LEVEL FOUR INFO

 

SELECT YOUR DISCIPLINE:

ALPINE

SNOWBOARD

TELEMARK

NORDIC

 

 ALPINE

 

ALPINE LEVEL 4

The APSI Alpine Level Four qualification is aimed at the career instructor who wants to teach advanced lessons at all performance levels. This qualification is suitable for experienced, working, level three certified instructors who may also wish to specialise in their snowsport school (e.g. coaching programs, private lessons or follow the pathway to become a trainer or manager).  
 
On successful completion, a level four instructor is qualified to teach advanced lessons (steered to pure carved turns). a variety of situational tactics and all performance levels in all snowsports schools. 
 
There are two 5-day courses which must both be completed before attending the exam along with accrual of 150 professional instructing hours and 30 in-house training hours with a professional snowsports school. 
 

COURSE INFORMATION

There are two five-day courses: Race & Freeski and Teach & Demonstrations.

  1. The Race & Freeski course develops candidates’ freeskiing and GS racing.
  2. The Teaching & Demonstrations course develops candidates’ understanding and ability to teach in advanced scenarios, with a focus on demonstrations, movement analysis and theory.

COURSE PREREQUISITES

  • Be a current APSI member (Membership is packaged with every event purchase and removed if you hold a current membership). 

  • Have access to the current APSI Teaching Manual (digitally access is included with Membership). 

  • Be currently employed by an APSI Approved Snowsports School.

  • Have passed all units of the Alpine Level 3 Exam or have been approved in accordance with the Recognition of Prior Learning Program.

  • Have a minimum of two full-time seasons of instructing experience prior to commencing the Level 4 program.


EXAM

The three-day exam utilises both the station assessment type for skiing and demonstration tasks and the group scenario assessment type for teaching tasks. The race component of the exam is a Giant Slalom style speed test. The theory paper is delivered in the weeks preceding the on-snow exam.

There is likely one early-season exam for resisters only (location the same as previous years' end-of-season exam) and one national exam that operates in September and rotates between the resorts. Please check the APSI Course & Event Calendar for the date and location.

EXAM PREREQUISITES

  • Have completed all units of the relevant alpine level four course (Teach & Demos and/or Race & Freeski) specific to the components that you intend to sit.
  • Example: If you intend to sit the full exam, you must have completed all units of both alpine level four courses (Teach & Demos and Race & Freeski
  • Example: If you intend to sit individual components then you must have completed the relevant course as follows\
  • Teach & Demos Course allows you to sit: Teaching, Demonstrations, Theory, Movement Analysis components
  • Race & Freeski Course allows you to sit: Race, Freeski components
  • Have a minimum of 150 hours teaching experience with a professional snowsports school
  • Have completed a minimum of 30 hours of in-house training with an APSI approved snowsport school (in addition to the course)

 

 SNOWBOARD

 

SNOWBOARD LEVEL 4

The APSI snowboard level four qualification is aimed at the career instructor who wants to teach advanced lessons at all performance levels. This qualification is suitable for experienced, working, level three certified instructors who may also wish to specialise in their snowsport school (e.g. coaching programs, private lessons or follow the pathway to become a trainer or manager).

There are two 5-day courses which must both be completed before attending the exam along with accrual of 150 professional instructing hours and 30 in-house training hours with a professional snowsports school.

 

COURSE INFORMATION

There are two 5-day courses (Block A, and Block B) and together they cover the skills to teach adults and children advanced riding techniques. Level 4 training focuses on; class handling, safety, technical information, rider analysis, freeriding, freestyle and demonstrating ability, all based around the performance of steering, carving and pure carving as used in the APSI teaching system.

The Snowboard Teach, Demos & Freeride (Block A) course covers all demonstration and freeride tasks along with advanced teaching scenarios, movement analysis and theory components.

This Snowboard Level 4 Race & Freestyle (Block B) course covers the freestyle and racing components (and includes the Competency Based Freestyle assessment*).

 

COURSE PREREQUISITES

  • Be a current APSI member (Membership is packaged with every event purchase and removed if you hold a current membership).
  • Have access to the current APSI Teaching Manual (digitally access is included with Membership).
  • Be currently employed by an APSI Approved Snowsports School.
  • Have passed all units of the Snowboard Level 3 Exam or have been approved in accordance with the Recognition of Prior Learning Program.
  • Have a minimum of two full-time seasons of instructing experience prior to commencing the Level 4 program.

 

    EXAM INFORMATION

    The Snowboard Level 4 Exam is conducted over three days and utilises both the station assessment type for riding and demonstration tasks, group scenario assessment type for teaching tasks, a timed Snowboard-Cross or Snowboard GS course, along with indoor theory assessments.

    Candidates must pass all components to achieve the APSI Snowboard Level 4 Certification. The components assessed during the examination process include:

    • Level 4 Freeriding
    • Level 4 Demonstrations
    • Level 4 Freestyle Demonstrations*
    • Level 4 Race
    • Level 4 Teaching
    • Level 4 Movement Analysis
    • Level 4 Theory (operated separately)

    For all station assessments, candidates complete the task twice, and the best mark of the two is recorded.

    The Race component may be conducted as a Snowboard GS or Snowboard-Cross style timed speed test. Candidates have two starts (or 3 if a run is not completed), with the fastest time recorded. The passing time for men is within 7% of examiners time, women 12% of examiners time, 35 years and older an additional 2% of examiners time.

    The Theory exam is held in-house within your Snowsports School with the date communicated by your Training Manager.

    There is one National Exam each year, typically held in September and rotating between resorts, as well as an early season exam for candidates that are resitting components.  Please refer to the APSI Course & Event Calendar for details.

     

    *Competency Based Freestyle assessment:
    Freestyle demonstrations will be assessed during the Level 4 Block B course using a continuous assessment model. In 2026, Candidates who do not achieve competency during the Block B course, or who are re-sitting the component, have two options to complete the Freestyle component as follows:

    1. attend the Level 4 Exam
    2. attend a Freestyle Development Day

    The Competency Based Freestyle is new for 2026. Please see the FAQs for more information.

     

    EXAM PREQUISITES

    • Have completed all units of both snowboard level four courses
    • Have a minimum of 150 hours teaching experience with a professional snowsports school
    • Have completed a minimum of 30 hours of in-house training with an APSI Approved Snowsports School (in addition to the course)
    • Be currently employed by an APSI Approved Snowsports School.

     

    IF UNSUCCESSFUL

    If a candidate is unsuccessful in one or more components of the exam, they may resit those components at a future exam, subject to resit fees.

    All successfully completed components are retained. These remain valid for up to three years, and may be extended if the candidate attends a relevant APSI course to maintain their pass status.

     

    REGISTRATIONS FOR ALL EVENTS CLOSE 7 DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT STARTS. If places are still available within 7 days of commencement, you may be able to book by contacting the APSI office. A late booking fee of 10% of the event fee will apply.

    Please ensure you read and understand APSI terms & conditions include cancellation policy prior to registering for an event.

     

     TELEMARK

     

    TELEMARK LEVEL 4

    Our telemark level four qualification is aimed at experienced, level three certified instructors who wish to teach advanced lessons and work towards becoming a telemark instructor trainer.

    The level four qualification is delivered utilising a flexible, modular style of training and assessment.

    Candidates wishing to participate in our telemark level four program are encouraged to contact the APSI office (apsi@apsi.net.au) to express interest. 

    PREREQUISITES

    • Be a current member

    • Own the current teaching manual

    • Passed all units of the telemark level three exam (or have been approved for RPL)

    • Have a minimum of two seasons of telemark instructing experience

     

     NORDIC

     

    NORDIC LEVEL 4

    Our nordic level four qualification is aimed at experienced, level three certified instructors who wish to teach advanced lessons and work towards becoming a nordic instructor trainer.

    The level four qualification is delivered utilising a flexible, modular style of training and assessment.

    Candidates wishing to participate in our nordic level four program are encouraged to contact the APSI office (apsi@apsi.net.au) to express interest.

    PREREQUISITES

    • Be a current member

    • Own the current teaching manual

    • Passed all units of the nordic level three exam (or have been approved for RPL)

    • Have a minimum of two seasons of nordic instructing experience