Hockey education is integral to raising capability of all those connected to hockey. Our online learning platform ‘HockeyEd’ provides formal accreditation opportunities for coaches, officials, facilitators, and assessors, as well as housing relevant resource materials. Soon, this space will also provide informal micro learnings, such as research articles, webinars, and podcasts to further extend learning opportunities for the community.
Log in via your State or Territory Associations website
What are our accreditations?
Our refreshed coaching and officiating frameworks introduce a clear formal accreditation pathway, integrating FIH Academy courses from the Development Level onwards (state, club, and school contexts) to deliver globally recognised, world-class education for all in the sport. Built on contemporary learning principles and aligned with international standards, the four individual frameworks promote consistent, inclusive, and purposeful learning experiences that strengthen capability, enhance delivery, and foster a lifelong connection to hockey, while enabling individuals to engage in learning suited to their personal goals and stage of involvement.
Coaching and Officiating Frameworks
The Hockey Education Framework provides a cohesive structure to guide the learning, development, and progression of everyone involved in hockey — from community to international level — including coaches, officials, players, and educators. There are four individual frameworks that complete the whole of Hockey Australia learnings:
1. Coaching
2. Umpiring
3. Officiating
4. Sport Integrity
Our refreshed individual frameworks introduce a clear formal accreditation pathway, integrating FIH Academy courses from the Development Level onwards (State, club, and school contexts) to deliver globally recognised, world-class education for all in the sport. Built on contemporary learning principles and aligned with international standards, the frameworks promote consistent, inclusive, and purposeful learning experiences that strengthen capability, enhance delivery, and foster a lifelong connection to hockey, while enabling individuals to engage in learning suited to their personal goals and stage of involvement.
We recommend signing up to the FIH Academy learning, as there are a plethora of FREE learning offerings from: starting hockey, Empower and Engage series, to top coach masterclasses.
We are working towards rolling out the new accreditation offerings early this year.
During this development process, please be aware that:
Learner enrolments in current courses need to be completed and assessed by 30th June 2026.
As of July 1st 2026, existing Hockey Australia courses at Development level+ will not be accessible as these will be replaced with the equivalent FIH Academy courses.
To transition to the integration of FIH Academy courses, we have:
- Reviewed existing FIH accredited Developers, Educators and Trainers in the ‘Train the trainer pathway’ who can facilitate and access learning.
- Expanded our national workforce of accredited FIH Educators (X29) and Trainers (X5) with the delivery of two educator courses and trainees (Melbourne, Perth) in 2025.
- Collaborated with Hockey NZ to allow support of international representation and opportunities for extended learning.
**Any 2026 accreditation expiries (besides sport integrity courses) will now be recognised till January 1st 2027 to support the transition and integration changes**
How to use the frameworks
1. Select your framework: For your relevant role (Coach, Umpire, Official), click on the corresponding framework.
2. Determine your pathway in the framework:
Support: A free learning course for those commencing their journey to assist in their education role.
Lead: Paid, multiple learning offerings consisting of either online learning (self-paced) courses, online workshops, in-person workshops and practical assessments. Prerequisites for each tier are indicated.
Facilitator: Our train the trainer pathway for those looking to facilitate and assess foundation learnings and beyond. Prerequisites for each tier are indicated. **Existing Mentor and Educator roles have been replaced with Facilitator**
3. Assess your Sport Integrity requirements:
- Identify the colour band from your education framework e.g. Lead Coach is purple.
- Locate the purple band in the framework.
- Determine which icons are relevant to your level in the key e.g. settings icon is development
- Identify which courses are associated with development level for coaching e.g. Annual update, anti-doping fundamentals, coaches course, safe and effective coaching for young athletes in high performance.
- Determine from the key which are required (white icon) and which are recommended (grey icon).
Frequently Asked Questions
All your HockeyEd questions answered.
Yes you continue your accreditation pathway linearly. You might wish, depending on when you last completed a learning cycle and how actively you have been coaching, to refresh and complete the new FIH L2C also first.
You need to follow the RPL process to approve your past experience and have this assessed against the level you believe you are at. If this is approved, as outlined in the process, you will continue on to the next accreditation level.
You must have completed your Foundation lead accreditation in the equivalent discipline and the HA foundation facilitator course. This is also subject to MA approval.
This will be MA nominated at our next Educator course event.
All existing HA accreditations are recognised by the FIH. This allows our HA current Foundation Lead accreditations to be recognised as a prerequisite into entry to FIH L2 (Development level) rather than completing an FIH L1 accreditation (we retain our Foundation offerings).
If you hold an existing HA Foundation Lead accreditation and this has been renewed on more than two occasions (6 years + old) you will now be required to complete our new and improved Foundation Lead course. If you have an existing HA Development Lead or above accreditation and this has been renewed on more than two occasions (6 years+ old), you are required to now complete the new and available FIH L2 (Development level) accreditation prior to completing the Advanced level (FIH L3).If you have an existing HA Development Lead or above accreditation and have completed this within the last three years and you are now close to renewal, we ask for you to discuss with your MA whether you are eligible to move to FIH L3 based on your recent level of experience (evidence that is required to be provided will be discussed – this will be publicly shared in 2026), or whether you should complete the new FIH L2.
As of 2026, all accreditations, including FIH accreditations, will continue to have a 3-year expiry. You will receive a notification in HockeyEd.
Recognition of current competency process (RCC)