1. How long are my TCAT results valid for?

Successful TCAT results are valid for up to two years. After they expire, you will need to sit for another TCAT assessment.

2. Do I need to complete another TCAT assessment if I’ve deferred my offer?

Since TCAT results are valid for two years, applicants whose TCAT results will expire by the new course commencement date are required to complete another TCAT assessment. Before completing another TCAT assessment, these applicants can only receive a conditional offer for the deferred intake. Deferrals are usually granted for one year only, but deferrals for two years are sometimes also approved during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note deferrals are not available to applicants for Master of Teaching (Secondary) Internship program.

3. Do I need to complete TCAT again if I am re-enrolling in the course after withdrawing?

Withdrawn students returning to study are not required to complete TCAT again to re-enrol if they sat their last TCAT assessment within the past two years.

4. If I am applying under the University of Melbourne Guaranteed Entry scheme, am I required to complete TCAT?

Students applying under the Guaranteed Entry scheme are required to complete TCAT as part of their application. Applicants who satisfy the Guaranteed Entry standards will be exempt from meeting the TCAT standards.

5. If I am applying for multiple teaching courses do I need to complete TCAT more than once?

When applying for multiple teaching courses, you are only required to sit for one TCAT assessment.

6. Can I attempt TCAT multiple times if my TCAT results are unsuccessful?

No, unsuccessful TCAT results will disqualify you from applying for any of the courses that require TCAT in that academic year. However, you may reattempt TCAT for applications to those courses in the following year. For example, if you sit for a TCAT assessment for an intake in 2021 but were unsuccessful, your next attempt of the assessment can only be used for intakes in 2022.

7. Can anyone else assist me in completing TCAT?

You must complete TCAT independently, and responses must be your own work only. No one else can assist you in the process of completing TCAT.

8. How can I prepare for TCAT?

The TCAT instrument does not require any previous practice or preparation. There will be sufficient instructions on how to complete each module during the online assessment.

9. I encountered a technical issue while I was completing my online assessment. What do I do?

10. What should I do if I can't login to my account?

Visit Account Recovery to reset your account.

11. How is the assessment structured?

The assessment comprises five modules. Each module includes a different number of open response or multiple choice questions. The entire assessment will take 75-100 minutes to complete.

12. Is there any information available to practice/prepare for the assessment?

The assessment does not require any previous practice. All the necessary information will be provided to you during the assessment.

13. Can I stop and continue my progress later?

You can stop during the assessment, but only at the end of each module. It is a security feature within TCAT that does not allow you to move away from the TCAT page whilst a module is in progress. Too many attempts will result in the module being terminated and you will move to the next module.

To stop TCAT and continue your progress later, complete the questions in the module. When you have successfully completed a module, you will see a message that allows you to either ‘Save and Exit’ or ‘Begin Next Module’. Click ‘Save and Exit’ and close the TCAT web browser. When you log in again, you will resume TCAT at the next module.

14. Is there a time limit?

Some modules have a time limit.

15. What happens when the timer runs out for a section or answer that is timed?

The responses you have entered will be saved and you will move to the next section or question.

16. Once I submit my answers, can I revise my answers?

Responses cannot be changed once they have been submitted.

17. Am I eligible for reasonable adjustments?

The Melbourne Graduate School of Education (MGSE) is committed to promoting inclusion and equity for prospective students with disabilities or long-term medical conditions, and helping to provide technologies that assist students. All reasonable efforts are made to provide appropriate testing conditions for candidates' needs. To discuss reasonable adjustments, please contact mgse-admissions@unimelb.edu.au.

18. What are the technical requirements to complete the online assessment?

The officially supported web browser for TCAT is Google Chrome. It is recommended that your web browser is up to date and Javascript is enabled.

19. How will my data/report be used?

Your information will be used in accordance with the University of Melbourne’s privacy policy. Your responses will be considered as part of selection into the Master of Teaching or Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching. Your responses will also be summarised and collated with the rest of your cohort to provide the Program Coordinator with a collective overview of the cohort’s strengths and weaknesses to better assist students throughout the course. This information will also be used to inform the ongoing development of the Master of Teaching and Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching. You will not be identifiable personally in this aggregated report. However, you may show your personal report to your Program Coordinator to obtain development advice if you wish. Your data may also be used for further development of the TCAT assessment, research purposes and other de-identified reports

20. Can I see my results?

Upon successful admission into the course, you will also receive a summary of your responses after the census date. This summary will include an indication of your responses against standardised minimums and desirable responses. We will continue to refine this summary as research into the assessment progresses. Part of your results will be a graph similar to the one below: