English language skills
English language skills are a requirement for receiving an Australian student visa. IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge (CAE) and Pearson (PTE) test results are accepted by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for visa purposes.
Institutions set their own English language requirements for course entry, and the English proficiency score needed for your course may be different to the score needed to secure your visa. You should check entry requirements with your institution.
Below are the test score equivalencies:
| English Language Tests for Student Visas | |||||||||||
| Test | Test Score Band | ||||||||||
| IELTS | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 |
| TOEFL | 31 | 32 | 35 | 46 | 60 | 79 | 94 | 102 | 110 | 115 | 118 |
| Pearson | 29 | 30 | 36 | 42 | 50 | 58 | 65 | 73 | 79 | 83 | 86 |
| Cambridge | 32 | 36 | 41 | 47 | 52 | 58 | 67 | 74 | 80 | 87 | 93 |
More information regarding student visa English language requirements can be found on the DIAC website.
Academic requirements
Academic requirements
Undergraduate – To gain entry into an Australian undergraduate course you will need to have an Australia Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (Year 12), or the overseas equivalent. Some undergraduate courses may also have specific pre-requisite subjects.
Postgraduate – As well as the satisfactory completion of at least one degree at undergraduate level, your institution may take research ability or relevant work experience into consideration.
Vocational education and training – Generally there are no other entrance exams for VET institutions. However some courses may have specific pre-requisite subjects or work experience requirements.
Schools – Entry requirements can vary between schools in Australia, depending on the state or territory you will be studying in. Academic performance and ability is considered during the selection process.
What if you do not meet the entry requirements?
If your English language proficiency score is not high enough, you can enrol in an English language course to prepare you for further study. All Australian universities have English language centres on campus, or have links with English language colleges.
If you don’t meet academic requirements, there are a few options to prepare you for further study. Depending on your previous studies and the final qualification you want to study, you can enrol in secondary school or Foundation Studies.
The Study Wizard can help you check entry requirements for courses before you apply.