Australia Education Glossary
ACAAE: Australian Council on Awards in Advanced Education
ACACA: Australasian Curriculum and Certification Authorities
ACE: Adult and Community Education
ACT: Australian Capital Territory
ACTA: Australian Council on Tertiary Awards
AEI: Australian Education International
AEI-NOOSR: Australian Education International – National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition
ANTA: Australian National Training Authority
AQF: Australian Qualifications Framework
AQFAB: Australian Qualifications Framework Advisory Board
AQTF: Australian Quality Training Framework
AST: Australian Scaling Test, Australian Capital Territory
AUQA: Australian Universities Quality Agency
Australian Government: the central government of the Commonwealth of Australia
AVCC: Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee
BSSS: Board of Senior Secondary Studies, Australian Capital Territory
CAEs: Colleges of Advanced Education
COAG: Council of Australian Governments
Commonwealth: official title of the Australian nation, i.e. Commonwealth of Australia; may also refer to the Australian Government of Australia, i.e. Commonwealth Government, in contrast to the Australian state and territory governments
CRICOS: Commonwealth [Australian] Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students
DEEWR: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
DEST: Department of Education, Science and Training
ELICOS: English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students
ENTER: Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank in Victoria, used to determine admission to university
ESOS: Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000
FEE-HELP: loan scheme for students studying in a domestic fee-paying place
GAT: General Achievement Test, Victoria
HECS: Higher Education Contribution Scheme
HELP: Higher Education Loan Programme
HESA: Higher Education Support Act 2003
HEES: Higher Education Entrance Score in South Australia, used to determine admission to university; now replaced by the Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER)
HSC: Higher School Certificate, awarded on completion of secondary schooling in New South Wales
IB: International Baccalaureat
IEA-A: Internatio
nal Education Agency – Australia
LOTE: Languages Other Than English
MCEETYA: Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs
New Apprentice: an individual, known as a New Apprentice, who is involved in a training agreement with an employer under the New Apprenticeships which combine practical work with structured training
NSW: New South Wales
NT: Northern Territory
NTBOS: Northern Territory Board of Studies
NTBS: Northern Territory Board of Studies
NTCE: Northern Territory Certificate of Education, awarded on completion of secondary schooling
NTF: National Training Framework
NTIS: National Training Information Service, run by the Australian National Training Authority
overseas qualifications: qualifications gained outside Australia
NTQC: National Training Quality Council
overseas students: students from outside Australia studying at Australian institutions located within Australia. Also refers to those studying off-shore, i.e. at an Australian institution which is located outside Australia
private providers: private institutions and training providers of Vocational Education and Training
preparatory year: the year before Year 1 in Australian schools, which is known by different names depending on the state or territory
preschool: the term used for the educational programme two years before Year 1 in Australian schools. This year was previously known by different names depending on the state or territory
professional qualifications: degree level awards qualifying the holder to practice in a profession such as architecture, dentistry, engineering, law, medicine, social work and veterinary science; may include other occupationally-oriented or vocational fields such as business, management, design, hospitality and tourism
QLD: Queensland
QCE: Queensland Certificate of Education
QSA: Queensland Studies Authority
OS-HELP: cash loan to assist students undertake some of their course of study overseas
QTAC: Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre
RATE: Register of Australian Tertiary Education
RCC: Recognition of Current Competency
RPL: Recognition of Prior Learning
RTO: Registered Training Organisation
RTS: Research Training Scheme
SA: South Australia
SACE: South Australian Certificate of Education
SATAC: South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre
school leavers: students who have completed [senior] secondary school, ie. Year 12, and have been awarded a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education; may often be used to refer to those who have met the requirements for entry to higher education through school education in contrast to mature age entrants
self-accrediting institution: an institution offering higher education programmes which has authority by or under relevant legislation to certify the quality and standards of its own academic programmes
SSABSA: Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia
TAFE: Technical and Further Education, usually used in connection with a public college or institute offering Vocational Education and Training. Previously used in the context of technical and vocational education, ie. TAFE education or at TAFE.
TAS: Tasmania
TQA: Tasmanian Qualifications Authority
TCE: Tasmanian Certificate of Education
TEE: Tertiary Entrance Examination subjects, Western Australia
TER: Tertiary Entrance Rank, used to determine admission to university in some states and territories
TES: Tertiary Entrance Score, used to determine admission to university in some states and territories
TISC: Tertiary Institutions Service Centre, Western Australia
TRA: Trades Recognition Australia
UAC: Universities Admission Centre, for New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory
UAI: Universities Admission Index, used determine admission to university in some states and territories
VCAA: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
VCAL: Victorian Certificate of Applied LearningVCE: Victorian Certificate of Education
vocational: refers to studies or training oriented towards a specific occupation or type of employment; the studies or training can be at secondary, postsecondary or higher education level
VET: Vocational education and training (VET)
VIC: Victoria
VQA: Victorian Qualifications Authority
VTAC: Victoria Tertiary Admissions Centre
WA: Western Australia
