This page outlines VETASSESS's Psychotherapy and Counselling Qualifications Assessment, which evaluates overseas qualifications against the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and optionally against PACFA Registration Standards for PACFA membership applications.
Important note
This is NOT an assessment for migration to Australia. For migration skills assessments, applicants should refer to Skills Assessment for Migration. PACFA may have additional membership requirements. No review option is available for PACFA assessments, but applicants may submit a new application which will be assigned to a different assessment team. Assessment requirements include minimum training of 400 hours instruction (200 hours direct person-to-person, 140 face-to-face), plus placement with minimum 40 hours client contact and 10 hours supervision (5 hours individual). All documents must be high-quality colour scans certified as true copies. Forged, altered, or falsified documents will not be assessed and no refund will be provided.
Eligibility Criteria
5 criteria- Must be referred to VETASSESS by PACFA for a qualifications assessment
- Must hold a qualification in Psychotherapy or Counselling
- Qualification must be equivalent to AQF Bachelor degree or higher (AQF levels 7-9)
- Qualification must have official recognition by relevant educational authorities in the country of award
- Employment experience cannot compensate for lack of formal qualification
- Certified copy of passport or birth certificate (one primary ID)
- Additional photo ID if passport not submitted (certified copy)
- Certified copy of document if name has changed (e.g., marriage certificate)
- One recent passport size photograph
- Certified copy of qualification award certificate in original language
- Certified copy of full academic transcript showing subjects and marks/grades in original language
- If applying for PACFA Registration Standards assessment: Copy of course handbook/syllabus describing each unit of study
- If applying for PACFA Registration Standards assessment: Completed verification form for supervised practice
- English translations by registered translation service if documents not in English
- For European qualifications: Diploma Supplement if available
- For Philippines qualifications: Evidence of passing Professional Regulation Commission's Licensure Examinations if available
- For Lebanon qualifications: Evidence of approval by Ministry of Education and Higher Education Equivalence Committee
- For People's Republic of China qualifications: Verification through VETASSESS Qualification Verification service