TAFE NSW Hunter Institute

Frequently Asked Questions about Recognition

How long will it take to process my application?

TAFE NSW procedures recommend a period of 3 weeks for assessment and notification. Currently, Hunter Institute has an average of 11 calendar days from when we receive your application, to when we notify you in writing of the outcome. If we need to ask you for more evidence, then it will take longer.
If your application needs to go to more than one assessor, then that can take longer too. For 100% Recognition applications, the time period will be of greater duration.
  
If you submit your application for Recognition less than 3 weeks before the end of semester, teaching staff may be unable to assess your application until the following semester. If you submit your application in late November, it may not be assessed until the following year. 

What sort of evidence do I need to give you?

The section Evidence for Recognition on this page can give you a good idea of the evidence we need.

When can I apply for Recognition?

If you are enrolled, you can apply at any time during the year. You don't have to wait until the semester when the modules/units are offered. The sooner you apply, the sooner you will know. If you are not an enrolled student, you can still apply for recognition as a commercial client through our 100% Recognition process.
How much Recognition can I be granted?

Is there a cost?

If you are enrolled in a TAFE NSW course and undertaking some study, there is no extra charge for Recognition. If you want to apply for 100% recognition without going through the application and enrolment process, then Hunter Institute offers the 100% Recognition service.

Will I get a grade for my module or course?

Unit/modules granted Recognition do not get a grade. The words By Advanced Standing will appear on your transcript. For module based courses, your Statement of Competencies Achieved contains no statement about how units were achieved.
 
If the units/modules you are granted are in a graded award, then your award may be affected. You need a grade in at least half of the units/modules contributing to the grade of the award (shown by * in your Course Student Assessment Guide) to gain a graded award.
 
You can view the Course Student Assessment Guide for every TAFE course on the TAFE NSW website. This can be quite complicated to calculate. Please contact the Recognition Centre for further information.

Should I attend class while I wait on my application?

It is recommended that you attend classes in case you are not successful.

Will my Austudy or other benefits be affected?

Your Austudy or other benefits may be affected if you get Recognition, because the number of hours you are studying may be reduced. You need to talk to your Benefit Provider or to TAFE counsellors for advice. The Recognition Centre cannot give further advice on individual cases.

Evidence of Recognition

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Evidence is used to prove that something is true. Think of how evidence is used in other areas, such as in a court case. For Recognition, evidence proves that you really have the skills and knowledge you claim.

You can provide two main types of evidence: Direct evidence and Indirect evidence.

Direct evidence is the most useful evidence. It could be actual examples of your work, your original transcripts of study (or certified copies) or things you may have produced in the course of your work, such as a newsletter or spreadsheet. You need to prove with indirect evidence that anything you show us was produced by you.

Indirect evidence is provided by other people about you and your work. It may be a statement from an employer, a reference, a school report or a newspaper article about your community work.

If you cannot provide sufficient documentation, you may be able to do a challenge or exit activity to demonstrate your skills.
 

Mutual Recognition

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If you have completed units of competency with other Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) in Australia, then you may be able to apply for Mutual Recognition. Under Mutual Recognition, RTOs agree to recognise each other's training where possible.

You will need to provide a Statement of Competencies achieved. Log book records or training records do not prove that you have achieved the competencies.

We can provide you with lists of the competencies in your TAFE course. We will need to know the TAFE course number.  Contact us to get a Competency Units Table for your course.