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Functional English
English proficiency
You must show evidence of meeting the functional English requirement unless:
- You hold a valid passport from one of these countries: the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland or New Zealand.
- You have completed all years of primary education and at least three years of secondary education in an educational institution in or outside Australia and all instructions were in English. You will need to obtain letter(s) from the educational institution(s) confirming this.
- You have completed at least five years of secondary education in an institution in or outside Australia and all instructions were in English. You will need to obtain letter(s) from the educational institution(s) confirming this.
- You have successfully completed at least one year of full-time study or equivalent part-time study towards a degree, higher degree, diploma, or associate diploma in an institution in Australia and all instructions were in English. You will need to obtain letter(s) from the educational institution(s) confirming this.
- You have completed a degree, a higher degree, a diploma or a trade certificate that required at least two years of full-time study or training in an institution in or outside Australia and all instructions were in English.
- You studied at the below (but did not necessarily complete the below qualification).
| A primary school and secondary school where all instruction was in English in or outside Australia | All years of primary and at least 3 years of secondary study |
| A secondary school in or outside Australia where all instruction was in English | At least 5 years of study |
| An institution in Australia where all instruction was in English | At least 1 year of full-time study towards an award |
| An institution in Australia where all instruction was in English | The part-time equivalent of 1 year of full-time study towards an award |
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Approved tests
If you do not meet one of these exemptions, you must provide results from an approved test that equal functional English language ability. The following tests are acceptable:
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – the General test is sufficient;
- Occupational English Test (OET);
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE);
- Cambridge English: Advanced test (CAE).
- TOEFL iBT
Results from TOEFL iBT tests completed between 26 July 2023 and 4 May 2024 will not be accepted.
NOTE: Some test providers offer alternative versions of their tests that you can take at home or online, such as TOEFL at home, OET@Home and IELTS Indicator. The Department of Home Affairs does not accept any ’at-home’ or ‘online’ test for Australian migration purposes.
From 12 February 2024, only results from the paper-based Cambridge C1 Advanced test (previously known as Cambridge English: Advanced CAE) will be accepted for Australian visa and migration purposes. Test scores for both C1 Advanced paper-based and computer-based tests, taken before 12 February 2024, are still accepted.
Minimum scores
The minimum scores required are as follows:
| Test | Minimum score required |
| IELTS test | Overall band score 4.5 |
| PTE | Overall band score 30 |
| CAE | Overall band score 147 |
| TOEFL iBT | Overall band score 32 |
Test validity
For the functional English requirement, English test results must be under 12 months old.