The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national policy framework that defines all regulated qualifications in Australia. Understanding how AQF levels work is essential for RTOs, learners, employers, and anyone involved in vocational education and training (VET). This guide explains each of the 10 AQF levels, the qualification types at each level, and how they apply to VET delivery.
What Is the Australian Qualifications Framework?
The AQF was first introduced in 1995 and provides a comprehensive, nationally consistent framework for all qualifications in post-compulsory education and training in Australia. It covers qualifications from senior secondary certificates through to doctoral degrees, spanning the schools, vocational education and training (VET), and higher education sectors.
The AQF serves several important functions:
- Establishes the quality of Australian qualifications nationally and internationally
- Facilitates pathways between different education sectors
- Provides consistency in the naming and recognition of qualifications
- Supports credit transfer and articulation between training providers
The 10 AQF Levels
Each AQF level is defined by the complexity and depth of learning outcomes — specifically the knowledge, skills, and application expected of graduates at that level.
Level 1 — Certificate I
Certificate I qualifications provide foundational functional knowledge, basic practical skills, and initial competencies for defined activities. They prepare learners for further learning, community involvement, and entry-level employment roles. Typical volume of learning is 0.5 to 1 year.
Level 2 — Certificate II
Certificate II qualifications develop knowledge and skills for work in a defined context. Graduates can apply basic technical and procedural knowledge, and perform a range of tasks where choices between established options are required. Typical volume of learning is 0.5 to 1 year.
Level 3 — Certificate III
Certificate III is the most common VET qualification and the standard benchmark for trade qualifications. It develops theoretical and practical knowledge and skills for work and/or further learning. Graduates can apply a range of knowledge and skills in varied situations, adapting processes and making judgements within established parameters. Typical volume of learning is 1 to 2 years, often including significant workplace learning components.
Level 4 — Certificate IV
Certificate IV qualifications develop broad knowledge and skills for specialised or skilled work and/or further learning. At this level, graduates demonstrate understanding of broad knowledge bases with some theoretical concepts, and can apply solutions to a defined range of unpredictable problems. Many supervisor and team leader roles require Certificate IV qualifications. Typical volume of learning is 0.5 to 2 years.
Level 5 — Diploma
Diploma qualifications develop broad knowledge and skills for paraprofessional or highly skilled work and/or further learning. Graduates can apply technical and theoretical concepts in a range of professional and management contexts, with the ability to analyse, plan, and communicate solutions to complex problems. Typical volume of learning is 1 to 2 years.
Level 6 — Advanced Diploma / Associate Degree
Advanced Diploma qualifications develop broad knowledge and skills for professional or highly skilled work and/or further learning. Graduates can analyse, diagnose, design, and execute judgements across a broad range of technical or management functions. Typical volume of learning is 1.5 to 2 years.
Level 7 — Bachelor Degree
Bachelor degrees develop broad and coherent knowledge and skills for professional work and/or further learning. This is primarily a higher education qualification, though some VET providers deliver bachelor-level programs.
Level 8 — Bachelor Honours Degree / Graduate Certificate / Graduate Diploma
Level 8 qualifications develop advanced knowledge and skills for professional practice and/or further learning. These are predominantly higher education qualifications.
Level 9 — Masters Degree
Masters degrees develop specialised knowledge and skills for research, professional practice, or scholarship. These are higher education qualifications.
Level 10 — Doctoral Degree
Doctoral degrees develop systematic and critical understanding of a substantial body of knowledge at the frontier of a discipline. These are the highest qualifications in the AQF.
AQF Levels in VET
The VET sector primarily delivers qualifications at AQF levels 1 through 6. The most common VET qualifications are:
Certificate I (AQF 1) — Foundation skills, often for school-based programs or entry-level pathways
Certificate II (AQF 2) — Operational skills for defined workplace roles
Certificate III (AQF 3) — Trade-level qualifications, the most common VET qualification
Certificate IV (AQF 4) — Supervisory and specialised roles
Diploma (AQF 5) — Paraprofessional and management roles
Advanced Diploma (AQF 6) — Senior technical and management positions
Volume of Learning
The AQF specifies expected volumes of learning for each qualification type. Volume of learning includes all teaching, learning, and assessment activities — structured learning, workplace learning, self-directed study, and assessment preparation. RTOs must ensure their training and assessment strategies allocate sufficient time for learners to achieve the required learning outcomes. This is a common area of ASQA audit scrutiny.
Pathways and Credit Transfer
One of the AQF's key purposes is to facilitate learning pathways. RTOs should consider how qualifications at different levels connect, and offer credit transfer where appropriate. This is particularly relevant for learners progressing through related qualifications — for example, from Certificate III to Certificate IV and then Diploma in the same training package.
Understanding AQF levels helps RTOs design appropriate training delivery, set realistic completion timeframes, and ensure assessment rigour matches the expected level of complexity. Use our unit lookup tool to explore units of competency and see how they fit within the AQF structure.