Information for students, graduates and education providers

Students who are in the process of gaining a qualification that will enable them to practise as a registered health professional usually do periods of clinical practice (involving direct patient contact) as a part of their course of study.

In the interests of public safety, Health Ministers agreed that monitoring of students undertaking clinical practice is reasonable, and in line with the monitoring of fully qualified health professionals.

All students enrolled in an approved program of study that leads to a qualification in a registered health professional must be registered at the start of their clinical training.

Student registration also applies to students who are not enrolled in an approved program of study but who are undertaking clinical training in a registered health profession for which they do not hold health practitioner registration.

Education providers must provide student details at the start of clinical training (which may be at different stages of training for different health professions).

'Education providers' includes not only tertiary/vocational education providers, but also health services, other organisations and in some instances, individuals.

Individual students do not need to do anything to register with their National Board.

Once you are enrolled in your course, your tertiary education provider, registered training organisation or course provider will liaise with AHPRA and organise your student registration for the appropriate stage of your training on your behalf.

There are no student registration fees.

No. Student details are not published or publicly available.

No. Students will not receive a certificate of registration or any form of confirmation of student registration from AHPRA. The student register is not a public register.

Health services seeking proof of a student’s registration will need to contact the education provider with whom the student is enrolled to verify that students are registered.

No. There is a separate process with specific registration standards that must be met when you apply for registration as a health practitioner.

For more information about the graduate registration process, visit the Graduate Applications page on the AHPRA website.

Under the National Law, if you are a student enrolled in an approved program of study or undertaking clinical training, you must notify AHPRA through the local office within seven days of becoming aware that:

• you have been charged with an offence punishable by 12 months imprisonment or more; or
• you have been convicted of, or are the subject of, a finding of guilt for an offence punishable by imprisonment; or
• your registration under the law of another country that provides for the registration of students has been suspended or cancelled.

Any entity (person or organisation) may make a voluntary notification to AHPRA about a student if they believe that the student:

• has been charged with an offence, or has been convicted or found guilty of an offence, that is punishable by 12 months imprisonment or more; or
• has, or may have, an impairment that they believe may harm the public; or
• has, or may have, contravened a condition of the student’s registration or an undertaking given by the student to the National Board.

The National Law provides protection from civil, criminal and administrative liability for those persons, who in good faith make a notification under the National Law.

AHPRA will assess all notifications to determine whether a Board must consider taking immediate action to protect public health or safety. More information about this process can be found on the AHPRA website.

The purpose of the public register is to publish only those qualifications that have led to eligibility for registration. Therefore there is no intention of publishing other qualifications that a practitioner might hold.

New graduates of courses approved by the Board are not required to submit certificates or transcripts.

AHPRA requests evidence of course completion directly from education providers in a spreadsheet format that details exactly which students have completed the course and when. The spreadsheet also provides for two signatures from the education provider to confirm each student’s course completion.

When there has been a delay in the applicant completing the course and then applying for registration (e.g. 12 months or more) the applicant is required to submit a certified copy of the certificate and transcript. For more information go to the Graduate Applications section on the AHPRA website.

Yes. For those undertaking supervised practice in 2012, the Board has agreed it will recognise AIR and ANZSNM supervised practice programs

In 2012 provisional and probationary practitioners must complete the requirements for supervised practice as administered by AIR and ANZSNM. The Board is in the process of developing its Supervised Practice Registration Standard.

Provisional and probationary practitioners must complete the requirements for supervised practice as administered by AIR and ANZSNM. The Board directs current provisional and probationary practitioners to comply with the requirements of their respective supervised practice program.

The Board is currently developing its Supervised Practice Registration Standard.

No. For 2012, the current requirements for supervised practice will remain until the Board has completed its review of supervised practice.