Potential applicants who have studied overseas can apply for PACFA membership, however the the process is slightly different, and can take longer.
To apply:
- Review the eligibility criteria ( listed below) to determine whether your course is likely to meet PACFA’s requirements.
- Apply to VETASSESS, the Australian government assessment authority, which determines where your qualification sits compared to an Australian qualification.
There are two assessment options with VETASSESS, we recommend taking option 2: 'assessment of the comparative educational level of your qualification(s) against the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and PACFA Training Standards'.
- If your VETASSESS application is successful, submit your PACFA membership application, and include your outcome letter from VETASSESS.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Your course must be equivalent to a Bachelor degree or higher;
- Your study must have taken you 2 or more years (part or full-time study is accepted);
- Within your course, there must be a minimum of 400 hours of learning (ie. lectures, tutorials, workshops) specifically in counselling/psychotherapy;
- of these 400 hours, 140 hours must be face-to-face and in person
- Additionally, within the course there must be a placement with a minimum of 40 hours of client contact, and 10 hours of supervision attached to this client contact.