Frequently Asked Questions

No, nutrition is unregulated in Australia. NSA registration is a voluntary scheme and is not a license to work.

Please click here to read about the benefits of NSA registration

A professional title, letters after your name and a certificate that shows recognition of your professional competency in nutrition from a scientific society.

Yes, but registration cannot be processed unless your membership has been approved.

We do not recommend any specific courses or institutions nor does NSA accredit courses. We have a minimum eligibility for registration which can be found here.

NSA course requirements are:

An appropriate qualification in science at Bachelor level or equivalent which includes studies in human nutrition and at least one other related subject area (including physiology, biochemistry, public health, consumer affairs, physical education/human movement, food science or other as determined on an individual basis by the NSA Registration Committee). Plus interaction with peers, continuing professional development (see below) and commitment to the NSA Code of Professional Conduct

If the course offered by your college/university meets the Australian Qualifications Framework level 7 Bachelor’s degree and has been verified through the AQF Register then it is considered a Bachelor’s degree. We verify if the organisation meets these requirements using the teqsa.gov.au webpage. The Registration Committee will then look at the Bachelor’s degree to ensure that the qualification includes studies in human nutrition and at least one other related subject area as noted above.

Please check whether your institution and course is registered with TEQSA by going to http://www.teqsa.gov.au/national-register.

If you have a science degree, please see this pathway.

If you have a non-science degree, please see this pathway.

You will need to achieve a combination of postgraduate studies in nutrition science and relevant work experience to be eligible.

Yes, you will need to apply again for voluntary registration with NSA.

NSA sends overseas qualification to Australian Education International for assessment of equivalency to the Australian Qualification Framework.

For more information on having your overseas qualifications recognised, go to https://internationaleducation.gov.au/services-and-resources/pages/qualifications-recognition.aspx

Relevant work experience includes roles where duties include relevant nutritional science.

Health retail and personal fitness will not be considered.

NSA is unable to validate the quality and hours of work performed in self-employment and therefore it is not considered when reviewing work experience.

Incomplete or unclear information about the type and duration of work experience is a major cause of delays in assessing applications.

Usually full-time work is five days per week, approximately 8 hours per day. Part-time work should be expressed as a fraction of full time equivalents (FTE). Work experience should be clearly expressed in your application.

For example:

• 2 days per week (or 16 hours) would be 0.4 FTE
• 4 days per week would be 0.8 FTE

A placement for three months should be clearly stated as such, giving dates when you started and finished and FTE.

A Justice of the Peace or staff at a police station.

You need to provide three referees who may be a mixture of professionals and academics:

1. Provide at least ONE referee who knows that you hold professional qualifications in nutrition, for example, an academic (and preferably a Registered Nutritionist).
2. Provide at least ONE referee who knows that you performed to the standard of competency expected of a professional Registered Nutritionist.
3. Provide at least ONE referee who knows that you have the character to uphold the professional ethics and values required for registration with the Society. Examples include an academic, such as a personal tutor, a professional colleague, or a manager.

No, registration does not give you a provider number. The NSA Register is not intended to qualify you to practice clinical nutrition.

There are currently no Medicare health fund rebates for clients of Nutritionists, and there is only limited private health insurance fund rebates for Nutritionists with a small proportion of private health insurers.