University offers for teacher courses up 36 per cent in NSW

Undergraduate offers for teacher education courses in NSW are up 36 per cent on last year, much larger than the national average.

NSW Deputy Labour Leader and Education Minister Prue Car pictured at state parliament. Picture: Nikki Short / NewsWire

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Undergraduate offers for teacher education courses in NSW are up 36 per cent on last year, much larger than the national average, as the largest employer of teachers in Australia narrows the margin on mass vacancies.

Five hundred more year 12 students applied for an education program in 2025 than in 2024, up 23 per cent year-on-year, data from the Universities Admissions Centre shows.

These figures outstrip the national average, with a 7 per cent increase in applications and a 14 per cent increase in offers for education students compared to 2024.

It comes as the Minns Labor government launched an Early Career Academy for Teachers on Tuesday to ensure those students are ready for the classroom. The academy includes department-led professional learning with curriculum expertise and teaching practices, professional experience placements, and a digital hub with personalised content, as it attempts to fill nearly 1300 teaching roles despite vacancies hitting a four-year low.

UAC managing director Kim Paino said the number of applications and offers was “great news for the (teacher) pipeline”.

“We’ve seen a significant rise in interest from year 12s in teacher education courses of over 20 per cent in the last year,” she said.

“For students, the explicit pathway to employment and the lower HECS fees compared to other courses are no doubt part of the attraction. “And universities are equally keen – if not more so – to fill these courses as we’ve seen an increase in offers made to those students of over 35 per cent.

“This means that the bulk of year 12 students applying to teaching are getting an offer, which is potentially great news for the pipeline of qualified teachers coming into the education system in the future.”

In its announcement on Tuesday, the NSW government said the $20m Early Career Academy for Teachers would be a “one-stop-shop for attracting and supporting new teachers, featuring a digital hub, new scholarships, tailored learning and resources, and embedded department support with a dedicated employee stationed at key universities”.

The academy would also include strategic partnerships with universities, including “Department of Education University Partnership Leads” that would provide tailored support to those seeking employment opportunities in NSW public schools.

NSW Education Minister Prue Car said it would be “a game-changer” for new teachers.

“The Early Career Academy will be a game-changer for new and prospective teachers, providing co-ordinated, multi-faceted support and ensuring we have highly skilled, classroom-ready teachers getting jobs in NSW public schools,” she said.

“With the NSW Department of Education being the largest employer of teachers in Australia, it is crucial that universities understand the needs of our public schools, and the academy will play an important role in ensuring partner universities offer the right courses for future teachers.”