Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can apply if you're on track to graduate from our Teachers Excellence Program (TEP). Former Expert Teachers in Residence are also eligible.

No, teachers who have previously received an Academy fellowship are not eligible to apply.

No, both full-time and part-time teachers are eligible, but you must maintain your teaching role at the same Victorian school throughout the entire fellowship period.

Eligibility requires that you are employed at the same school at the time of application and throughout the fellowship. A strong application will also demonstrate the supportive relationships and structures within your school that can enable project success. As a TEP graduate, you remain eligible to apply in future years once you have established these connections.

After you submit your application, your principal will receive an email requesting their endorsement. They need to confirm their support for your participation and the time commitment required.

Applications close for TIF 2026 on Monday, 13 October 2025. 

We recommend submitting your application at least a few days early to allow time for principal endorsement.

During the year, you'll need to:

1. attend 3 x full-day workshops (Term 1 and 2);
2. participate in 3 x online Fellowship Learning Communities (3 hours each);
3. engage in 4 x online sessions with your advisor; and
4. complete 4 x learning submissions.

Most of the fellowship work will be embedded in your school context, that means that you will need to allocate time to work on designing and implementing your project at your school.

All three foundation days take place in Melbourne. 

Travel and accommodation support may be available for eligible schools.

Teacher fellows are expected to attend all foundation days and Fellowship Learning Communities, as these are part of the Teaching Impact Fellowship completion requirements.

Fellowship funding supports the design and implementation of your impact project. This may include professional learning costs, resources associated with project implementation, including purchasing and/or creating teaching and learning resources and materials and other incidental project costs.

Detailed guidance on uses for project funding can be found in the Teaching Impact Fellowship guidelines document, available for download during the application process.

You'll need to acquit the funding using provided templates at the end of the program.

Eligible schools may receive supplementary funding for teacher release time, travel, and accommodation to fellowship activities.

The program provides the project funding, but your school needs to provide ongoing support and principal endorsement throughout the fellowship.

Through their projects, teacher fellows will respond to an identified need or challenge at their school that aims to deliver improvements in any of the following areas: 

1. teaching quality;
2. teacher confidence;
3. teacher capability; and/or
4. student outcomes in learning and wellbeing.

While you should have identified a challenge in your school context, the foundation days and advisor support will help you design and refine your project.

You'll learn to identify and monitor indicators to demonstrate progress and impact as part of the program learning outcomes.

Yes, to apply both applicants will need to meet eligibility requirements.

If you are working with another TEP graduate at either your school or another school, you will both need to submit an individual application but may upload the same problem analysis template. Each teacher fellow will be eligible to receive funding.

If you would like to discuss this further, please contact the Academy Fellowships Team.

No. TEP graduates can submit applications related to any discipline or area that is of interest as long as the project responds to an identified need or challenge to deliver improvements in any of the following areas:

• teaching quality;
• teacher confidence;
• teacher capability; and/or
• student outcomes in learning and wellbeing.

You'll have 4 x one-on-one online sessions with your dedicated fellowship advisor who will guide you through critical reflective practice and provide feedback on your project.

Yes, through the Fellowship Learning Communities you'll build relationships with other teacher fellows to share ideas, learn from each other, and support professional growth.

All completion requirements must be met, including:

1. attendance;
2. project implementation;
3. reflective journal;
4. 4 x learning submissions;
5. project presentation; and
6. funding acquittal.

You'll present and share your impact project journey and outcomes as part of the completion requirements and develop a plan to share learning within your school, and with other Victorian educators.

Yes, information sessions are available for interested applicants.

• You can download summaries of current and previous projects on the TIF past graduate project page.
• You can read case studies on projects from Teaching Impact Fellows on the TIF case studies page.