Skip to:
Events
Common search terms
-

What you can teach

We are committed to placing subject specialists in classrooms that need them. Learn about what you could be teaching, based on your experience.

How we decide what you can teach

Your bachelor’s or post-graduate degree determines what subjects you may be eligible to teach at a secondary school. In the program, these subjects are referred to as learning areas.

For example:

  • If you studied Arts, you may be able to teach Humanities or English.
  • If you studied Engineering, you may be able to teach Science or Technologies.
  • If you studied Law, you may be able to teach Humanities.

Once you submit your application, Teach For Australia will:

  • Review your transcripts
  • Match your specific units of study to learning areas
  • Inform you what subjects you are eligible to teach.

Unfortunately, there are some degrees that are often not accepted for the program because they do not meet the subject requirements to be matched to a learning area.

Round dates – 2026

  • Round one: 16 Feb – 30 Mar
  • Round two: 20 Apr – 1 June
  • Round three: 22 June – 3 Aug

 

Learning areas and placement

Learning areas help us understand what you may be eligible to teach and placement is about where your expertise can make the biggest difference. Placement determines where you may teach, and demand varies by learning area and year. Some learning areas are consistently in high demand, while others depend more on timing and location. Not every learning area is available in every region or every year.

Candidates who are open to relocating typically have more placement options, and applying earlier gives us more flexibility to match candidates to available roles.

 

What you need to be eligible to apply

Eligibility to teach a school subject (learning area) is based on:

  • What you studied
  • At what level (major, minor, sequence of units)
  • Whether those units meet teacher registration requirements set by regulators

We look at each specific unit, including how many units of each subject you have studied, to determine eligibility for learning areas. Candidates must be able to enrol in at least one or two learning areas to be eligible for the LDP. In some cases, we will let you know if we have recommendations that could extend your potential to meet learning area criteria.

Majors and minors

A major or minor refers to a sustained sequence of university study in a particular discipline. We look at the content of individual units to understand what you’ve studied. Some learning areas accept either a major or a minor. Others require a major, or a combination of two learning areas.

  • Major: A total of ¾ of a year of full-time university study (or part-time equivalent). In most Australian courses, this equates to six units. You must also have two or more units at second-year level and at least two at a third-year level.
  • Minor: A half-year of full-time university study (or part-time equivalent). In most Australian courses, this equates to four units. You must have at least two units at a second-year level.

Degrees we don’t accept

We are unable to accept applications from individuals with the following degrees:

  • ​Allied Health
  • Anthropology
  • Architecture & Urban Planning
  • Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA)
  • Construction Management
  • Criminology
  • Graphic Design
  • Human Resource Management
  • Indigenous Studies
  • Interior Design
  • Marketing
  • Natural Medicine
  • Medical degrees (other than nursing)
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Philosophy, Sociology, Cultural Studies
  • Project Management
  • Science Communication
  • Social Work
  • Teaching
  • Tourism and Hospitality

If you have a degree in one of the areas above, but over 50% of your degree is related to one of the subjects listed in the learning area requirements page, speak to a member of our team with a copy of your transcript handy.

Have questions? Contact us so we can talk through your options: apply@teachforaustralia.org.au

Close