Applying for the program

Applications for the 2027 cohort will open in February.
Register your interest to be notified when applications re-open.

Eligibility

Be an Australian citizen or Permanent Resident at the time of applying.

Hold a Bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than teaching.*

Be able to enrol in at least one learning area, depending on subject and placement preference.**

Be willing to accept a placement within a State or Territory where we currently operate.

*Check the What you can teach page for more information.

**Candidates with more than one learning area have increased chance of placement.

When to apply

Not ready to apply? Register Your Interest.

Applications for the 2027 cohort will open in February.
Please register your interest to be notified when applications re-open.

Round one: 16 Feb – 30 March

Round two: 20 April – 1 June

Round three: 22 June – 3 August

Applications are assessed on a rolling basis, and learning areas close progressively as we accept enough candidates to meet school demand. Candidates who apply in rounds one and two are more likely to be placed in their preferred region, and have enough time to resolve any eligibility issues.

Keep in mind:

Candidates who completed their undergraduate degree prior to 2015 must apply before the close of round two.
Candidates who completed their degree outside of Australia, USA, UK, New Zealand or Canada must also apply before the close of round two.

The application process

1. Open and submit an application

Once you start your application, our team will be in touch to guide and support you. The online application takes 1-2 hours to complete, and you’ll be asked to submit your academic transcripts and location preferences.

The application contains questions aligned with our seven competencies, where you’ll share your motivations for joining the program. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible because learning areas close when we have enough candidates to meet school demand.

2. Assessment centre

If your application is successful, you’ll be invited to a virtual day of assessment activities. We help you prepare for this and have tools and tips to assist you. Activities include a sample teaching lesson, group activity, and a one on one interview. These events happen on a rolling basis, and within one week of your assessment, you’ll receive a phone call with feedback and an outcome.

What we look for

Motivation

You are committed to addressing educational inequity, driven by your values. You have a clear and purposeful vision for the impact you want to make, both during and beyond the program.

Learning and growth

You take responsibility for your personal growth and development. You demonstrate self-awareness, seek feedback and use it to improve. You actively reflect, adapt and pursue learning opportunities with a positive and proactive mindset.

Leadership potential

You lead with purpose and impact, showing the mindset, initiative and influence to make a difference. You set bold expectations for yourself and others, grounded in belief and possibility. You take action, leverage strengths and follow through to achieve meaningful outcomes.

Adaptive thinking

You analyse complex problems deeply and with clarity, identifying root causes across individual, structural and systemic levels. You apply flexible, creative and context-aware solutions, adapting strategies to challenges to achieve sustainable outcomes.

Relationship building

You build empathetic, respectful and trustful connections with people and their communities. You are aware of interpersonal and environmental nuances, engaging across lines of difference with openness and humility. You contribute to inclusive, collaborative relationships that honour lived experiences and support shared goals.

Perseverance

You demonstrate sustained effort and commitment in the face of challenges, setbacks or ambiguity. You use your agency, autonomy and constructive mindset to successfully navigate difficulty. You plan proactively for obstacles and view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.

Communication

You communicate clearly, coherently and appropriately across verbal and written formats. You express ideas in a structured and accessible way, adapting your style and tone to suit audience, purpose and setting. You communicate professionally and responsively to support effective collaboration and learning.

"The Leadership Development Program really ticked all the boxes – and Teach For Australia is invested in equity, which was a big driver in what I wanted to pursue in education: gender equity.

Through just expressing my experiences of feeling like an imposter in STEM and maths I’ve been able to encourage certain women to give things a go."

Alice Hu (Cohort 2022)

Teacher

Elevation Secondary College