The DIA has two membership streams: for professional designers and for people associated with the design sector.

There are three member categories for professional membership: DIA General, DIA Accredited Designer and DIA Registered Design Entity. Refer to Become a Member to determine the category that is relevant to your qualifications and professional experience. Design students enrolled in eligible design courses and people associated with the design sector are eligible to be DIA General members.

The DIA only accepts design courses offered by Registered Training Organisations and registered Higher Education Providers (which include universities). Your course needs to be provided by one of these providers and needs to be rated by the Australian Federal Government’s Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) at AQF 6 or 7 or above that is, at least an Advanced Diploma or Degree course. The only exception is where the highest qualification available is an AQF5 Diploma: this typically applies to Interior Decoration, Furniture Design and Digital Media.

In many cases, yes. Courses from outside Australia need to be assessed against the Australian Federal Government’s Australian Qualification Framework (AQF). Graduates of courses that have been assessed as equivalent to AQF 6 or 7 or above that is, at least an Advanced Diploma or Degree, will be eligible. The only exception is where the highest qualification available is an AQF5 Diploma: this typically applies to Interior Decoration, Furniture Design and Digital Media.

Graduates holding a Certificate IV qualification are eligible to become DIA General member.

Certificate IV qualifications are often a practical stepping stone to higher qualifications, the graduates of which are eligible to become DIA professional members.

The DIA is Australia’s peak industry body that represents Australian professional designers and supports the design sector. The DIA is neither a Registered Training Organisation nor a registered Higher Education Provider and does not run diploma or degree courses.

The DIA does however offer professional development programs (both face-to-face and online) that assist design practitioners to expand their skills and keep their knowledge up to date. Refer the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) page of this site.

The DIA welcomes membership from designers practising in all fields of design. Whilst this policy focuses on professional designers, the DIA also has membership streams for design practices, educational institutions and businesses and individuals who affiliate with, trade with or service the design sector.

DIA Recognised Courses are design courses offered by the DIA’s Registered Design Entity members who either verify as a Registered Training Organisations or registered Higher Education Providers (which include universities). The students and graduates of DIA Recognised Courses are automatically eligible to become DIA General members.

Graduates of other qualifications need to provide details for consideration by the DIA. Refer to Become a Member.

The Design Institute of Australia (DIA) is Australia’s professional membership body for designers and design businesses and does not run design courses.

Use of the DIA logo, and/or any associated wording, is allowed subject to the following conditions, which vary according to membership status and relationship with the DIA.

Please visit Use of the DIA logo to see whether use is permitted in your case, and choose the appropriate, corresponding wording.

DIA membership last for a period of 12months and then automatically renews on the anniversary date unless opted out. This does not apply to DIA memberships on Concession, who will need to renewed on the ‘anniversary date’.

DIA Registered Design Entity membership is ideal for the design departments or faculties within universities and Registered Training Organisations. To be eligible, the department or faculty must deliver at least one qualification that qualifies its graduates to become DIA General members on Concession (Refer to Become a member).

DIA Registered Design Entiy membership is normally suited to department or faculty level. It is only granted at institution level if all the institution’s courses are in design-related fields.

DIA Registered Design Enity members are acknowledged and listed on the DIA website and entitled to use the DIA Registered Design Entity member logo on letterheads and websites, and promotional materials associated with their recognised courses.

In their documentation for recognised courses, DIA Registered Design Entity members are also permitted to use the phrase: ‘Students and graduates of this course may be eligible for membership of the Design Institute of Australia’.

All courses offered satisfy the DIA Registered Design Entity membership criteria (refer to Become a member) are automatically eligible to be registered with the DIA as DIA Recognised Courses.

The DIA places importance on supporting the professional design sector in Australia and the fully qualified practitioners within it. As a result, the DIA has strict eligibility thresholds for practitioners to be DIA professional members. To check eligibility, refer to Become a member.

While the DIA sets standards around the qualifications needed to be a ‘professional designer’, we do not provide advice around which design course will suit the individual. We recommend that you approach tertiary education providers directly to explore whether their courses are suited to your particular skill sets and educational goals.

For a graduate to be deemed a professional designer, we only accept design courses offered by Registered Training Organisations and registered Higher Education Providers (which include universities). For a graduate to become a DIA member, the course needs to have been provided by one of these providers and needs to be rated by the Australian Federal Government’s Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) at AQF 6 or 7 or above that is, at least an Advanced Diploma or Degree course. The only exception is where the highest qualification available is an AQF5 Diploma: this typically applies to Interior Decoration, Furniture Design and Digital Media.

Only DIA Registered Design Entity and DIA Accredited Designer member have the right to use the DIA logo and its associated text. These members can use the logo and text in business promotion, correspondence, in print and electronically.

Your membership runs from the date you were accepted as a DIA member and lasts for a period of 12months and then automatically renews, unless opted out. This does not apply to DIA memberships on concession who will need to be renewed on the ‘anniversary date’.

All members are issued a renewal notice prior to their anniversary date.