Requirements for Registration

The New Zealand Teachers Council shall register you and issue a practising certificate if satisfied that:

  • you are of good character and fit to be a teacher; and
  • you are satisfactorily trained to teach; and
  • you are, or are likely to be, a satisfactory teacher; and
  • you have a police vet satisfactory to the Council.

Good Character and Fit to be a teacher

The Council will take the following matters into account in deciding whether an applicant is of good character and is fit to be a teacher. The applicant:

  • has a police vet satisfactory to the Council;
  • displays respect for persons, for cultural and social values of Aotearoa New Zealand, for the law and for the views of others;
  • upholds the public and professional reputation of teachers;
  • promotes and nurtures the safety of learners within his or her care;
  • is reliable and trustworthy in carrying out duties;
  • is mentally and physically fit to carry out the teaching role safely and satisfactorily.*

The Council may also take into account any other matters that it considers relevant in the circumstances.

* In considering this criterion, the Council will distinguish between any mental or physical condition that affects an applicant's ability to carry out the teaching role satisfactorily, and any disability that an applicant has that does not impact on that ability. The Council is aware of its obligation not to contravene the Human Rights Act 1993 by unlawfully discriminating against any person.

Satisfactorily trained to teach

You are considered 'satisfactorily trained to teach' if you:

If the NZQA have assessed your qualifications as not comparable to an approved New Zealand teaching qualification, your application may be considered via the discretionary pathway of Track 2.

Registered Teacher Criteria

The Registered Teacher Criteria describe the criteria that are required to be met by all fully registered teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand. At the time a provisionally registered teacher or teacher registered Subject to Confirmation (STC) applies for Full registration, the professional leader must attest that the teacher meets the Criteria. The Criteria have replaced the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions from 2011. Information around this process can be found on these pages: