Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education

^{*To confirm whether your ITE course is accredited under the Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures, please contact your ITE provider.}

LANTITE requirements

Ensuring the capability of teachers is vital to raising the overall quality of Australia’s school system and lifting student outcomes. Action to improve the quality of teachers in Australian schools must begin when teachers are first prepared for the profession. For teachers, strong personal literacy and numeracy skills are an essential part of the attributes and skills needed to be effective in the classroom. They are also necessary to foster the development of these critical skills in students, providing the building blocks for future learning.

Since 2011, students enrolled in accredited Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs have been required to demonstrate personal literacy and numeracy skills within the top 30 per cent of the adult population. In 2015, Education Ministers agreed that, from 1 July 2016, the LANTITE test would be used to demonstrate this standard.

The test standard was validated in 2017 using international benchmarks and is aligned with the Australian Core Skills Framework. It has been developed in consultation with teacher educators and reflects the types of literacy and numeracy tasks teachers can expect in professional practice.

Recent changes to the LANTITE

In 2023, Education Ministers agreed to amend the Accreditation Standards of Initial Teacher Education Programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures to reflect that ITE students are expected to sit the LANTITE in the first year of their ITE qualification. From 2025, any ITE student undertaking an accredited qualification that enables them to register to teach in an Australian school setting is expected to meet the standard of the test prior to graduation.

In 2024, Following the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan (Action Plan) - LANTITE trial (Test Window 4 of 2023 – Test Window 4 of 2024), Education Ministers agreed from 2025 there will be no test limits for candidates sitting the LANTITE. The trial showed removing test limits and providing better feedback led to more candidates sitting the test and meeting the standard, and the changes were received positively from candidates and higher education providers.

This change will allow all candidates to continue to improve their personal literacy and numeracy skills to ensure they can meet the required standard. Higher education providers continue to play a key role in supporting their students to meet the standard.

Sitting the test

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) is the test administrator and is responsible for delivering the test in selected testing centres across Australia and through an invigilated online environment (remote proctoring). The test is held during set test windows throughout the year. Students seeking up-to-date information on the test, including test dates, locations, information about reasonable adjustments and registration procedures, should refer to ACER’s test website.

The test has two components: a literacy component and a numeracy component. Students are required to register for the test on the ACER test website and pay the test fee at the time of registration.

To assist candidates to prepare for the test, ACER offers a range of resources on ACER’s test website. This includes full size practice tests, as well as retired test items, practice questions and a Described Proficiency Scale which describes the skills assessed by the test and how candidates’ achievement of the standard required by the test is determined.

There are no test limits. Candidates can sit the test as many times as they require to meet the standard. Higher education providers play a key role in supporting their students to meet the LANTITE standard, which remains the same. 

Prospective students

Individuals who are planning to enrol in an ITE course can now sit the test window before they commence their studies. This includes Year 11 and 12 students, recent school graduates, mature age or mid-career people and people enrolled in pathway courses. Sitting the test before enrolling in an ITE course is optional. For prospective and unenrolled students there is no limit on the number of test attempts. Meeting the test standard as a prospective or unenrolled student does not guarantee entry into an ITE degree.

LANTITE data

Between 2016 and 2025, a total of 205,558 individuals attempted one or both components of the test. This figure comprises 201,755 individuals who sat both components of the test and 3,803 individuals who sat either the literacy or numeracy component of the test.

The tables below show the number of first time test candidates by year of registration and the percentage of those who met the standard on their first attempt and by their fourth year of registration (note a candidate may have had one or more attempts in their year of registration).

Literacy component

Table A: Data for first-time ITE students meeting the LANTITE literacy standard at their first attempt 

Table B: Data for ITE students meeting the literacy standard in different years of registration

Numeracy component

Table A: Data for first-time ITE students meeting the LANTITE numeracy standard at their first attempt 

Table B: Data for ITE students meeting the numeracy standard in different years of registration

_Notes:

_{^{1 The decline in the pass rates of first-attempt candidates from 2016 to 2018 reflects the introduction of revised test standards in mid-2017.}}

_{^{2 There were fewer test candidates in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on test operations. Many physical testing centres were closed, and the May 2020 test window was conducted completely online.}}

_{^{3 Unlimited attempts and improved feedback were introduced from Test Window 4 of 2023.}}

_{^{4 Up until 2025, candidates could undertake their first LANTITE attempt at any point during their ITE program. However, since 2025, candidates have been required to attempt the LANTITE within their first year of enrolling in an accredited ITE program.}}

_{^{5 Data are accurate at the time of reporting; however, minor variances may have occurred since the reporting year.}}

More information

For more information on the LANTITE, please refer to Frequently Asked Questions for test candidates.

For a high-level summary of LANTITE data, please refer to Data Snapshot 2016 to 2025.

To access the latest LANTITE Technical Report, please refer to 2025 LANTITE Technical Report.