New graduates

Graduate registration

The Board has a range of resources for education providers, students and interested others to assist in understanding what it means to be a registered optometrist in Australia.

When is it necessary to be registered as an optometrist?

This document provides guidance on when it is necessary to be registered as an optometry practitioner:

• When is it necessary to be registered as an optometrist (PDF 86.6KB)?  
• When is it necessary to be registered as an optometrist? (DOCX 657KB).

Information for graduating students

This video is most relevant to optometry students who are nearing the completion of their approved programs of study in Australia and will soon be seeking general registration as an optometrist with endorsement for scheduled medicines.

• Transcript - Graduate registration video (DOCX 368KB) 

Information for students about to graduate is published on the Ahpra website, including guidance on how to apply for graduate registration, and the link to start the online application process.

Graduates of approved programs of study need to be registered with the Board before they can start working as optometrists.

If you’re about to finish your course, you can apply for registration now. The first step is to set up your Ahpra portal and link multifactor authentication.

How to apply in your portal

1. Set up your Ahpra portal, log in and click ‘Apply for registration’.
2. Complete your application which includes uploading your certified documents, completing a proof of identity check and paying the required fees.
3. Wait for your education provider to give your graduate results and enrolment listing to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).

Once you've submitted your application, you can track its assessment in your portal.

Need help with registration?

For registration enquiries or difficulties with the online application form, contact us by making a web enquiry or by calling 1300 419 495 (within Australia).

We also have an online portal help centre with step-by-step instructions and videos on how to set up your portal and securely link your multifactor authentication app.

Engagement and Support team

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can get culturally safe, one-on-one support from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement and Support team. Yarn with us at [email protected]

Approved programs of study

The approved programs of study can be found on the Accreditation page.