Competent English

You must provide evidence that you meet the competent English requirement unless you are a citizen of, and hold a valid passport issued by, one of the following countries:

• Canada
• New Zealand
• Republic of Ireland
• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• United States of America

There are no other general exemptions for competent English. Evidence must be provided at the time the visa application is lodged.

 

Approved English tests

For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, the Department accepts the following results for competent English:

Test	Minimum score required
IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training	At least 6 in each component (listening, reading, writing and speaking)
PTE Academic	Listening 47, Reading 48, Writing 51, Speaking 54
Cambridge C1 Advanced	Listening 163, Reading 163, Writing 170, Speaking 179
TOEFL iBT	Listening 16, Reading 16, Writing 19, Speaking 19
CELPIP General	At least 7 in each component
Occupational English Test (OET)	At least B equivalent scores as specified by the Department

 

Test validity

For visa purposes, competent English test results must generally have been obtained within 3 years before the visa application. The validity period may depend on the specific visa subclass.

 

Online tests

The Department does not accept English tests that are delivered completely online or remotely proctored for Australian visa purposes, including IELTS Online, OET@Home and TOEFL iBT Home Edition.