Nationally Recognised Sports Nutrition Framework Project

Establishing Australia's First National Framework in Sports Nutrition Education

This page is dedicated to the establishment of a formal national framework for AQF Level 3 (Certificate III), Level 4 (Certificate IV), Level 8 (Graduate Certificate), and Level 8 (Graduate Diploma) programs in sports nutrition, as no framework currently exists.

Our Mission

SNA exists to create a world where athletes and everyday people can trust the nutrition information they receive. This doesn’t currently exist.

We achieve this through three pillars:

Our goal is to build a sustainable framework where both professionals and the public can prosper.

The Current Reality and Problem

Since 2017, SNA has been providing recognized training at the graduate certificate level in Australia. The genesis of this program tells an important story: it began as a professional association-led initiative, driven by extensive stakeholder engagement across the sports nutrition industry. Practitioners, educators, insurers, and employers came together to address a critical gap – the complete absence of standardized sports nutrition education.

This wasn’t about creating courses to sell. It was about fulfilling our mission. To create a world where people can trust nutrition information, we must protect the public, empower professionals, and improve industry standards. None of this is possible without proper education frameworks.

Our Journey

Established in 2017
The association began as Sports Nutrition Australia in 2017, developing a Level 8 (Graduate Certificate) compliant program through rigorous stakeholder consultation.
2020
As demand grew from New Zealand practitioners facing similar challenges, we expanded across the Tasman. By 2020, international interest led us to become the Sports Nutrition Association – a global body addressing a worldwide problem.
2025
Now we’re returning to where it all began. It’s only fitting that the first national framework we establish is in Australia – the country where this movement was born and where the need was first identified.

The Global Context

While European countries have developed robust sports nutrition frameworks, Australia and many other regions lack these essential structures. This gap has been exploited by overseas providers flooding the market with:

The Human Cost

This isn’t just an academic problem. Real people are being harmed:

Every day without proper frameworks, more people fall victim to misinformation, dangerous practices, and failed health outcomes. This is why establishing these standards isn’t just important – it’s urgent.

The irony is that while Australia delays, international universities are approaching us to purchase this framework for their countries. We remain committed to establishing it here first – this Australian-developed solution should benefit Australians before being exported globally.

The unregulated nature of sports nutrition titles has resulted in a proliferation of practitioners calling themselves ‘nutritionists’ or ‘sports nutritionists’ without meeting OSCA (Australia) or NOL (New Zealand) standards, which require Skill Level 1 qualifications (bachelor’s degree or higher). 

This includes practitioners with only short courses, certificates below AQF Level 7, or no formal nutrition education at all. These practitioners often operate without appropriate insurance, cannot satisfy duty of disclosure requirements, and may provide advice beyond their competence – creating liability risks for themselves and potential harm to clients. 

Recent media investigations have highlighted these exact issues, validating concerns about public protection.

The consequences are severe:
Without this framework:

Why Education Frameworks Matter to Our Mission​

Education is the cornerstone that transforms our mission from aspiration to reality.

Without standardized educational pathways, public protection becomes impossible – anyone can claim expertise regardless of their actual knowledge, leaving consumers vulnerable to dangerous advice. Proper education frameworks create the foundation for professional empowerment by establishing clear competency standards and career progression routes, giving legitimate practitioners the credentials and confidence to practice effectively. 

Most critically, formalized education elevates industry standards by ensuring every practitioner shares a common baseline of evidence-based knowledge, ethical practice, and professional boundaries. 

When education is standardized and rigorous, it creates a ripple effect: the public gains trust in qualified practitioners, professionals gain respect and recognition for their expertise, and the entire industry gains credibility through demonstrated competence. Without these educational foundations, our mission remains merely words on a page.

With them, we build the infrastructure for lasting transformation in how sports nutrition is practiced, perceived, and protected across Australia.

Who Supports This Framework

Growing Coalition of Support

Leading industry organizations and educational institutions recognize the urgent need for this framework. Support continues to grow from:

Private Support

On top of this numerous universities and institutes have expressed support privately and are awaiting the framework’s approval to begin implementation.

What We've Developed

A Complete Four-Tier Pathway

Our comprehensive framework addresses the full spectrum of sports nutrition education needs:
Entry Level (AQF 3-4)
These levels allow practitioners to enter the field, gain experience, and practice within appropriate scope while building toward full professional qualification.
Professional Level (AQF 8)
This creates a clear progression where practitioners can:
This pathway ensures all practitioners ultimately meet OSCA/NOL Skill Level 1 requirements while providing accessible entry points for career development

Course Advisory and Development Committee

To ensure our framework maintains the highest standards while remaining practical and industry-relevant, we’ve established a comprehensive governance structure.

Committee Responsibilities:
Committee Structure:

Our internal development team comprises SNA staff with bachelor’s and master’s degrees who are established practitioners and Accredited Sports Nutritionists. They bring current industry experience and understand the daily challenges practitioners face at every level of practice.

The external advisory committee provides independent oversight and includes:

Dr. Eric Helms
International expert in sports nutrition research and education
Dr. Cliff Harvey
Leading practitioner and educator in clinical and sports nutrition
Dr. Zoë Hutchka
Specialist in nutrition education and practitioner development
Tony Attridge
Director of the College of Health & Fitness with extensive vocational education expertise

This blend of internal industry experience and external academic expertise is essential for developing a framework that spans from Certificate III entry level through to Graduate Diploma advanced practice. The committee ensures each level builds appropriately on the previous, creating a coherent pathway that serves both newcomers to the field and experienced practitioners seeking postgraduate qualifications.

Current Program Status & Updates

While we await formal government accreditation, our Graduate Certificate in Sports Nutrition has undergone rigorous independent assessment by multiple experts in higher education. Their findings confirm that the content, notional hours, and learning outcomes are at the Graduate Certificate level.

Important: The program is currently non-accredited pending ASQA approval. We believe in full transparency about our status and are committed to achieving formal recognition.

Recent Updates

June 2025 Recent media coverage of industry malpractice highlights the urgent need for proper standards in nutrition education. We’ve submitted additional evidence to ASQA showing increased demand from practitioners seeking legitimate pathways, including many from recently investigated providers.

May 2025 Received feedback from ASQA on our Graduate Certificate application. Responded with clarifications and additional evidence of market need. Over 80 additional students referred overseas since our initial submission.

April 2024 Initial concept submission to ASQA for Graduate Certificate in Sports Nutrition.

Our Journey Toward Accreditation

Timeline

This multi-year journey reflects our commitment to developing a framework that meets the highest standards while addressing real industry needs.

How You Can Help

Creating lasting change requires collaboration - no single organization can transform an entire sector alone.

Your support can make a crucial difference in establishing Australia’s first comprehensive sports nutrition education framework. We’re building a coalition of evidence and support to demonstrate the urgent need for change.

Organizations:
Join Our Coalition

Professional associations, sports teams, gyms, health clinics, education providers, insurance companies – any organization supporting nationally recognized sports nutrition education.

We’re documenting organizational support to show ASQA the breadth of industry backing for this framework.

Practitioners:
Help Build Our Evidence File

Submit de-identified evidence of how qualification gaps affect your practice – insurance denials, scope limitations, employer rejections.

Your experiences create a compelling portfolio demonstrating real-world impacts of the current education gap.

Future Students:
Register Your Interest

Interested in Certificate III/IV or Graduate Diploma programs? We’re documenting demand for ASQA (your details won’t be shared).

Show ASQA the pipeline of students waiting for these pathways to become available.

Education Providers:
Become a Licensed Delivery Partner
We’re seeking compliant RTOs and education providers to deliver these programs under licensing agreements. Together, we can create the sector-wide impact needed for sustainable sports nutrition education. Demonstrate that this framework serves the entire education sector, not just one organization.

Privacy Note: Information collected through these forms will be used to support our ASQA accreditation application. Personal details will be de-identified in any submissions, and your information will not be shared with ASQA or any third parties without your explicit consent.

What Happens Next?

We’ll launch Australia’s first comprehensive sports nutrition education framework, keeping Australian students in Australia and setting the standard for the region.

We’ll be forced to consider international partnerships, potentially seeing this Australian-developed framework delivered overseas instead of at home.

Questions?

We’re currently in the final stages of ASQA review. Programs are not yet accredited but have been independently assessed as meeting graduate certificate standards.

Download our abbreviated concept proposal to understand the full scope of what we’re building.

Every signature, story, and endorsement strengthens our case for approval.

Sports Nutrition Australia is committed to establishing proper educational standards for sports nutrition in Australia. We believe in transparency about our journey and welcome your support in making this vision a reality.

For more information, visit sportsnutritionassociation.com

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