TEQSA Standards: A Look at the Criteria and Requirements

Introduction

Compliance with TEQSA Standards and Criteria is essential for any institution seeking to operate within Australia’s higher education sector. These standards, officially outlined in the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021, ensure that providers deliver quality, integrity, and accountability in their academic offerings, governance, and student support.

In this blog, we examine the core elements of the TEQSA Standards and Criteria, why they matter, and how institutions can align their operations for successful registration and ongoing compliance.

What Are the TEQSA Standards and Criteria?

Defining the TEQSA Framework for Higher Education Regulation

The TEQSA Standards and Criteria refer to the nationally agreed set of benchmarks established by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). These benchmarks form the basis for assessing whether providers meet the minimum requirements for quality and performance in Australia’s higher education system.

Importantly, the standards are grouped into seven key domains:

1. Student Participation and Attainment

2. Learning Environment

3. Teaching

4. Research and Research Training

5. Institutional Quality Assurance

6. Governance and Accountability

7. Representation, Information, and Information Management

Each domain includes detailed criteria that providers must address through policy, evidence, and practice.

Why TEQSA Standards and Criteria Are Important

Safeguarding Quality and Protecting Students

The TEQSA Standards and Criteria serve several vital purposes:

• They protect students by ensuring all institutions deliver a safe, supportive, and effective learning environment.

• They maintain the integrity of Australia’s higher education qualifications.

• They provide consistency across both public and private institutions.

• They enable TEQSA to conduct risk-based assessments and regulate institutions based on performance and compliance history.

Consequently, adherence to these standards is not just about ticking boxes—it’s about embedding a culture of quality across every layer of the institution.

Key Domains of the TEQSA Standards and Criteria

Exploring the Seven Core Areas of Regulatory Focus

Let’s explore each domain of the TEQSA Standards and Criteria in more detail:

Domain 1: Student Participation and Attainment

This domain ensures students are admitted into courses with clearly defined entry requirements and that they progress through supported learning to achieve learning outcomes. It also includes requirements for qualification certification.

Domain 2: Learning Environment

Institutions must provide facilities, resources, and a safe environment conducive to student success. This applies equally to face-to-face and online delivery models.

Domain 3: Teaching

This domain covers the qualifications of teaching staff, scholarly activity, and the quality of teaching practices. Providers must demonstrate that staff are appropriately trained and supported.

Domain 4: Research and Research Training

For providers offering research degrees, this domain requires a strong research culture, experienced supervisors, and structured support for higher degree research students.

Domain 5: Institutional Quality Assurance

Institutions must monitor performance, collect feedback, and use data to inform continuous improvement. This domain also covers benchmarking and academic integrity measures.

Domain 6: Governance and Accountability

Effective governance is essential. Providers must have clear structures for decision-making, risk management, and compliance. Boards and academic bodies must operate transparently and ethically.

Domain 7: Representation and Information

This final domain focuses on accurate marketing, student information, and the secure handling of student records and data.

Each domain of the TEQSA Standards and Criteria includes specific requirements that institutions must meet through documented evidence and ongoing monitoring.

Meeting TEQSA Standards Through Institutional Policies

Aligning Internal Governance and Operations

To demonstrate compliance with TEQSA Standards and Criteria, institutions must develop and implement a range of aligned policies and frameworks, such as:

• Academic Governance Charter

• Assessment and Grading Policy

• Learning and Teaching Plan

• Research Integrity Policy

• Student Support and Wellbeing Strategy

• Course Design and Review Procedures

• Risk Management and Quality Assurance Framework

Each policy must clearly link to one or more TEQSA criteria and demonstrate not only intent but also practice.

TEQSA Standards and Course Accreditation

How the Criteria Apply to Program Design and Delivery

Institutions must also align their course offerings with the TEQSA Standards and Criteria. This includes:

• Ensuring all programs meet AQF level requirements

• Mapping learning outcomes to graduate attributes

• Including workplace learning or industry relevance where appropriate

• Implementing robust moderation and review processes

By embedding these standards into course design, institutions can ensure both academic rigour and regulatory compliance.

TEQSA’s Risk-Based Approach to Monitoring Standards

Using the TEQSA Criteria to Evaluate Institutional Risk

TEQSA uses the Standards and Criteria as the foundation for its risk-based assessment model. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, TEQSA tailors its oversight based on each provider’s:

• Historical compliance performance

• Financial viability

• Student outcomes and feedback

• Staff qualifications and turnover

• Governance stability

Therefore, consistently meeting and exceeding TEQSA’s benchmarks positions institutions as low risk—leading to fewer regulatory interventions and greater institutional autonomy.

Continuous Improvement Under the TEQSA Standards

Moving Beyond Compliance to Excellence

Meeting the TEQSA Standards and Criteria should not be the end goal. Instead, institutions should use them as a baseline for ongoing quality improvement. This includes:

• Conducting regular internal audits and reviews

• Engaging students in decision-making and feedback loops

• Benchmarking against sector leaders

• Investing in staff development and innovation

• Enhancing equity, diversity, and inclusion practices

In doing so, institutions build a culture where quality isn’t enforced—it’s embedded.

Conclusion: Aligning with TEQSA Standards and Criteria for Sustainable Success

In summary, the TEQSA Standards and Criteria form the backbone of quality assurance in Australian higher education. They provide a clear, nationally consistent framework that guides everything from admissions and teaching to research, governance, and student services.

By fully aligning institutional practices with these standards, providers not only meet compliance obligations—they build trust, protect students, and position themselves for long-term success in an evolving educational landscape.