Study Abroad
Want to teach in Australia? See Master of Teaching entry rules, IELTS bands, LANTITE, AITSL and ACECQA skills assessment and registration for Nepali students.
"I have a BEd from Nepal and three years of school teaching. Can I teach in Australia?" We hear this often at our Kathmandu, Pokhara, Beni, Dhangadhi and Janakpur offices.
Teaching is a regulated profession in Australia. You need an accredited initial teacher education (ITE) qualification, state registration and very strong English, plus a skills assessment if you later want skilled migration. This guide explains how teaching in Australia for Nepali students works in 2026, based on official pages from the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), teacher regulators, ACER and the Department of Home Affairs. Rules change often, so always confirm on the official pages before you apply.
Study (ITE qualification): a Bachelor of Education or Master of Teaching accredited by a state or territory teacher regulator. AITSL publishes an accredited programs list.
Teacher registration: your licence to teach, issued by the regulator in the state where you work, for example the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA) or NESA in New South Wales.
Skills assessment for migration: AITSL assesses school teacher occupations, including Primary School Teacher (241213), Middle School Teacher (241311), Secondary School Teacher (241411) and several special education occupations. Since 7 December 2024, ACECQA is the assessing authority for Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School) Teacher (241111). Neither replaces registration.
Early childhood teaching: children before school age, in kindergarten, preschool or long day care. You need an ACECQA-approved early childhood teaching qualification; registration rules vary by state.
Primary teaching: AITSL describes a primary teacher as degree-qualified to teach students aged 5 to 12 in primary schools.
Secondary teaching: students aged 13 to 18, usually in one or two subject areas such as Mathematics, Science or English, so your degree subjects matter a lot.
Not counted: AITSL does not recognise Montessori, TESOL, TEFL or ESL qualifications as ITE for school teacher occupations.
Most Nepali graduates look at a graduate-entry Master of Teaching. Using two Perth universities as examples (always confirm the current page for your intake), here is what is typically checked.
A relevant bachelor's degree: ECU's Master of Teaching (Secondary) asks for a discipline-specific bachelor's degree relevant to the Australian Curriculum, with advanced study in your major teaching area. Its Primary course asks for at least one year of full-time-equivalent study relevant to primary school learning areas. UWA's Master of Teaching (Secondary) asks for six units in a relevant discipline, including at least two at second-year and two at third-year university level, plus the equivalent of a 60 per cent weighted average mark.
Course length: ECU lists its Master of Teaching (Primary) and (Secondary) as two years full-time. UWA lists its Master of Teaching (Secondary) as 1.5 years full-time. Length matters later for the 485 visa, as explained below.
Very high English scores: this is where many applicants get stuck. ECU asks international students for IELTS Academic 7.5 overall, no band below 7.0, and 8.0 in Speaking and Listening. UWA asks for IELTS Academic 7.5 overall with 7.0 in Reading and Writing and 8.0 in Listening and Speaking, or PTE Academic 75 with no sub-score below 70. These are far above student visa minimums. Our IELTS vs PTE guide compares the tests, but AITSL and TRBWA accept only IELTS Academic, so IELTS is often the safer choice for teaching.
Police checks: UWA asks for a criminal record check from your home country before admission, and ECU requires a criminal history check and a Working with Children Check before placements.
Our guide to Masters in Australia after a Bachelor's from Nepal explains how three-year Nepali degrees are assessed. After +2, see our Bachelor's after +2 (NEB) guide before choosing a Bachelor of Education.
ITE students must meet the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) standard. ECU says you must pass it to graduate, and UWA lists it as a core requirement.
What the test looks like: ACER describes a computer-based test with literacy and numeracy components of 65 questions and two hours each, set at the level of the top 30 per cent of Australian adults.
When you can sit it: in fixed windows, at a test centre or by remote proctoring. Late registrations are not accepted; the October/November 2026 window closed for registration on 5 October 2026.
Attempts: ACER says there have been no test limits since 2025, but sit early so it does not delay graduation.
Supervised teaching practice is a compulsory part of every ITE qualification. AITSL's checklists require at least 45 days of supervised teaching practice with students in the right age range, for example 5 to 12 for primary or 13 to 18 for secondary.
What counts: only supervised, assessed practice in a school as part of your ITE course. AITSL says work experience does not count, even years of teaching in Nepal.
Practical impact: ECU notes that host schools generally expect pre-service teachers to attend placements on a full-time basis. Plan your part-time job and budget around placement blocks. Our guide to part-time jobs for international students explains the work limit and typical student jobs.
AITSL (primary, middle, secondary and special education): you need at least four years of full-time higher education that includes a relevant ITE qualification at Australian bachelor level (AQF 7) or higher, with at least one year of ITE for your occupation and 45 days of supervised teaching practice. Other qualifications counted toward the four years must be at least AQF 6. AITSL's assessment is qualifications-based, so teaching experience is not assessed.
AITSL English: either four full years of higher education, including recognised ITE, in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the USA, or an IELTS Academic result with at least 7.0 in Reading and Writing and 8.0 in Speaking and Listening on one test report, taken within three years before applying. AITSL does not accept PTE, TOEFL, IELTS Online or other tests. This matters for Nepali students: a three-year bachelor's from Nepal plus a two-year Master of Teaching in Australia gives only two years of study in Australia, so you would usually need the IELTS option.
AITSL timing and fees: most assessment-ready applications take about four weeks, some up to six. The fee from 7 September 2026 is listed as AUD 1,198.
ACECQA (early childhood teacher): you need an ACECQA-approved early childhood teaching qualification (or equivalent) and English evidence: one year of full-time tertiary study in one of the six listed countries, IELTS Academic 7.0 in Reading and Writing and 8.0 in Speaking and Listening, or ISLPR Level 4. ACECQA aims to decide within 80 calendar days, lists a fee of AUD 1,100 including GST, and outcomes are valid for three years.
A positive skills assessment is not a visa or permanent residency, and occupation lists and points rules change.
In Western Australia, TRBWA asks for IELTS Academic taken within two years with an average of 7.5, no score below 7 and 8 in Speaking and Listening, unless you completed your teaching qualification in English in one of the six listed countries. TRBWA accepts only IELTS Academic. In Victoria, the VIT policy links its exemption to four full years of higher education in those countries. Check the rules of the state where you plan to work before you choose your course.
Student visa basics: you will apply for a Student visa (subclass 500). Home Affairs allows work of up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session and currently lists 12-month living costs of AUD 29,710 for a single student. Under the Genuine Student requirement, explain why teaching fits your background; our GS tips for Nepali applicants can help. From 2 October 2026 until 30 June 2027, students generally need to complete 12 months of their main course before changing provider, so choose carefully from Nepal.
Post-study work: under the Post-Higher Education Work stream of the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Master's (coursework) graduates can currently stay for up to two years, with an age limit of 35 for most applicants. You also need to meet the Australian study requirement of at least two academic years (92 weeks of CRICOS-registered study). A 1.5-year course on its own may not meet this, so check before you enrol. See our 485 visa guide.
12 to 18 months before: choose early childhood, primary or secondary, and check that your bachelor's subjects match the teaching areas you want.
9 to 12 months before: prepare for IELTS Academic with the high bands teaching needs, and shortlist accredited courses for your target state.
6 to 9 months before: apply, compare course length and placement arrangements, and prepare your police check.
After your offer: accept, receive your CoE, prepare funds, OSHC, NOC and GS evidence, and book an early LANTITE window.
Not straight away. A state regulator must accept your qualification as equivalent to accredited ITE, and you will usually need very high IELTS Academic scores. Many Nepali graduates instead complete an accredited Master of Teaching in Australia.
Some universities accept PTE for admission, for example UWA lists PTE Academic 75 with no sub-score below 70. However, AITSL and TRBWA accept only IELTS Academic for their own requirements.
Not for AITSL's skills assessment, which is qualifications-based. It can still strengthen your Genuine Student explanation.
Everest Global Education helps Nepali students check whether their bachelor's subjects fit a Master of Teaching, shortlist accredited teaching courses in Perth, Sydney and beyond, plan for the high IELTS bands teaching requires, and organise financial, NOC and Genuine Student documents. For visa matters we work in a MARA-aware way with MARA-registered agent support. With offices in both Nepal and Australia, we can support you from your first enquiry at home to your first school placement.
Kathmandu: Putalisadak, Opposite of MIT College
Pokhara: Pushpa Ratna Bhawan Siddharthachowk-4, Pokhara 33700
Beni: New Road Beni bazar Myagdi
Dhangadhi: Boradadi Road, Dhangadhi 10900
Janakpur: Girija Path Muralichowk Janakpur
Perth (Australia): 102 James St, Northbridge WA 6003
Sydney (Australia): Level 1 / 483 Princes Highway, Rockdale, NSW 2216
Share your +2 or bachelor's results, your English score and the age group you want to teach, and we will help you compare accredited teaching courses and entry options.
Submit an enquiry at https://everestglobaledu.com/enquiry and our team will contact you by phone or email.
Everest Global Education
Phone: +61 8 6157 0080
Email: info@everestglobal.com
Website: https://everestglobaledu.com/
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