Program overview
EMPLOYMENT-BASED PATHWAY
Earn a full salary and benefits ($62,000 to $72,000 per year) with additional financial support, depending on the placement location.
MAKE AN IMPACT
We place prospective teachers and leaders exclusively in schools serving low socioeconomic communities that need the most support.
2-YEAR PROGRAM*
Complete a Master of Teaching (Secondary) while teaching in a classroom.
*Option to apply for 3-year Master's.
COACHING & MENTORING
Receive wrap-around support and coaching from three experienced professionals: a teaching and leadership coach; an academic advisor; and a school mentor.
BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY
BECOME ACCREDITED
After completion of the two-year program, you’ll receive a nationally accredited teaching qualification. You can teach throughout Australia, in secondary schools, as well as many countries overseas.
Join and contribute to our thriving national community of leaders for educational equity. Become a crucial part of a school and region's tight-knit network.
Not ready to apply? Register Your Interest.
"I'm the happiest I've ever been."
​Watch: Our Alumni's experiences​​
​Thinking about making inspiring your day job? Hear the stories of those who know our life-changing Leadership Development Program the best: those who have taken the leap and done it.
What makes the Teach For Australia experience unique
We have evolved and refined the Leadership Development Program over 15 years – we know what works.
In this time, we have adapted the program to make it as effective, supportive and life changing as possible.
Leadership & impact
Teaching is leadership. A great teacher can have a huge impact in the classroom, within schools and in broader communities.
It's called the Leadership Development Program because our mission is to create a community of leaders dedicated to increasing educational equity.
While you get practical, on-the-job learning, and unique and valuable skills, you are helping to shape the future of the education system in a school that needs you the most.
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You will go to work every day knowing that you are making a direct contribution to young people’s futures. That’s amazing!
Meet our Alumni
"Doing the Leadership Development Program through TFA, I felt really supported ... It made the switch [to teaching] so much easier because it was an employment-based pathway that meant I didn't need to take any time out of the workforce.
I could jump right in and build those skills with all the support the program provides."
Amy Blitvich (Cohort 2016)
Head of English
Aveley Secondary College, WA
Your leading Master's degree
While you're being paid to teach in a classroom that needs you, you will also complete a Master of Teaching (Secondary).
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This degree is provided through Australian Catholic University, the leading provider of graduate teachers in Australia, who have a proven track record of cutting-edge and evidence-based teacher education.
You will work 0.8FTE (Full Time Equivalent) with 0.2FTE study release. While the Master’s requires more hours of study than 0.2FTE each week, this time is allocated to reduce the amount of study Associates need to complete outside of work hours.
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You can complete your Master's part-time across 3 years in order to spread the academic load.
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The degree is:​
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A 2 or 3-year degree with assessments spaced regularly throughout the school terms and holiday periods.
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Provided by Australian Catholic University, the leading provider of graduate teachers in Australia.
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Supported by an Academic Mentor who provides support for academic questions and assesses your performance.
Where we place
Our Leadership Development Program places people wherever they are needed, all over the country. Use the interactive map to find out where you could be teaching.
Education inequity is a national problem, so our program reaches all corners of Australia.
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We place prospective teachers in schools serving low socioeconomic regions and communities and 75% of our partner schools are in regional, rural and remote locations.
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We try to place multiple Associates in the same school or schools within a close drive of one another, which means many Associates are often able to live and study together.​​
Your journey to the classroom
Your application has been successful and your placement has been confirmed - but we don't just put you in a classroom in Term 1 and expect you to be able to teach.
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Your learning starts in mid-to-late September with a summer semester. You will complete 25-30 hours of self-directed coursework, including readings, asynchronous lectures, and reflections.