How to become a life coach in Australia in 6 easy steps

Discover how to become a life coach in Australia, the steps to certification, training requirements, and career pathways & advice.

Become a life coach in Australia to help people unlock their potential

People are stuck. They know they want something different but can’t quite figure out how to get there. Maybe they hate their job but don’t know what else to do. Maybe they want to improve their relationship but keep falling into the same patterns. A life coach can help them get through these challenging times and find their true calling.

More than one in five Australians deal with a mental disorder in any 12-month period. But what many of these people need isn’t therapy for past trauma. They need someone to help them move forward in life and actually achieve what they want. That’s why the coaching industry has exploded to $4.564 billion USD globally, up 60% since 2019. 

If you’re naturally good at helping people work through their problems and you want to build a career around that skill, coaching gives you plenty of autonomy and a chance to make a real impact. This guide will show you how to become a life coach in Australia even if you don’t have any formal education past secondary school.

What does a life coach do?

Life coaches help people get unstuck and move forward in areas where they’re struggling or want to improve. You’ll work one-on-one with clients to identify what they actually want, create plans to get there and hold them accountable as they work toward their goals. 

This isn’t therapy or counselling where you’re treating mental health conditions. Instead, you’re partnering with clients who are generally functioning well but want to level up specific areas of their life. Your role is to ask questions that help them get clarity about their values and obstacles. Then, you’ll guide them through the process of setting goals and challenge the limiting beliefs that hold them back.

The results speak for themselves. A study found that 99% of companies that hire coaches feel satisfied or very satisfied with their experience, whilst almost three quarters of people who receive coaching see real improvements in their lives. These outcomes happen because a life coach created a dedicated space for clients to think deeply about what they want and commit to meaningful action. 

Life coaches specialise in different areas depending on their interests and the clients they want to serve:

How to become a life coach in Australia 

You don’t need years of university study or government licensing to become a life coach in Australia, but that doesn’t mean you should skip proper training. The path from interested beginner to confident practitioner is not as long as you might think. Here’s how to get started.

1. Understand your motivation and niche

Before you invest time and money into training, you need to get clear on why you want to coach and who you want to help. Your motivation matters because you need to be genuinely interested in other people’s growth and have the patience to support them through their struggles. You’ll also be much more successful when you focus on a specific niche instead of trying to do it all.

Think about which areas of life interest you:

• Career transitions

• Wellness and lifestyle

• Confidence and mindset

• Relationships

• Executive performance
  

Your niche should align with both your natural strengths and your lived experiences. You’ll coach more authentically when you’ve dealt with similar challenges yourself.

2. Complete a recognised life coach training program

Training teaches you the frameworks and techniques that separate effective coaches from well-meaning advice. You’ll learn how to ask powerful questions and guide clients through structured conversations that lead to real change. Without proper training, you risk doing more harm than good or simply wasting your client’s time and money.

The Certificate IV in Life Coaching Practice is the most popular coaching qualification in the country. This nationally recognised programme includes 10 units covering coaching frameworks, cognitive behavioural approaches, neuro-linguistic programming and business skills like marketing. The course takes 9–12 months to complete through flexible online study that fits around your current life.

3. Gain certification

Once you’ve completed a recognised training program, it’s time to get certified. You’re not legally required to be certified to call yourself a life coach in Australia, but having a real certification improves your credibility and career prospects.

The Certificate IV in Life Coaching Practice gives you a nationally recognised qualification that’s an accredited AQF Level 4 Vocational qualification. If you complete all your practical assessments, you can then apply for International Coach Federation credentials through the ICF Portfolio Path. 

4. Develop practical experience

Theory can only take you so far. You’ll become a confident coach by coaching real people through real challenges. Most quality training programmes include supervised practice sessions where you coach fellow students whilst receiving feedback from experienced trainers. These sessions let you experiment with different techniques and learn from mistakes in a safe environment.

Once you’ve completed your initial training, look for opportunities to build your coaching hours through volunteer work or pro bono sessions. Community organisations, career centres and networking groups are great places to start. This will help you refine your skills and build testimonials for future businesses.

5. Set up your coaching business

Most life coaches work for themselves rather than as employees, which means you’ll need basic business skills. Register your business name and structure with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and consider professional indemnity insurance to protect yourself if a client claims you caused them harm.

Your online presence matters more than a physical office for most coaches. Build a simple website that explains who you help, how you help them and what results they can expect. Include testimonials from practice clients once you have them and create content that shows your expertise.

Marketing can feel weird for many new coaches, but you can’t help anyone if they don’t know you exist. Start with strategies that feel authentic to you and go from there. Share valuable insights on social media and attend networking events or conferences. Your business will grow through consistent efforts to connect with people who need what you provide.

6. Continue professional development

Your initial certification is just the beginning. The field evolves constantly as researchers discover more about human behaviour and motivation. You’ll serve your clients so much better when you commit to ongoing learning through advanced training and staying current with coaching research and best practices.

How long does it take to become a life coach?

You can start calling yourself a life coach after a few months of training, but building a sustainable coaching practice takes much longer. The timeline depends on which qualification you pursue and how much time you can dedicate to study. This is how long it takes to become a certified life coach in Australia depending on the path you choose:

Career opportunities for life coaches

More than just a career, life coaching is a skill set you can apply in many settings. There are plenty of opportunities to work independently with private clients, partnering with organisations to develop their staff or integrating coaching into existing roles within education or community services. Your income depends entirely on which path you take and how good you are at finding clients.

Here’s where qualified life coaches end up working:

• Private practice or self-employment: You see individual clients who hire you to help with their personal or professional goals. Most coaches charge $100 to $300 per session, depending on experience and who they’re helping. Building a full schedule takes time but you control everything about your business.

• Corporate coaching and consultancy: Companies hire you to coach their employees on leadership or career development. Nearly three quarters of organisations see stronger employee engagement when they bring coaching into their workplace culture. Corporate work pays better than individual clients, with experienced coaches earning $150 to $400 per session.

• Coaching with education, health and community services: You bring coaching skills into roles like career counsellor, student support worker or community worker. Australia’s counselling sector employs about 40,000 people, adding roughly 3,400 new jobs each year with a median weekly pay of $1,477. These jobs give you steady employment without the stress of having to find new clients.

• Building a hybrid model: Plenty of coaches mix different income streams rather than relying on just one. You might see private clients a few days a week whilst running workshops or consulting with businesses the rest of the time.

Key skills and qualities of a successful life coach

Being good at listening and caring about people isn’t enough to build a successful coaching practice. You need specific skills that help clients create real change whilst also running a business that attracts paying clients. The best coaches combine genuine people skills with practical business sense to make the most of their work.

These are the skills you’ll want to acquire as you become a life coach in Australia:

• Empathy and active listening: You really need to understand what your clients are experiencing without judging them or jumping straight to solutions. Active listening means you catch what they’re not saying as much as what they are to pick up on hesitation and underlying beliefs that are holding them back.

• Goal setting and accountability: You help clients move from vague desires to specific, achievable goals with clear timelines. Then you hold them accountable for following through on commitments they’ve made. This balance between support and challenge creates the momentum that leads to real results.

• Communication and interpersonal skills: You ask questions that make clients think differently about their situations. You need to challenge limiting beliefs without making people defensive, celebrate wins without being patronising and give feedback that lands well.

• Business and marketing knowledge: You won’t help anyone if you can’t find clients or run a sustainable practice. You’ll have to understand basic marketing, set up fair fees, manage your schedule and present yourself professionally online and in person.

How to become a certified life coach

Certification isn’t mandatory in Australia, but most clients and organisations expect it. Almost three-quarters of coaches say their clients and employers specifically look for coaching credentials before hiring them. Getting certified proves that you’ve done more than watch a few YouTube videos and decide to start giving advice.

This is how you can become a certified life coach in Australia:

1. Choose your training programme: Pick an accredited course like the Certificate IV in Life Coaching Practice that meets the requirements of the certification bodies you’re targeting. Make sure that the programme includes both theoretical learning and practical, hands-on coaching hours.

2. Complete your coursework: Work through all required units covering coaching frameworks, psychology principles, communication techniques and business fundamentals. 

3. Log your coaching hours: You need documented coaching sessions to prove you can actually coach people, not just talk about coaching theory. Most certification bodies require between 60 and 200 hours depending on the credential level you’re pursuing.

4. Get supervision and feedback: Work with experienced coaches who observe your sessions and help you improve your technique. This mentoring catches bad habits early and accelerates your skill development far faster than practising alone. 

5. Submit your application: Gather evidence of your training and coaching hours before you apply. Different certification bodies have specific requirements, so check exactly what they need before you start your application.

6. Maintain your credentials: Most certifications require ongoing professional development to keep your credential active. You’ll need to complete continuing education and show you’re staying on top of the newest coaching research and best practices.

FAQs about becoming a life coach in Australia

Are life coaches in demand?

Yes, demand for life coaches keeps growing as more people look for support with their career transitions and personal development. Businesses are also hiring coaches to improve employee engagement and leadership capabilities. The counselling sector alone is adding 3,400 new jobs each year in Australia.

Do I need a degree to become a life coach in Australia?

No, you don’t need a university degree to be a practising life coach in Australia. Most successful coaches complete vocational qualifications like the Certificate IV in Life Coaching Practice, which takes just 9–12 months of online study to complete and gives you practical coaching skills.

Is life coaching regulated in Australia?

Life coaching isn’t regulated in Australia, which means anyone can technically call themselves a coach. Completing a certified course shows to potential clients and employers that you’re following professional standards and ethical practices in your coaching.

How much do life coaches get paid in Australia?

Life coaches have a median weekly wage of $1,477 in Australia, though most independent practitioners have variable earnings depending on how many clients they take on. Independent life coaches can charge up to $300 per session and their income depends entirely on how many clients they attract and how they structure their business.

Can life coaching be done remotely?

Yes, life coaching is very commonly done remotely. Most coaching happens through video calls or even instant messaging platforms. Remote coaching lets you work with clients anywhere in Australia or internationally whilst building a flexible schedule around your lifestyle.

What’s the difference between a coach and a counsellor?

Counsellors focus on emotional and mental health issues, while coaches help clients set and achieve future goals without treating mental health conditions. You would talk to a counsellor if you’re struggling mentally and a life coach if you’re struggling professionally.

Time to turn your people skills into a career

You don’t need a psychology degree or years of corporate experience to become a life coach in Australia. What you need is structured training that teaches you how to motivate people to change their professional lives, plus the business skills to actually find clients.

The Certificate IV in Life Coaching Practice covers the most important coaching frameworks and their practical applications to teach you what you need to know to become a successful life coach. Once you’ve learned the theory, you’ll have opportunities to put it to the test through hours of real life coaching, all under the supervision of an experienced professional. 

Once done with the certificate, you’ll have what it takes to build a private practice, partner with businesses or add coaching skills to your current role. All three paths start with the same certificate. Talk to Endeavour’s course advisors about getting started.