Graduates: What you need to know for registration

23 Jul 2020

Are you about to graduate from an approved program of study to become an optometrist?

Before you can start practising and using the protected title, ‘optometrist’, you must be registered with the Optometry Board of Australia (the Board).

What do I need to do for registration?

When you apply for registration, your application is carefully assessed against the Board’s requirements for registration.

For graduate registration as an optometrist, you need to prove that you meet the following standards:

• criminal history
• English language skills, and
• professional indemnity insurance.

We also need your graduate results from your education provider.

We cannot register you until we are satisfied that you meet the standards for registration and are suitably trained and qualified.

How do I apply?

1. Create your account using the online services portal and complete your application.
2. Upload your documents and pay the required fees. Check that you have provided all required documentation to prove you’ve met the registration standards, including certified copies of your photo identification.
3. Wait for your education provider to provide your graduate results to Ahpra.

Once we’ve received your graduate results from your education provider and we are satisfied that you have met all the requirements for registration, we will finalise your application.

When registered, we will publish your name to the national register of health practitioners, and you can start work as an optometrist!

How long does it take to assess my application?

If you’ve submitted everything you need to prove you’ve met the requirements for registration, we aim to finalise your application within two weeks of receiving your graduate results. We recommend that you submit your application before you graduate so that it’s ready to finalise pending your results.

How can I help ensure I’m registered in time to start work?

We’ve published information material to help you when applying for registration, including advice on how to prove you meet a registration standard as well as tips for avoiding common causes of delay. These are available on the Graduate applications page of the Ahpra website.

A common cause of delay is when the name you use on your application for registration does not match the name your education provider uses for your graduate results, or your name on your identification documents (such as licence or passport). Make sure your names match, otherwise it will cause a delay.

Important change to the requirements for certifying photo ID

To protect against identity theft, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission has new requirements for certifying photo identification. On documents with a photograph such as your passport or driver’s licence you must make sure the authorised officer writes or stamps:

‘I certify that this is a true copy of the original and the photograph is a true likeness of the person presenting the document as sighted by me.’

To make sure your documents are certified correctly, please download the guide, Certifying Documents: Instructions for applicants and authorised officers, available on our website. This includes the full list of authorised officers who can certify documents, including teachers, various health practitioners, bank officers and public servants. It’s important that you make sure your documents are certified correctly, as incorrectly certified documents will cause delay.

For more information

• For registration enquiries or difficulties in accessing the online application form: 1300 419 495 (within Australia).
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200.