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A teacher resume in Australia is a clear, reverse-chronological summary of your registration, qualifications and teaching experience, usually two to four pages, with no photo or personal details such as date of birth. In Victoria, put your VIT registration near the top, because schools need to confirm it.
Australian resume conventions for teachers
If you are applying from overseas, an Australian resume may look different from what you are used to. Government guidance for job seekers says:
- No photo, and no personal details such as date of birth, age, marital status, gender or religion. The Australian Human Rights Commission’s guide to writing a resume says you do not need to include them, and the Victorian Government’s advice for job seekers in Melbourne says the same about age, marital status and religious beliefs.
- Reverse-chronological order, most recent role first. Many Australian employers prefer this style.
- Two to four pages, says the Victorian Government’s advice for job seekers; the Human Rights Commission guide suggests two pages or less where possible. Keep it tight either way.
- Australian spelling, which generally follows British rather than American conventions.
- Referees: list two or three, or say they are available on request, and include an Australian referee if you have one. The Department classroom teacher ad we checked asks for three.
What to include on a teacher resume in Victoria
VIT registration
You must be registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT), or eligible to register, to teach in a Victorian school; Department ads ask for provisional or full registration. Put your registration category (provisional or full) and number under your name. Employers can check your registration on the VIT website.
If you are not yet registered, write “Eligible for VIT registration” and the stage you are at, for example “Application lodged”. Overseas-trained teachers: see how to register with VIT.
Working with Children Check
Teachers currently registered with VIT are exempt from holding a Working with Children Check, unless they have been given a WWC Exclusion. So a registered teacher does not need to list a WWCC number for teaching jobs. The exemption ends if your registration is suspended, cancelled or no longer current, and registered teachers must notify Working with Children Check Victoria of any child-related work outside teaching, such as coaching.
Teaching experience
For each role: school, location, dates, year levels and subjects, and whether it was fixed-term or ongoing. Then two to four lines on what you achieved, not a list of duties. “Taught Year 9 science” says less than “Raised the share of Year 9 students meeting the expected standard in practical reports by introducing modelled writing”. Use your real results.
Qualifications and professional learning
Your teaching qualification, institution and year, plus any other degrees. Graduates should list placements with school, year levels and length. Add recent professional learning that matches the job, such as literacy, numeracy or inclusion training.
Work rights
If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, say what your work rights are, or that you need sponsorship. Our guide to the 482 and 407 visas for teachers explains the options.
Teacher resume template for Australia
Use this order. Each heading is one section of your resume.
- Name and contact details: phone, email, suburb and state. No photo.
- Registration: VIT category and number (or eligibility), and work rights if relevant.
- Profile: three lines on who you teach, what you teach and what you are known for.
- Teaching experience: most recent first, with achievements.
- Qualifications: degrees and, for graduates, placements.
- Professional learning: recent and relevant only.
- Other contributions: coaching, camps, committees, student leadership programs.
- Referees: name, role, school, phone and email, and how they know your work. Ask each one first.
Teacher cover letter in Australia
Keep the cover letter to one page. Name the job and where you saw it, say why you want this school, and use a paragraph or two to match your experience to the role. Close by saying you are available for an interview.
Department ads can spell out what the cover letter must include. One current ad asks for your name, your Department record number if you already work for the Department, your home address, phone numbers and the vacancy number. Address the letter to the principal where the ad says so.
Resume, cover letter and selection criteria
For a government school job, the resume is only part of the application. The Department classroom teacher ad we checked asks for responses to each key selection criterion, a cover letter, a summary of experience and qualifications (your resume), and three referees who can speak to the criteria. The selection panel may also contact referees you did not list. See how to write key selection criteria.
If you join the Department’s Applicant Pool through School Jobs Vic, you upload a CV and set preferences for location, time fraction and role type, and school recruiters can find and contact you. A clear, current resume matters there more than anywhere. Our Recruitment Online guide explains the system.
Common resume mistakes
- Adding a photo, date of birth or marital status.
- Hiding your VIT registration on page three.
- Listing duties (“planned lessons, marked work”) instead of results.
- Unexplained gaps. One line (“Relocated to Australia”, “Parental leave”) is enough.
- Referees who have not been asked or who did not see you teach.
- Sending the same resume to a primary school and a secondary school.
Common questions
Should I put a photo on my teacher resume in Australia?
No. The Australian Human Rights Commission’s guide to writing a resume says you do not need to include a photo, date of birth, marital status or gender.
How long should a teacher resume be in Australia?
The Victorian Government’s job-seeker advice says two to four pages, and the Australian Human Rights Commission suggests two or less where possible. Shorter is better if it still covers your registration, experience and referees.
Do I need a Working with Children Check if I am VIT registered?
Not for teaching. Teachers currently registered with VIT are exempt unless they have been given a WWC Exclusion. You must notify Working with Children Check Victoria of any child-related work outside teaching, and apply for a Check if your registration is no longer current.
Should I put my VIT number on my resume?
Yes. Put your registration category and number near the top. Schools need to confirm registration, and employers can check it on the VIT website.
How many referees does a teacher need?
The Department classroom teacher ad we checked asks for three, ideally people who have seen you teach, such as a principal, a leader or your placement mentor. The Human Rights Commission guide recommends a minimum of two.
Is a CV the same as a resume in Australia?
For teaching jobs, the words are used interchangeably. The Department ad we checked asks for a “summary of experience and qualifications”, and the Applicant Pool asks you to upload a CV; the same document works for both.
Send us your resume
TeachVic places local and international teachers in contract and permanent roles in government, Catholic and independent schools across Victoria, and teachers pay nothing. Apply for a current role or ask us to contact you. New to teaching? Read graduate teacher jobs in Victoria.
Checked on 20 October 2026 against the Australian Human Rights Commission’s guide to writing a resume and cover letter; Live in Melbourne’s How to apply for a job in Melbourne; Victorian teacher information about Working with Children Checks; School Jobs Vic; Get a teaching job; and a current Department classroom teacher ad. This is general information, not migration or legal advice.