- Published by:
- Victorian Registration & Qualifications Authority
- Date:
- 11 Aug 2026
These guidelines apply to all VRQA-registered training organisations from 1 January 2027.
The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) issue these guidelines under section 4.3.18A of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (the Act). They are issued in response to the agreement at the Skills and Workforce Ministerial Council in May 2024 that all Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) in Australia must comply with the 2025 Standards for Registered Training Organisations. The intention is to promote national consistency in RTO compliance requirements within Victoria’s legislative framework.
The purpose of these guidelines is to:
- ensure the quality of training and assessment services
- outline how the VRQA regulates vocational education and training (VET) in Victoria
- align Victoria’s regulatory settings to the national 2025 Standards for RTOs and the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011.
- ensure that VRQA-registered RTOs comply with the Child Safe Standards if delivering to students under 18 years of age.
These guidelines supersede all previous VRQA guidelines for VET providers.
Registering with VRQA as an RTO
The VRQA registers training organisations that deliver VET courses to domestic students in Victoria. It is a condition of registration under the Act that RTOs demonstrate compliance with these guidelines.
There are 3 guidelines that apply to all RTOs
Guideline 1: 2025 Standards for RTOs including:
- Outcome Standards and performance indicators
- Compliance Standards, Fit and Proper Person Requirements and Nationally Recognised Training (NRT) logo conditions
- Credential Policy
Guideline 2: VRQA requirements, including interactions with the VRQA
Guideline 3: RTO data reporting requirements
There is an additional guideline that applies only to RTOs that deliver to students under 18 years of age
Guideline 4: Child Safe Standards
Guideline 1: 2025 Standards for RTOs
This guideline ensures that RTOs registered with the VRQA comply with these standards and the requirements of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011.
The national 2025 Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) came into effect on 1 July 2025. This guideline ensures that RTOs registered with the VRQA comply with these standards and the requirements of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011.
Requirements
| RTOs must be able to demonstrate compliance with all 3 parts of the 2025 Standards for RTOs: | |
| a. | the Outcome Standards – 4 outcome-focused requirements with performance indicators for quality training and assessment, VET student support, VET workforce and governance |
| b. | the Compliance Standards – administrative requirements (including the Fit and Proper Person Requirements and NRT Logo Conditions of Use Policy) that support integrity in the sector |
| c. | the Credential Policy – an enforceable policy that outlines the credentials required for delivering training and assessment and undertaking validation of assessment. |
Regulatory context: National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Outcome Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations) Instrument 2025 and National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Compliance Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations and Fit and Proper Person Requirements) Instrument 2025.
Explanatory notes
About the 2025 Standards for RTOs
The 2025 Standards for RTOs provide a clear and direct link between the requirements RTOs are expected to meet and the outcomes they are expected to deliver. They reflect the diversity of the VET sector and ensure requirements are fit-for-purpose across different RTO settings.
The 2025 Standards for RTOs ensure a strong focus on learner outcomes. They include Outcome Standards for RTOs as well as Compliance Standards and the Credential Policy.
The 2025 Standards for RTOs are contained within the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Outcome Standards for Registered Training Organisations) Instrument 2025 (Cth) and the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Compliance Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations and Fit and Proper Person Requirements) Instrument 2025 (Cth).
The 2025 Standards for RTOs are available at: www.dewr.gov.au/standards-for-rtos
How to read the 2025 Standards for RTOs
For the context of VRQA’s RTO registration, regulation, and oversight functions, where the 2025 Standards for RTOs or related instruments and policy refer to:
- ‘National VET regulator’ – it means the VRQA
- ‘NVR registered training organisation’ – it means an RTO registered with the VRQA.
Overview of the 2025 Standards for RTOs
Outcome Standards
Training and assessment
This standard ensures RTOs demonstrate quality training and assessment that engage VET students and enable them to attain nationally recognised, industry-relevant competence.
VET student support
This standard ensures RTOs demonstrate that VET students are treated fairly and are properly informed, supported and protected.
VET workforce
This standard ensures RTOs demonstrate VET students are trained, assessed, and supported by people who are qualified, skilled, and committed to professional development.
Governance
This standard ensures RTOs demonstrate effective governance and a commitment to continuous improvement that supports the quality and integrity of VET delivery.
Compliance Standards
These standards ensure RTOs demonstrate the Standards for Information and Transparency, Integrity of NRT Products, Accountability, Fit and Proper Person Requirements and the NRT Logo Conditions of Use Policy.
It outlines how RTOs must obtain and maintain registration.
Credential Policy
This policy outlines relevant credentials for trainers and assessors undertaking particular training and assessment activities or roles. This policy forms part of the 2025 Standards for Registered Training Organisations and must be read in conjunction with the Outcome and Compliance Standards.
All RTOs are required to comply with this policy, in addition to the Outcome and Compliance Standards.
Further support
The VRQA provides guidance to assist RTOs to comply with the 2025 Standards for RTOs.
Guideline 2: VRQA requirements
This guideline outlines VRQA requirements.
2.1 Financial viability
This guideline ensures that an RTO can demonstrate its financial viability. It enhances the requirements in the 2025 Standards for RTOs Outcome Standard 4.3(2)(b) to ensure financial risk is managed, monitored, and understood.
On request, an RTO must be able to demonstrate to the VRQA that it is financially viable at all times during its period of registration. Financial viability includes demonstrating capacity to sustain quality VET operations into the future.
Requirements
| a. | An RTO must: | |
| i. | have its accounts certified by a qualified Accountant to Australian Accounting Standards at least annually and provide the certificate to the VRQA on request | |
| ii. | provide the VRQA with a completed VRQA Financial Viability Risk Assessment on request | |
| iii. | if the VRQA deems it necessary, provide a full audit report on the RTO’s financial accounts from a qualified and independent accountant | |
| iv. | be able to demonstrate that it is financially viable at all times during its period of registration, by providing financial statements or a business plan on request. | |
Regulatory context: Education and Training Reform Act 2006 and the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Outcome Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations) Instrument 2025.
2.2 Governance and management systems
This guideline ensures that providers have appropriate educational governance arrangements and demonstrated management capacity. It enhances the leadership and accountability requirements in the 2025 Standards for RTOs Outcome Standards 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4.
Requirements
| a. | An RTO must: | |
| i. | provide details of company incorporation in Australia (or alternatively, evidence of being an incorporated body in receipt of government funds) | |
| ii. | have a physical address of the company in Victoria for the purposes of serving notices | |
| iii. | provide confirmation that at least one director or chief/principal executive officer (CEO/PEO) has their principal residence in Victoria | |
| iv. | provide contact arrangements for the CEO/PEO, including during holidays and other closure periods | |
| v. | have appropriate governance structures that include transparent governance and ownership arrangements, such as a Board of Directors, governing council, executive management and academic management. | |
| b. | An RTO must have a governance structure that includes appropriate appointments of persons for oversight of academic/educational integrity and quality assurance, such that: | |
| i. | for an RTO with anticipated ongoing operation of less than 150 equivalent full-time students or an annual student fee turnover of less than $1.5 million per annum, persons are appointed with suitable qualifications and experience | |
| ii. | for all other RTOs, a governance committee is established that includes individuals who are independent of the RTO’s ownership and are employed with suitable qualifications and experience. | |
Regulatory context: Education and Training Reform Act 2006 and the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Outcome Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations) Instrument 2025.
2.3 Interactions with the VRQA
This guideline clarifies and strengthens section 4.3.17(2)(g) in the Act. It ensures that RTOs provide information to the VRQA relevant to compliance and operations.
Requirements
| a. | The CEO/PEO must ensure that the RTO cooperates with the VRQA: : | |
| i. | in the conduct of audits and the monitoring of operations | |
| ii. | by providing accurate and timely data relevant to measures of its performance | |
| iii. | by providing information about significant changes to its operations, including voluntary administration, business merging, risk of insolvency | |
| iv. | by providing information about significant changes to its ownership | |
| v. | in the retention, archiving, retrieval and transfer of records consistent with the VRQA’s requirements, including access to student records held by service providers in the event the RTO ceases operations | |
| vi. | to ensure the RTO’s data is accessible by the VRQA in electronic format and at no cost in the event that the VET provider ceases operations, including records in private third-party databases | |
| vii. | informing the VRQA of concerns relating to child safety by staff or volunteers for the RTO. | |
Regulatory context: Education and Training Reform Act 2006.
2.4 Annual declaration of compliance
An RTO registered with the VRQA must provide an annual declaration of compliance that confirms the organisation is compliant across its existing scope of registration with the 2025 Standards for RTOs and these guidelines.
Requirements
| a. | An annual declaration that includes delivery information and any other information required by the VRQA. |
Regulatory context: Compliance Requirement 15 for VRQA-registered RTOs.
Explanatory notes
The annual declaration must be in the format provided by the VRQA.
Guideline 3: RTO data reporting requirements
This guideline confirms the annual data and reporting requirements for VRQA-registered RTOs
This guideline confirms the annual data and reporting requirements for VRQA-registered RTOs. An RTO must have a student records management system in place and be able to provide data on learner engagement and employer satisfaction.
All VRQA-registered RTOs are required to demonstrate compliance with the National VET Provider Collection Data Requirements Policy, which sets out the data reporting requirements for RTOs in relation to obtaining and submitting data for the National VET Provider Collection.
RTOs that do not meet their mandatory reporting requirements will be non-compliant.
Requirements
| a. | A student records management system that has the capacity to: | |
| i. | provide the VRQA with data that is compliant with AVETMISS standards until directed to submit data that is compliant with the VET Information Standard | |
| ii. | meet the data provision requirements outlined in the National VET Provider Collection Requirements Policy or its successor | |
| iii. | provide data submissions that are complete, accurate and: – reported in the required timeframes – reported for all students including those who enrol but don’t complete – can be submitted by an RTO who has cancelled for the portion of time it was registered in the reporting year – can be reported as NIL where an RTO has not delivered in that reporting year. | |
| b. | Have processes in place to collect and report quality indicator data on learner engagement and employer satisfaction on a regular basis as determined by the VRQA. | |
Regulatory context: Education and Training Reform Act 2006.
Explanatory notes
The VRQA will advise RTOs about arrangements to transition from the AVETMISS standards to VET Information Standard and any successor to National VET Provider Collection Requirements Policy.
The VET Information Standard is available at: vetinformationstandard.ncver.edu.au
Guideline 4: Child Safe Standards
RTOs that deliver training to persons under 18 years of age are required to comply with the Child Safe Standards.
RTOs that deliver training to persons under 18 years of age are required to comply with the Child Safe Standards made under section 17 of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005. This guideline enhances the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations in the 2025 Standards for RTOs. Victoria also has specific additional requirements regarding Aboriginal cultural safety.
Requirements
| a. | RTOs must confirm in writing to the VRQA if they deliver services to anyone under 18 years of age. If they do, they must: | |
| i. | have clear policies and procedures, supported by governance and operational arrangements, that comply with each of the 11 Child Safe Standards | |
| ii. | provide written notice to the VRQA if services to persons under 18 years of age substantially change during the registration period | |
| iii. | ensure agreements with third-party service providers require them to comply with the requirements of the Child Safe Standards. | |
Regulatory context: Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 and Education and Training Reform Act 2006
Explanatory notes
Overview of the Child Safe Standards
The 11 Child Safe Standards are:
- Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.
- Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.
- Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
- Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
- Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.
- People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
- Processes for complaints and concerns are child focused.
- Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
- Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
- Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.
- Policies and procedures document how the relevant entity is safe for children and young people.
Further support
The VRQA provides guidance to assist RTOs to comply with the Child Safe Standards.
Third-party agreements
An RTO is required to notify the VRQA of third-party agreements within 30 calendar days of the agreement taking effect. The RTO must confirm if the contracted third party is delivering services to persons under 18 years of age, and, if so, must confirm that third-party operations comply with the Child Safe Standards.
Appendices
Appendices to the guidelines
Appendix 1
Unless otherwise stated, words or phrases in these guidelines have the following meaning:
Assessment means the process of collecting evidence and making judgements on whether competency has been achieved, to confirm that an individual can perform to the standard required in the workplace, as specified in a training package or VET-accredited course.
Services means:
- training and assessment;
- training support services (but excludes counselling, mediation, and information and communication technology services (except for Guideline 3); and
- any activities related to the recruitment of VET students including marketing, enrolment, induction, or the collection of fees.
Student means a person being trained and/or assessed by an RTO for the purpose of issuing AQF certification documentation.
Third-party means any person or organisation that has an arrangement with an RTO to deliver services, but does not include:
- employees of the organisation;
- experts engaged by the organisation; or
- government agencies and government funded agencies that refer VET students to the organisation and do not receive any payment from the organisation for doing so.
Qualified accountant means an accountant who is a qualified accountant pursuant to the ASIC Corporations (Qualified Accountant) Instrument 2016/786 (available at: legislation.gov.au/) or an instrument that replaces it.
Appendix 2 – Abbreviations and acronyms
The following abbreviations and acronyms are used in these guidelines:
AVETMISS – Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard
2025 Standards for RTOs – 2025 Standards for Registered Training Organisations
NVR – National VET regulator (in these guidelines the VRQA)
NRT – Nationally Recognised Training
the Act – Education and Training Reform Act 2006
RTO – registered training organisation
VET – vocational education and training
VRQA – Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority