Upon graduation you will have a Master of Primary Teaching or a Master of Secondary Teaching, depending on your selected specialisation.

The Master of Teaching under UC STEP will be delivered using a combination of flexible on campus and online study designed to enable employment alongside study; you will complete 30 credit points in the first year and the remaining 18 credit points in the second year, allowing you to work while you learn.

To be eligible to study a Master of Teaching under UC STEP, you will need to have the following:

• An undergraduate degree that aligns with one or more of the in the Australian Curriculum. We particularly encourage applicants with backgrounds in hard-to-staff subject areas such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) or foreign languages.
• You should have the capacity to balance part-time employment as a Learning Support Assistant (LSA) or a teacher with your academic commitments during the program.
• All applicants must obtain a Working with Vulnerable People Check (WWVPC) prior to commencing the program
• Applicants must demonstrate a passion for education and a desire to make a positive impact on students' lives. A personal statement outlining your motivation for entering the teaching profession will be required as part of the application.
• In your second year, you’ll progress to teaching under a Permit to Teach (PTT). You must meet the ACT Education Directorate's requirements for this, which include a satisfactory background check and appropriate professional readiness for the classroom.
• Applicants must be eligible to gain a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) or be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

UC STEP is committed to building a diverse and inclusive teaching workforce. We strongly encourage applications from:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) individuals
• Individuals with personal and professional backgrounds relevant to working with neurodiverse students, students with disability, or students with English as a second language

Through UC STEP, you’ll be employed as a Learning Support Assistant (LSA) from day one, and as a teacher under a Permit to Teach (PTT) in your second year, all while undertaking a Master of Primary Teaching or Master of Secondary Teaching.

Year 1:

Learning Support Assistant (LSA):

• Part time (0.4 full-time equivalent)
• Approx. $23,086 - $23,890 salary
• Plus a $20,000 scholarship

Year 2:

Permit to Teach (PTT):

• 0.8 part-time equivalent
• Approx. $66,237 salary

UC STEP is only available for Semester 1 intake. The next intake is:  

• Semester 1 2026 
• Start date: 16 February 2026 

Applications for the 2026 UC STEP intake will open in Semester 2 2025. 

If you would like to join our mailing list to get the latest information about UC STEP intake 2026, please send an email to UCSTEP@canberra.edu.au.

UC’s Master of Teaching is an internationally recognised qualification that will enable graduates to pursue a wide range of employment opportunities across Australia and the world, including:

• Primary School Teacher (Primary Teaching specialisation)
• Secondary School Teacher (Secondary Teaching specialisation)
• Principal
• Relief Teacher
• Adult Educator
• Children’s Author
• Curriculum Adviser
• Flexible Learning Developer
• Professional Trainer, Coach, or Tutor
• Life Coach or Development Executive
• International School Teacher
• Education Entrepreneur
• Foreign Aid Worker/Educator
• Academia, including pedagogy researcher
• Policy Design and Implementation

• What time will my classes be?
  • All classes are scheduled during the day.
• Can I study the course part-time?
  • Unfortunately, the program can only be studied in the format outlined to ensure that you are eligible to work in a part-time capacity in the second year. 
  • Your units are organised across two days per week. 
  • You could certainly enrol in our regular program if you are keen to study part-time, and there are other scholarships offered by the Federal government
• Are there other scholarships if I am not eligible for UC STEP?
  • Yes! The Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship can provide you up to $20,000 for new full-time postgraduate teaching students.
  • Check out the website for further information on eligibility:
• Is this program open to international students?
  • Unfortunately, no. You will need to be either an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or able to gain a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
• Who can I contact if I need advice for the program?
  • Send us an email via UCSTEP@canberra.edu.au and we will be in touch.