must be noted as part of the modified supervised teaching practice statement. Additional information about your circumstances will assist AITSL to determine suitability.

AITSL will assess this requirement with some flexibility, however extended periods of study outside one of the listed countries may require submission of an Academic IELTS. Please ask your awarding institution to be clear which modules, if any, were undertaken online and in which country you were located whilst studying these. Please see specific requirements in the following section. 
An Academic IELTS remains the only English language test currently accepted by AITSL. 

What additional information needs to go on the supervised teaching practice statement?

The requirements for a supervised teaching practice statement are outlined on page 6 and 7 of the Guide to applying for a skills assessment and must be submitted with your application.

When asking your awarding institution to provide a supervised teaching practice please ask them to also include the following additional information. Please see examples of statements that could be included on an STP statement.

1. Approved qualification modifications

Modified qualifications

A statement noting that your completed ITE qualification:

• Has been impacted by COVID-19
• meets modifications approved for accredited initial teacher education programs by the teacher registration board
• continues to meet its intended learning objectives and graduates meet the Australian Graduate Teacher Standards

All the above points must be included in the statement from your awarding institution.

Qualifications not modified for COVID-19

A statement noting that your completed ITE qualification has not been impacted by COVID-19.

2. Location of ITE study

All qualifications

A statement noting whether you completed your study fully within Australia or whether you needed to study outside of Australia due to COVID-19.

Where you had to study outside of Australia due to COVID-19 the statement should also include:

• confirmation that you were enrolled in your ITE qualification in Australia prior to COVID-19 or 1 January 2020 and had to study online/out of the country as a direct consequence of COVID-19
• the duration and number of credit points studied outside Australia (or another one of the 6 listed English speaking countries) and which country the study took place in
• confirmation that the online study was instructed and assessed in English
• outline, where the online study included STP, the curriculum and language of the placement school.

3. Supervised teaching practice – 45 days

All qualifications

A statement about your supervised teaching practice outlining:

• the number of days, school setting and age range of students for the STP undertaken:
• o face to face
• o by remote teaching
• o alternative scenarios

• a short description of the remote/alternative STP and how you were supervised and assessed by the institution, including:
• o how the STP provided an opportunity for you to engage in classroom practice including but not limited to, planning, teaching, assessing and classroom management relevant to the nominated occupation
• o how you engaged with the curriculum relevant for your nominated occupation
• o how you were assessed.

How to submit the additional information

The additional information can be provided as part of a modified STP statement. Please see examples of statements that could be included on an STP statement.

Alternatively, you can provide the additional information on a separate document and upload it as an ‘other’ document during the application process.

AITSL can only accept additional evidence that has been provided by your awarding institution. It must follow existing document guidelines and be provided in colour, signed, dated and on official University letterhead. 

Occupation checklists

Prior to submitting, it is important that you review the checklist for your nominated occupation. All evidence as listed in the occupation checklists still needs to be submitted with your application. 

A suitable assessment, as part of the COVID-19 modifications, must still demonstrate that it met the skills assessment criteria before any approved modifications were made.

All assessable ITE qualifications must demonstrate that they:
1. have been successfully completed
2. be comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor’s degree (Australian Qualification Framework level 7) or higher
3. include at least one year full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education (university) level ITE study relevant to the nominated occupation
4. Include at least 45 days of supervised teaching practice in the relevant setting and age range.

If your final year of initial teacher education (ITE) was studied with a university outside of Australia during 2020 AITSL needs additional evidence that outlines how your study was or was not affected by COVID-19. This evidence will allow AITSL to assess your application in a manner comparable to Australian ITE qualifications and requirements.

What supervised teaching practice undertaken in 2020 will AITSL consider for ITE study at an institution outside of Australia?

1. Remote/alternative STP undertaken because of COVID-19

Remote/alternative supervised teaching practice, undertaken because of COVID-19 and as part of your ITE qualification, will be considered, and assessed on a case by case basis.  

Remote/alternative STP likely to be assessed suitable will:

• have been supervised
• will have provided you the opportunity to practice the key aspects of teaching such as lesson planning, teaching, assessing and classroom management
• will have been with the curriculum and age range relevant to your nominated occupation.

It is unlikely that applications with all 45 days undertaken via remote/alternative STP will be found suitable. 

2. Face to face STP outside the nominated occupation

AITSL will also consider face to face supervised teaching practice where only half (23) of the 45 days you have undertaken were within the age range and setting for your nominated occupation. The remaining days may have been face to face with an age range outside your nominated occupation.

What if I was studying my ITE in one of the six listed English speaking countries during 2020 but had to study online, outside that country, due to COVID-19?

If your location of study for your ITE qualification has been impacted by COVID-19 this must be noted as part of the modified supervised teaching practice statement. Additional information about your circumstances will assist AITSL to determine suitability.

AITSL will assess this requirement with some flexibility, however extended periods of study outside one of the listed countries may require submission of an Academic IELTS. Please ask your awarding institution to be clear which modules, if any, were undertaken online and in which country you were located whilst studying these. Please see specific requirements in the following section. 

An Academic IELTS remains the only English language test currently accepted by AITSL. 

What additional information needs to go on the supervised teaching practice statement?

The requirements for a supervised teaching practice statement are outlined on page 6 and 7 of the Guide to applying for a skills assessment and must be submitted with your application.

When asking your awarding institution to provide a supervised teaching practice please ask them to also include the following additional information. Please see examples of statements that could be included on an STP statement.

1. Approved qualification modifications

Modified qualifications

A statement noting that your completed ITE qualification:

• Has been impacted by COVID-19
• meets modifications approved by an external governing body
• That your qualification continued to meet its initial learning objectives and that the qualification (where relevant) leads to teacher registration in your country.

All the above points including a short description of the modifications to the program of study and assessment requirements must be included in the statement from your awarding institution.

Qualifications not modified for COVID-19

A statement noting that your completed ITE qualification has not been impacted by COVID-19.

2. Location of ITE study

All qualifications

A statement noting whether you completed your study fully within one of the six listed English speaking countries or whether you needed to study outside of your chosen country due to COVID-19.

Where you had to study outside of one of the six listed English speaking countries due to COVID-19 the statement should also include:

• confirmation that you were enrolled in your ITE qualification prior to COVID-19 or 1 January 2020 and had to study online/out of the country as a direct consequence of COVID-19
• the duration and number of credit points studied outside the country and which country the study took place in
• confirmation that the online study was instructed and assessed in English
• outline, where the online study included STP, the curriculum and language of the placement school.

3. Supervised teaching practice – 45 days

All qualifications

A statement about your supervised teaching practice outlining:

• the number of days, school setting and age range of students for the STP undertaken:
• o face to face
• o by remote teaching
• o alternative scenarios

• a short description of the remote/alternative STP and how you were supervised and assessed by the institution, including:
• o how the STP provided an opportunity for you to engage in classroom practice including but not limited to, planning, teaching, assessing and classroom management relevant to the nominated occupation
• o how you engaged with the curriculum relevant for your nominated occupation
• o how you were assessed.

How to submit the additional information

The additional information can be provided as part of a modified STP statement. Please see examples of statements that could be included on an STP statement.

Alternatively, you can provide the additional information on a separate document and upload it as an ‘other’ document during the application process.

AITSL can only accept additional evidence that has been provided by your awarding institution. It must follow existing document guidelines and be provided in colour, signed, dated and on official University letterhead. 

Occupation checklists

Prior to submitting, it is important that you review the checklist for your nominated occupation. All evidence as listed in the occupation checklists still needs to be submitted with your application. 

A suitable assessment, as part of the COVID-19 modifications, must still demonstrate that it met the skills assessment criteria before any approved modifications were made.

All assessable ITE qualifications must demonstrate that they:

• have been successfully completed
• be comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor’s degree (Australian Qualification Framework level 7) or higher
• include at least one year full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education (university) level ITE study relevant to the nominated occupation
• Include at least 45 days of supervised teaching practice in the relevant setting and age range
  

If you have completed your final year of study in 2020 in an Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) approved Australian ITE qualification covering ages birth to 5 years of age, the following additional evidence is required. This evidence will allow AITSL to confirm your qualification against ACECQA’s approved modifications.

What supervised teaching practice, undertaken in 2020, will AITSL consider for ACECQA approved Australian Early Childhood qualifications covering ages birth to 5 years of age?

For early childhood (birth to 5 years of age) qualifications, completed in 2020, AITSL will accept the STP days in early childhood settings required by ACECQA under their approved modifications for supervised professional experience requirements. (https://www.acecqa.gov.au/covid-19/modifications-supervised-professional-experience-requirements)

Remote/alternative STP undertaken because of COVID-19

Remote/alternative supervised teaching practice, undertaken because of COVID-19 and as part of your ITE qualification, will be considered, and assessed on a case by case basis.  

Remote/alternative STP likely to be assessed suitable will:

• have been supervised
• will have provided you the opportunity to practice the key aspects of teaching such as lesson planning, teaching, assessing and classroom management
• will have been with the curriculum and age range relevant to your nominated occupation.

It is unlikely that applications with all of the required days undertaken via remote/alternative STP will be found suitable. 

What if I was studying my Early Childhood qualification in Australia but had to study online, outside of Australia, due to COVID-19?

If your location of study for your ITE qualification has been impacted by COVID-19 this must be noted as part of the modified supervised teaching practice statement. Additional information about your circumstances will assist AITSL to determine suitability.

AITSL will assess this requirement with some flexibility, however extended periods of study outside one of the listed countries may require submission of an Academic IELTS. Please ask your awarding institution to be clear which modules, if any, were undertaken online and in which country you were located whilst studying these. Please see specific requirements in the following section. 

An Academic IELTS remains the only English language test currently accepted by AITSL. 

What additional information needs to go on the supervised teaching practice statement?

The requirements for a supervised teaching practice statement are outlined on page 6 and 7 of the Guide to applying for a skills assessment  and must be submitted with your application.

When asking your awarding institution to provide a supervised teaching practice please ask them to also include the following additional information. Please see examples of statements that could be included on an STP statement. 

1.     Approved qualification modifications

Modified qualifications

A statement noting that your completed ITE qualification:

• has been impacted by COVID-19
• meets approved modifications from the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)
• continues to meet its intended learning objectives.

All the above points must be included in the statement from your awarding institution.

Qualifications not modified for COVID-19

A statement noting that your completed ITE qualification has not been impacted by COVID-19.

2. Location of ITE study

All qualifications

A statement noting whether you completed your study fully within Australia or whether you needed to study outside of Australia due to COVID-19.

Where you had to study outside of Australia due to COVID-19 the statement should also include:

• confirmation that you were enrolled in your ITE qualification prior to COVID-19 or 1 January 2020 and had to study online/out of the country as a direct consequence of COVID-19
• the duration and number of credit points studied outside the country and which country the study took place in
• confirmation that the online study was instructed and assessed in English
• outline, where the online study included STP, the curriculum and language of the placement school.

3. Supervised teaching practice

All qualifications

A statement about your supervised teaching practice outlining:

• the number of days, school setting and age range of students for the STP undertaken:
• o face to face
• o by remote teaching
• o alternative scenarios

• a short description of the remote/alternative STP and how you were supervised and assessed by the institution, including:
• o how the STP provided an opportunity for you to engage in classroom practice including but not limited to, planning, teaching, assessing and classroom management relevant to the nominated occupation
• o how you engaged with the curriculum relevant for your nominated occupation
• o how you were assessed.

How to submit the additional information

The additional information can be provided as part of a modified STP statement. Please see examples of statements that could be included on an STP statement.

Alternatively, you can provide the additional information on a separate document and upload it as an ‘other’ document during the application process.

AITSL can only accept additional evidence that has been provided by your awarding institution. It must follow existing document guidelines and be provided in colour, signed, dated and on official University letterhead. 

Occupation checklists

Prior to submitting, it is important that you review the checklist for your nominated occupation. All evidence as listed in the occupation checklists still needs to be submitted with your application. 

A suitable assessment, as part of the COVID-19 modifications, must still demonstrate that it met the skills assessment criteria before any approved modifications were made.
All assessable ITE qualifications must demonstrate that they:

• have been successfully completed
• be comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor’s degree (Australian Qualification Framework level 7) or higher
• include at least one year full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education (university) level ITE study relevant to the nominated occupation
• Include at least 45 days of supervised teaching practice in the relevant setting and age range