On this page (8 sections)
The short answer
To become a teacher aide in Australia you need your state's working with children check and to be selected for a school job. A Certificate III or IV in School Based Education Support is not legally required in most public systems, but it helps you get hired, and in Victoria it sets a higher starting rate for roles that require it. New aides start on about $29 to $38 an hour, depending on the state.
- Get your state's working with children (or vulnerable people) check first.
- Consider a Certificate III or IV in School Based Education Support.
- Apply through the state education department's jobs site, or register as a casual.
- Expect part-time hours to start with; full-time hours vary by state.
What a teacher aide does
Teacher aides support teachers and students in the classroom. Day to day that can mean working one-on-one or with small groups, supporting students with disability or additional needs, helping with reading and maths, preparing resources, supervising in the playground and, in some roles, doing health care procedures. The job title depends on the state: an SLSO in NSW, education support (ES) in Victoria, an education assistant in WA, an SSO in South Australia, a teacher assistant in Tasmania and a learning support assistant in the ACT.
Is your payslip right? Check your hourly rate, hours, holiday pay and tax against the support staff agreement. Your first check is free. Check my payslip →Step 1: get the right check for your state
Every school job needs a current working with children check (in some states it covers vulnerable people more broadly). Apply before you start applying for jobs, because processing can take time. Our guide to working with children checks for teachers has more detail; the checks are the same for support staff.
Step 2: decide whether to get a qualification
The national qualifications for this work are the Certificate III in School Based Education Support and the Certificate IV in School Based Education Support, offered by TAFEs and private training providers. In most public school systems they are not a legal requirement, but some job ads ask for them or for equivalent experience, and they matter for pay in some states:
What a certificate could be worth in Victoria under VGSA 2026
- Range 2-1 at 0.8 FTE (from 1 Oct 2026)
- $51,167 a year
- Take-home at 2-1
- $44,506 ($1,712 a fortnight)
- Range 2-4 (certificate-required role) at 0.8 FTE
- $57,060 a year
- Take-home at 2-4
- $48,425 ($1,862 a fortnight)
VGSA 2026 rates from 1 October 2026, approved by the Fair Work Commission on 16 October 2026. 2026–27 tax rates, no HELP debt. The higher start applies to roles that require the certificate, not automatically to anyone who holds one.
Step 3: find and apply for jobs
- 1
Search the department's jobs site
Public school aide jobs are advertised on each state or territory government's jobs portal and the education department's careers pages. Search for your state's title (SLSO, education support, education assistant, SSO, teacher assistant, school assistant).
- 2
Register for casual work
Many aides start as casuals. In the ACT, for example, casual school assistants must apply to the Education Directorate for approval and get a casual school assistant ID card.
- 3
Address the selection criteria
Most jobs ask you to show how you meet the criteria in the position description. Use specific examples; our selection criteria guide works for support roles too.
- 4
Prepare for the interview
Expect questions on supporting students with additional needs, behaviour, working with a teacher, and keeping students safe. See interview questions for the style.
Step 4: know your starting pay
Full details and every level are in the teacher aide salary guide.
Free calculator
See what you'd take home
Choose a state, starting level and weekly hours to see your fortnightly pay after tax.
Open the support staff pay calculatorHours, holidays and job security
Most aide jobs are part-time, and many people start on casual or temporary contracts. Permanent and longer-term aides in most states are paid through the school holidays; casuals are paid only for hours worked, with a loading instead. The details are in are teacher aides paid in school holidays.
＋ Pros
- School hours and school holidays suit families
- Paid through the holidays in most states once permanent
- No degree needed
- Yearly steps or pay points in every state
- A pathway into teaching or school administration
− Cons
- Often part-time, so annual income is modest
- Early jobs are often casual or short contracts
- Can be physically and emotionally demanding
- Pay tops out lower than teaching
Where the job can lead
Experienced aides can move into specialist or senior aide roles, school office and finance work, and eventually business management. Some go on to study teaching: see career change to teaching and the employment-based teaching pathways that let you earn while you train.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a qualification to be a teacher aide?
How long does it take to become a teacher aide?
How much does a teacher aide earn starting out?
Can I become a teacher aide with no experience?
Is Certificate III or IV better for teacher aides?
Do teacher aides work full time?
Sources we checked · last verified 2026-10-28
About this page
Written and fact-checked by the TeacherPay AU Editorial Team against the enterprise agreements, awards and official pages listed in the sources. It is general information, not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it, usually within a day. See our editorial policy and how we calculate.
Keep reading
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Teacher aide salary in Australia: 2026 pay in every state
What teacher aides, SLSOs, education assistants and SSOs earn in government schools in every state and territory, on a like-for-like hourly basis, with dates and sources.
Support staff pay
Are teacher aides paid during the school holidays?
How holiday pay works for teacher aides, SLSOs, ES staff, education assistants and SSOs in each state, with the formulas, the exceptions and what casuals get instead.
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Victorian education support (ES) pay rates 2026
Victorian government school ES pay under the VGSA 2026 (approved by the Fair Work Commission on 16 Oct 2026), the old VGSA 2022 rates, back pay and how 52-week pay works.
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Working with children checks for teachers: which states need one, and which don't
Which states require teachers to hold a separate working with children check, what each one is called, what it costs, and when it's tax deductible.
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