For RTOs

RTOs

What is an RTO?

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) in Australia are responsible for delivering government approved courses to learners. Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses can include:

Certificates I, II, III, and IV
Diplomas
Advanced Diplomas
Vocational graduate certificates and diplomas

VET providers come in a range of businesses, including:

Technical And Further Education (TAFE) institutes
Private education providers
Enterprise RTOs providing training directly to their staff
School and Universities
Professional or industry associations
Not-for-profit or community based adult education providers

RTOs in Australia are regulated by ASQA.

How to become an RTO

RTOs are subject to rigorous assessment to ensure quality training is provided to all VET learners. If you are looking to enter the market as a provider, first familiarise yourself with the legislation requirements.

From ASQA: To become a registered training organisation (RTO) under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (NVR Act), or a registered provider under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act), you need to demonstrate the capability and commitment to become a quality education and training provider.

Requirements and responsibilities

All RTOs must comply with VET Quality Framework:

Lapse of Registration

An RTO’s registration will automatically lapse if it does not deliver any training and/or assessment to VET students for a consecutive period of 12 months or more (the “measurement period”). This applies to any consecutive 12-month period after 1 January 2023.

ASQA will notify providers that they have lapsed and require them to return their certificate of registration within 10 days of notification.

RTOs can request an extension to the measurement period for non-delivery. The request must be made 90 days prior to the RTO’s lapse date.

Delivering VET training and assessment to overseas students

Registered training providers delivering VET training and assessment to overseas students must be registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

Non-CRICOS registered training providers cannot deliver VET training and assessment to students on a student visa (Subclass 500). At enrolment, non-CRICOS registered VET providers must ensure that the student they are enrolling is not in Australia on a student visa (subclass 500).

Under Section 8 of the ESOS Act it is an offence for a provider to hold itself out as able or willing to provide a course to overseas students. An exception to this is provided for some Units of Competency listed in the Education Services for Overseas Students (Exempt Courses) Instrument 2021.

The instrument means non-CRICOS registered VET providers can deliver the ESOS-exempt Units of Competency to overseas students, if the provider meets the domestic requirements for registration and delivery.