What Is the LANTITE? A Plain-Language Explainer

If you are starting a teaching degree in Australia, you will hear about the LANTITE early. Here is exactly what it is, why it exists, and what you need to know before you sit it.

Full Name and Purpose

LANTITE stands for Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education students. It is a national test that measures the personal literacy and numeracy skills of people studying to become teachers in Australia. The test is administered by ACER (the Australian Council for Educational Research) on behalf of the Australian government.

The logic behind the test is straightforward: before you can teach children to read and calculate, you need strong personal skills yourself. LANTITE sets a clear, measurable benchmark for those skills.

Who Must Sit It

All students enrolled in an initial teacher education (ITE) program in Australia are required to sit the LANTITE. This applies regardless of your state or territory, your university, or the age group you plan to teach. Passing is a requirement for teacher registration. Without a passing result in both components, you cannot be registered as a teacher in Australia.

The Pass Standard

The LANTITE pass standard is set at the 70th percentile of the Australian adult population. That means you need to perform at or above the level of the top 30% of Australian adults. This benchmark was validated against OECD PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies) data.

Results fall into three bands:

• Below Standard: Score did not reach the 70th percentile benchmark.
• Band 2 (At or Above Standard): Score meets the minimum pass standard.
• Band 3 (Clearly Above Standard): Score is substantially higher than the minimum standard.

Two Components: Literacy and Numeracy

The LANTITE has two separate components. Each is registered and sat independently.

Component	Questions	Time Allowed
Literacy	65 questions	120 minutes
Numeracy	65 questions	120 minutes

What the Literacy Component Tests

The Literacy component covers two areas. Reading makes up roughly two-thirds of the test (around 44 questions). Questions ask you to access and identify information in texts, integrate and interpret meaning across a passage, and evaluate and reflect on what you have read. Texts range from 100 to 900 words and draw on everyday, school, and further education contexts.

The remaining third (around 21 questions) covers Text Structure and Writing (TSW): syntax and grammar, spelling, word usage, and text organisation. Each of the four TSW areas makes up roughly 20 to 30% of that section.

What the Numeracy Component Tests

The Numeracy component is split into two sections that must be completed in order:

• Section 1: 52 questions with an online calculator available.
• Section 2: 13 questions with no calculator. Scratch paper and a pen are provided. Questions in this section use common numbers, fractions, and percentages with a small number of steps. Once you move to Section 2, you cannot return to Section 1.

Content across both sections spans three areas: number and algebra (40 to 50%), measurement and geometry (20 to 30%), and statistics and probability (25 to 35%). Practical topics include proportional reasoning, fractions, percentages, budgeting, GST, timetabling, metric conversions, interpreting graphs, and reading data sets.

Question Difficulty: ACSF Levels

Questions are mapped to the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). Across both Literacy and Numeracy, 80% of questions sit at ACSF Levels 3 and 4, and 20% sit at Levels 2 and 5. This spread means most of your preparation should focus on Level 3 and Level 4 tasks.

When You Sit It

You sit the LANTITE during your ITE course. ACER runs multiple test windows throughout the year. Each component is registered separately through the ACER portal at teacheredtest.acer.edu.au. A registration fee applies per component. For current fees, visit teacheredtest.acer.edu.au/register. Results are released on published dates and do not expire once met. Results are also transferable between ITE providers.

The test can be sat at authorised ACER test centres internationally, with availability varying by country. Accommodations are available for candidates with a documented disability or medical condition, requested at the time of registration.

What Happens If You Do Not Pass

There is no limit on the number of re-sit attempts. Each component is independent, so if you pass one and not the other, you only need to re-sit the one you did not pass. A fee applies for each re-sit. Exemptions from the LANTITE are limited. Your university must apply and ACER must confirm any exemption. There are no blanket exemptions.

This Site Exists to Help You Prepare Efficiently

The LANTITE covers a large range of skills across two 120-minute tests. The most effective preparation focuses on the question types and ACSF levels that actually appear in the test, not general study. This site is built around that goal: targeted practice questions for both Literacy and Numeracy, mapped to the real test structure.

All facts on this page are sourced directly from teacheredtest.acer.edu.au. For the latest information, always refer to the ACER website.