Regulatory requirements
Learn how Federation’s higher education, VET and senior secondary courses are regulated.
At Federation, every qualification we offer is designed to meet rigorous national standards. Our courses are regulated by independent government bodies, which ensures the curriculum is high quality, relevant and trusted by students, employers and the wider community.
There are three types of regulation:
Higher education
Higher education courses are regulated by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011.
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
VET courses are regulated by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 and must also comply with Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR) Skills First contract requirements.
Vocational Major (VM)
VM programs are regulated by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) under the Minimum Standards for Registration to provide an Accredited Senior Secondary Qualification.
Regulatory bodies
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is Australia's regulatory and quality agency for higher education. Its primary role is to ensure that students receive a high quality education at any higher education provider.
TEQSA evaluates the performance of higher education providers against the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 to confirm compliance and best practice and register or re-register providers accordingly.
Part A comprises seven domains:
- Student participation and attainment
- Learning environment
- Teaching
- Research and research training
- Institutional quality assurance
- Governance and accountability
- Representation, information and information management
Part B includes criteria for higher education providers.
Federation must meet the requirements of both parts (Australian university category in Part B).
The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) legislative framework is designed to ensure that Australia's reputation for delivering quality education services is maintained and that the interests of overseas students are protected. It sets minimum standards and provides tuition and financial assurance. Together with Australian immigration law, the ESOS framework also imposes visa-related reporting requirements on both students and educational institutions.
The regulatory environment for the ESOS framework comprises:
The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) regulates:
- vocational education and training providers
- accredited vocational education and training courses
- Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) providers, including those delivering English Language Intensive Courses to Overseas Students (ELICOS).
ASQA uses the VET Quality Framework to achieve greater national consistency in the way providers are registered and monitored and in how standards in the VET sector are enforced. It comprises:
- Outcome Standards for Registered Training Organisations
- Compliance Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations and Fit and Proper Person Requirements
- Financial Viability Risk Assessment Requirements
- Data Provision Requirements
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
ASQA is also subject to the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Regulations 2011.
The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) is responsible for:
- the regulation of apprenticeships and traineeships
- the registration of RTOs in senior secondary education in Victoria.
This includes non-school senior secondary education providers such as Federation.
The requirements for registration are based on the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 and the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2007 (Schedule 7).
The Department Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR) supports partnerships between providers, employers and the community, and advises on public funding and regulation. It manages the government-funded training market, public provider governance and accountability, and the apprenticeship system.
The 2026 DJSIR VET funding contracts, guidelines and associated guides include:
- 2026 Guidelines about Eligibility (PDF 421 KB)
- 2026 Guidelines about Fees (PDF 306 KB)
- 2026 Guidelines about Apprenticeship/Traineeship Training Delivery (PDF 320 KB)
- 2026 Guide to Edits in the 2026 Contract (Main Contract) (PDF 195 KB)
- 2026 Guide to Edits in the 2026 Guidelines (PDF 214 KB)
- 2026 VET Funding Contracts, Guidelines and Approved Course Lists (PDF 174 KB)
- 2026 Dual Sector VET Funding Contract Skills First Program (PDF 702 KB)
- 2026 Skills First Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Support Implementation Guide (PDF 1.7 MB)
- 2026 Funded Programs Report (EXCEL 125 KB)
- 2026 Training Needs List (EXCEL 79 KB)
- 2026 Victorian VET Student Statistical Collection Guidelines (PDF 1.5 MB)
- 2026 Summary of Changes to Victorian VET Student Statistical Collection Guidelines (PDF 289 KB).
