New RTOs Registering with NARA

Benefits of Becoming an RTO

Only Registered Training Organisations (RTOs):

can issue Australian Qualifications Framework qualifications and Statements of Attainment; www.aqf.edu.au/aqfqual.htm and www.aqf.edu.au/attainment.htm
can use the Nationally Recognised Training logo; www.aqf.edu.au/implem.htm
are listed on the National Training Information Service (NTIS) database; www.ntis.gov.au
can be approved to provide courses to overseas students studying in Australia and listed on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS); http://cricos.dest.gov.au
are eligible to tender for public funding for vocational education and training.

Mandatory Registration of RTOs

All training organisations in Australia (including TAFE institutes) that issue Australian Qualifications Framework qualifications and Statements of Attainment must be registered by an authorised Registering Body.

Each State and Territory has its own authorised Registering Body.
Please refer to this list of State and Territory Registering bodies.

The National Audit and Registration Agency (NARA) delivers audit and registration services for RTOs under delegations from the Australian States and Territories.

New RTOs Eligibility

A new training organisation seeking registration as an RTO for the first time is eligible to register with NARA if it can provide evidence that shows it will be operating in more than one jurisdiction within six months.

Please refer to the evidence requirements.

Registration Process for New RTOs

If you are considering becoming a Registered Training Organisation and being registered with NARA, you need to follow the steps outlined below.

Check your eligibility. Do you operate in more than one State or Territory? If so check the exact evidence you will need to demonstrate this.
Determine your intended scope of registration. Document the training that your organisation plans to offer students.
Contact a NARA approved Quality Consultant. You need to engage the services of a
NARA Endorsed Quality Consultant from the list.
Prepare your Application for Registration. The Quality Consultant’s role is to assist you demonstrate compliance with the AQTF 2007 Essential Standards for Registration and to prepare your Application for Registration with NARA. It is important to note that South Australian based RTOs registering with NARA also need to comply with all Guidelines issued by the Training and Skills Commission. Your Quality Consultant can provide you with a copy of the Guidelines and explain the requirements to you.

AQTF 2007 Essential Standards for Registration [194kb]
Load your Registration Application on NARA’s secure website. The Quality Consultant will assist you to set up your organisation’s page on a NARA approved secure website and to load your Application for Registration there.
Wait to be contacted by your NARA Client Relationship Manager. Your application will be reviewed by one of NARA’s Client Relationship Managers.
Liaise with the NARA Lead Auditor to make arrangements for your audit. Your Client Relationship Manager will assign your Registration Application to a NARA Lead Auditor who will contact you to make arrangements to facilitate your audit against the AQTF 2007 Essential Standards for Registration and for South Australian RTOs all Guidelines issued by the Training and Skills Commission. The scope and time for the audit will be determined on a case by case basis depending on the size of your organisation and proposed operating locations.
Receive verbal feedback and a draft Audit Report. At the conclusion of the audit your auditor will provide you with verbal feedback on your audit. Subsequently you will receive a draft report on the outcomes of the audit for your comments. Identified strengths, opportunities for improvement and non-compliances in your proposed operations will be identified as appropriate.
Comment on your final Audit Report and its recommendation. Once you have had an opportunity to comment on the report, your Client Relationship Manager will make a recommendation to the NARA General Manager regarding your registration application. If your organisation meets or exceeds the AQTF 2007 Standards for Registration, NARA will grant registration for up to five years. Certification confirming your registration will then be sent to you.
Refusal of Registration. If your organisation does not demonstrate compliance with the AQTF Standards, NARA may refuse registration. In the event that non-compliances and/or improvement opportunities are identified, you may be required to rectify these issues within a given timeframe and then reassessed against actions taken, prior to a decision being made in regards to your registration application.

Process Chart 1

The diagram below represents the process map for the steps above.

A PDF version of the chart above is also available.

Process Chart 1 [27kb]

Print this page | last updated: 11 Mar 2008 9:16am