How old must I be, and how well do I need to swim, to do the AUSTSWIM Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety course?

You must be 16 years or older before starting the course. AUSTSWIM candidates should be comfortable in deep and shallow water with a comfortable, relaxed breathing pattern, and should be able to swim 10 metres to a person in difficulty and tow them at least 10 metres, with the person's mouth and nose above water, to a point of safety. You need enough fitness and swimming ability to safely complete all the aquatic skills and assessments.

Sources: https://austswim.com.au/courses/course/teacher-of-swimming-and-water-safety-tsw-public and the AUSTSWIM Candidate Information Guide (Version 3.0, April 2026), https://austswim.com.au/hubfs/AUSTSWIM%20Candidate%20Information%20Guide%20(pdf).pdf