Engineers Australia Assessment Refused: Next Steps

EA refusal rates and causes

There is no published statistic on EA’s MSA refusal rate, but in practice many applicants have to submit a second or even third time. Most of the causes are avoidable if you understand the requirements correctly from the outset.

Common reasons for refusal

1. Career Episodes lack specific engineering detail

This is the most frequent reason. A CE describes “what project A did” instead of “what I personally did within project A, and in which engineering respect”. EA needs to see what you calculated, which standard you designed to, and which engineering problem you solved and by what method.

2. Insufficient evidence of competency against the EA standard

The Summary Statement points to a CE paragraph that does not adequately demonstrate the corresponding competency. For example, a competency about “engineering risk assessment” where no paragraph in the CE describes you analysing a specific risk.

3. Qualification not equivalent to the Professional Engineer standard

A three-year engineering degree, an engineering diploma, or a qualification from a programme that EA does not recognise as equivalent. In this case EA may reclassify the application as Engineering Technologist, or refuse it outright. You may need to consider applying under a lower category.

4. The programme does not contain enough core engineering subjects

For an institution outside the Washington Accord, EA assesses each subject. If the qualification lacks the core engineering subjects (mathematics, natural science, engineering design, professional practice), EA may require further study or refuse.

5. Lack of post-graduation work experience

The Professional Engineer MSA has no minimum required number of years of experience, but if you have just graduated and do not yet have real projects complex enough to write CEs about, the submission will be weak. Two or more years of post-graduation experience is a realistic starting point.

6. Doubts about the authenticity of the CDR

If EA finds that a CDR shows signs of not having been written by the applicant (unusual style, inconsistency with the applicant’s language level, content that is too generic), it may refuse the application and bar resubmission for a period.

Types of outcome from EA

EA may return one of the following outcomes:

• Suitable: Successful, classified as Professional / Technologist / Associate
• Not Suitable: Unsuccessful — you may appeal or resubmit
• Request for Further Information (RFI): A request for additional information — not a refusal, but you must respond by the deadline
• Clarification Request: A request to clarify a specific point in the submission

An RFI is a good opportunity — a correct and complete response often leads to a positive outcome without a full resubmission.

Reassessment

If you receive a “Not Suitable” result, you have the right to request a reassessment. EA has two levels:

Stage 1 Reassessment: A different EA assessor reviews the original submission. You usually do not submit new documents; you are asking EA to reconsider its decision.

Stage 2 Reassessment (Review Panel): A higher review panel. You may submit additional documents and supporting arguments.

The reassessment fee is a separate fee — check the EA website for the current amount. Reassessment processing time is usually equivalent to, or longer than, the original assessment.

Note: A reassessment is not an opportunity to rewrite your CDR. If the underlying problem is that the CDR lacks engineering content, a reassessment usually will not change the result. In that case, resubmitting with a new CDR is more effective.

Resubmitting after a refusal

After a refusal, you can submit a completely new application with a rewritten CDR. There is no limit on the number of resubmissions (except where you have been barred for fraud).

Before you resubmit:

1. Read the refusal letter carefully — EA usually states the specific reasons
2. Identify the weak point: the qualification, the CDR, or the experience?
3. If the CDR is the problem: rewrite the CEs from scratch, and reselect projects if needed
4. If the qualification is the problem: consider whether you can complete additional subjects, or move to a lower assessment category

When to reconsider your migration strategy

In some cases, continuing to pursue EA Professional Engineer is not the optimal path:

• A three-year engineering qualification or an unrecognised programme: Consider applying as Engineering Technologist, or completing additional study to meet the standard
• An occupation not assessed by EA: Some ANZSCO codes in the engineering group are assessed by VETASSESS or another body — check the correct assessing authority for your ANZSCO code
• IT occupations: ACS assesses all ICT codes — if your work leans towards software or systems, consider applying under an IT code rather than an engineering one

For an overview of the EA MSA, see the guide on how Engineers Australia assesses engineering skills.