| Quick Answer: AITSL (the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership) has confirmed a fee increase for its skilled migration assessments, effective from 7 September 2026. The Assessment of Application fee rises from AUD $1,154 to AUD $1,198, and the Appeal of Assessment Outcome fee rises to AUD $938. Applications submitted on or before 6 September 2026 will still be charged at the current rate. If you're a teacher planning to migrate to Australia and haven't submitted your skills assessment yet, the date you hit "submit" now directly affects what you pay. |
AITSL Fees 2026 for Teachers: What Changed?
The AITSL fees 2026 for teachers will change from 7 September 2026. The AITSL skills assessment fee for an Assessment of Application will increase from AUD 1,154 to AUD 1,198. Teachers preparing for Australian skilled migration should check the new fee structure before submitting their application.
Why This Fee Change Matters More Than It Looks
A skills assessment might feel like just another form in a long migration checklist. But for teachers applying to migrate to Australia, it's a mandatory gate — no positive AITSL assessment, no progressing to your skilled visa application.
So when the assessing body changes its fee structure, it isn't a minor administrative update. It's a real cost decision that depends entirely on timing. Submit before the cut-off, and you pay the current rate. Submit after, and the new fee applies — no exceptions based on when you started preparing your documents.
What AITSL Has Confirmed
According to AITSL's official notice, the new fee structure takes effect on 7 September 2026. Here's how the cut-off works:
- Applications submitted on or before 6 September 2026 — charged at the current (pre-change) rate.
- Applications submitted on or from 7 September 2026 — charged at the new rate.
- No GST is charged on any AITSL Assessment for Migration fee.
- A partial refund remains available if the assessment of your application has not yet commenced — but no refund is issued once your application is under active assessment.
AITSL has stated that fees are subject to change and has directed applicants to check its official fees page for the most current, exact figures before submitting payment — since the precise fee schedule can be updated by AITSL at any time.
New Fee Structure From 7 September 2026
| Fee Type | Current Fee | New Fee (from 7 Sept 2026) |
| Assessment of Application | AUD $1,154 | AUD $1,198 |
| Appeal of Assessment Outcome | AUD $904 | AUD $938 |
| Skilled Employment Statement (SES) | AUD $265 |
Figures reported consistently across AITSL's public notice and independent migration advisory sources; always confirm the exact current amount on AITSL's official fees page before paying, since fees can be updated at any time.
What This Means If You're Preparing Your Application
If you're a qualified teacher gathering documents for an AITSL skills assessment, this cut-off date changes your planning in a few practical ways:
- Submission date is what counts — not preparation date. It doesn't matter when you started collecting documents or paying for translations. AITSL applies the fee based on the date you actually submit through the Applicant Portal.
- Half-finished applications don't lock in the old fee. If your documents aren't assessment-ready and complete before 7 September 2026, you'll likely be paying under the new fee schedule.
- Refund rules stay strict either way. Whether you apply before or after the change, AITSL's refund policy remains the same: a partial refund is only possible if assessment hasn't started yet.
A Word on the Bigger Picture
AITSL isn't the only assessing authority adjusting fees around this period — other skills assessment bodies handling different occupations for Australian skilled migration have also announced fee updates around the same September 2026 window. If your occupation isn't teaching, it's worth checking directly with your relevant assessing authority, since AITSL specifically only covers teacher migration assessments.
Final Word
If you're a teacher with an AITSL skills assessment on your migration checklist, the smartest move right now is simple: get your documents assessment-ready and submit before 7 September 2026 if you want to lock in the current fee — or budget for the new rate if that timeline isn't realistic for you. Either way, don't guess the numbers. Confirm them directly on AITSL's official page before you pay.
Not sure if your documents are assessment-ready? Get a free document review from LEAMSS's Australia migration team before you submit.
About This Article
Reviewed by LEAMSS's Australia Migration Team — our Registered Migration Agents and consultants work directly with teachers preparing AITSL skills assessments for Australian skilled migration, and this article reflects both AITSL's official notice and patterns we see in real applications.
Have questions about your specific application? Talk to our Australia migration team directly — we review documents before submission, not just after something goes wrong.
Official Source
AITSL — Skills Assessments & Fees, Official Page
