Application guide for variation or revocation of a condition

This application guide is currently being revised (as at January 2023).

Background

TEQSA Act

Registered higher education providers must comply with conditions of registration set out in Division 2 of Part 3 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act). TEQSA may impose other conditions on registration in accordance with subsection 32(1) of the TEQSA Act.

Other conditions imposed on registration may be varied or revoked by TEQSA either:

• on the agency’s own initiative in accordance with subsection 32(2) of the TEQSA Act, or
• upon application by the higher education provider in accordance with subsection 32(3) of the TEQSA Act.

A registered higher education provider must also comply with any conditions imposed by TEQSA on the accreditation of a course of study in accordance with subsection 53(1) of the TEQSA Act.

Conditions imposed on accreditation of a course of study may be varied or revoked by TEQSA either:

• on the agency’s own initiative in accordance with subsection 53(2) of the TEQSA Act, or
• upon application by the higher education provider in accordance with subsection 53(3) of the TEQSA Act.

Subsections 32(4) and 53(4) of the TEQSA Act provide that:

‘The provider’s application must be:

a. in the approved form; and
b. accompanied by any information, documents and assistance that TEQSA requests; and
c. accompanied by the fee determined under section 158 for an application under this section.’

TEQSA has developed the Application Form for Variation or Revocation of a Condition for use by higher education providers when applying to TEQSA to vary or revoke one or more conditions in accordance with the provisions of subsections 32(3) and 53(3) of the TEQSA Act.

TEQSA will consider applications for variation or revocation of a condition against the requirements of:

• the TEQSA Act
• the Threshold Standards, which include the Provider Standards and the Qualification Standards.

Completing the Application Form

There are four sections to the Application Form:

• Section 1 Provider details
• Section 2 Condition details
• Section 3 Revocation of condition(s)
• Section 4 Variation to condition(s).

The Application Form contains sections requiring free-text responses. Where the same responses are appropriate for more than one section, or where attachments contain relevant information for more than one section, cross-references to the relevant pages and/or information can be made.

Where the Application Form or any attachments refer to information or evidence on the applicant’s website, the weblink reference (url) should be noted in full, together with the exact location of the relevant information – for example, the name of the document and page number or section number that is being referred to. The url reference should hyperlink to that url. If information is referred to on a website, ensure that:

• the system is accessible to TEQSA
• appropriate checks have been made to ensure that access is not hindered by internal firewall protection
• there is facility to print documents
• there is facility to save and download documents.

If special provision needs to be made for TEQSA to access the provider’s intranet in order to retrieve information, these arrangements need to be made with TEQSA prior to formal submission of the application. Failure to do so will have an impact on TEQSA’s ability to assess the application.

Detailed guidance notes can be found on the Guidance notes page.