Choose the accredited English test that fits your goal — working holiday, study or migration — and see score requirements for visas, universities and migration, plus how to apply, prep tips and fees at a glance. Score requirements and fees change often, so always check each test's and authority's official site for the latest details.
The main accredited English tests used in Australia are IELTS, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT, with OET for healthcare professions and Cambridge English accepted by some universities. Each test differs in how it's scored, how long it takes and how quickly results come out, so it's best to choose based on your purpose and strengths.
The most widely accepted test for migration, visas and universities. It has Academic (study/migration) and General Training (migration/work) modules, and for visa purposes a specific version such as IELTS for UKVI / IELTS for Migration may be required, so check the requirements before applying. It's reported as a band score out of 9.0.
Fully computer-based and scored automatically by AI, so results usually come out within a few days. It's widely accepted for Australian migration, visas and universities, and many candidates prefer that the speaking section isn't done in front of a person. It uses a scale out of 90.
Mainly used for university admissions, and sometimes accepted for visa and migration purposes, though acceptance can vary by test and purpose. It's scored out of 120, and it's safest to confirm in advance that your target school or authority accepts TOEFL.
OET is a test designed for the registration and visas of healthcare professions such as nurses and doctors. Cambridge English (e.g. C1 Advanced) is accepted by some universities and institutions. Check first which test your profession or institution accepts via official guidance.
Most tests have four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. IELTS lets you choose Paper or Computer-delivered, while PTE and TOEFL iBT are computer-based. The marks and time for each section differ by test, so it's a good idea to get familiar with the format using official sample tests.
The score you need varies greatly with the visa type, migration program, and university and course. The levels below are a general reference only, not the actual requirements. Score requirements are revised often, so always check the official requirements of the visa, university or migration program you're applying for.
| Purpose | Typically required level (reference) |
|---|---|
| General visas (e.g. some temporary/work visas) | Requirements are set per visa in levels such as 'Functional' to 'Competent', and around IELTS 5.0–6.0 is common. It differs by visa, so checking the official visa page is essential. |
| Skilled migration (points-based) | Beyond the basic requirement, many people aim for 'Proficient' (around IELTS 7.0) or 'Superior' (around 8.0) for extra points. The points system changes, so check the official guidance. |
| Undergraduate admission | It varies by school and course, but around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (including minimums per section) is commonly required. Checking the admissions office's official requirements is recommended. |
| Postgraduate / professional courses | Around IELTS 6.5–7.0 or higher is usually required, and some fields such as health, law and education may require higher per-section scores. Checking the course's official requirements is recommended. |
The scores above are a general reference to aid understanding and are not actual admission or eligibility requirements. English score requirements change often with visa, migration and admission policy, so before making any decision, always check the latest official requirements of the relevant visa (Home Affairs), university or migration program directly. For an assessment of your own situation, we recommend a registered migration agent (MARA) or an official consultation with the school.
Compare IELTS, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT scores against Australia migration English levels at a glance. As of June 2026 — official criteria change, so always verify before you apply.
| Migration level | IELTS (each band) | PTE Academic | TOEFL iBT | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior | 8.0 | 79 | L28·R29·W30·S26 | 20 |
| Proficient | 7.0 | 65 | L24·R24·W27·S23 | 10 |
| Competent | 6.0 | 50 | L12·R13·W21·S18 | 0 |
| Vocational | 5.0 | 36 | — | - |
| Functional | 4.5 | 30 | 32 | - |
★You must meet the minimum in every section (listening/reading/writing/speaking); averages are not accepted. Scores are valid within 3 years of applying. Only TOEFL iBT for Australia is accepted (from Jan 2026). Verify at homeaffairs.gov.au.
When results come out varies by test. PTE is usually within a few days, IELTS computer-delivered is relatively quick and paper-based takes longer, and TOEFL takes a few days too. How you send scores to a visa, university or migration authority (online verification code, direct transfer to the institution, etc.) also differs by test, so check this during the application stage. For exact timing and sending methods, the official site is the authority.
On accredited English tests, not just your English ability but getting used to the test format strongly affects your score. The tips below are a general study direction; adjust them to your own weaknesses and target score.
Don't trust courses that advertise a 'guaranteed' score, or offers of 'taking the test for you' or 'score manipulation'. Cheating can void your result and cause serious harm to your visa or migration prospects. Always check study materials and format information against each test's official site.
The fee varies with the test type, country and timing, and tends to rise regularly. In Australia, IELTS, PTE and TOEFL are broadly in a similar few-hundred-Australian-dollar range, but the exact amount should be checked on each test's official site at the time you apply.
The cost information here is a general guide, not actual amounts. Test fees change often, so before paying, always check the current price and any extra fees on the relevant test's official site.
Official IELTS site — check the test format, test cities and dates, fees and free practice materials.
Official PTE Academic site — computer-based test guidance, Australian venue bookings and a score guide.
Official TOEFL (ETS) site — university admissions test information and a search for institutions that accept the scores.
Department of Home Affairs — the official source for checking English requirements and accepted tests/scores by visa.
The test you choose has a big impact on your costs, prep time and visa timeline. This guide pulls together practical information: the 2026 rule changes (IELTS One Skill Retake, the TOEFL overhaul), real numbers for each visa type, test fees, re-marking, and exemption pathways. Keep in mind that score requirements and fees change frequently depending on the visa type and each test provider's policy, so before you make a final decision be sure to confirm the details on Home Affairs and each test provider's official website.
The IELTS One Skill Retake lets you re-sit just one of the four sections — Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking — for a fee of A$310. Only computer-delivered test takers can use it, and you can do it once, in the same country, within 60 days of your original test date. One thing to watch: even if your retake score comes out lower than the original, that lower score is what appears on the new report — you can't pick the higher of the two. Home Affairs accepts One Skill Retake results for most visas, and for the subclass 485 Graduate visa they are accepted for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025.
The global TOEFL iBT moves to a 1–6 band system from 21 January 2026, so for Australian visa purposes only the TOEFL iBT Australia — which keeps the existing 0–120 scale — is accepted. At registration you must select the "Taking TOEFL for Australia" option, only test-centre sittings are valid, and the Home Edition is not accepted. There has been a gap period before too — tests taken between 26 July 2023 and 4 May 2024 were not accepted for Australian visas — so if you go with TOEFL, get into the habit of checking Home Affairs notices to confirm which version is valid for your visa before you book.
OET, the test designed for health practitioners, counts double: a grade B (350 or above) in each section satisfies both Home Affairs' Competent and Proficient (+10 points) at once, while a grade A (450 or above) is recognised as Superior (+20 points). Because it meets both the English requirement for AHPRA registration and the visa requirement with a single test, it's a genuine shortcut for registered health practitioners such as nurses and doctors. The fee is on the higher side at A$587, but there is an option to re-sit only the single sub-test you fell short in (A$200.50), which reduces the burden of re-sitting everything.
Cambridge C1 Advanced (formerly CAE) is also a Home Affairs–accepted test, where 169 in each section equals Competent, 185 equals Proficient and 200 equals Superior. More recently, LanguageCert Academic was added to the list of accepted tests. However, there are far fewer test venues and test dates in Australia than for IELTS or PTE, which is a disadvantage if you urgently need to re-sit — so check whether there's a test venue in your area and when the next available date is before you choose.
PTE Academic is marked by AI: in Speaking, staying silent for more than three seconds ends the recording, multiple-answer multiple-choice questions carry within-question penalties, and detection of template overuse is being tightened. On the plus side, results usually come out within two business days and city centres such as Sydney and Melbourne run tests almost every day, making it the strongest choice when a visa or admission deadline is looming. If you urgently need a score, go with PTE's fast turnaround; if you're more comfortable with a face-to-face interview, choose IELTS — match the test to your own circumstances.
The same score can be accepted under different conditions depending on who's receiving it. Home Affairs points-tested visas count a score as valid for 3 years, universities usually for 2 years, and AHPRA for 2 years (under the new standard effective 23 April 2026), and the actual tests they accept can differ too. Cross-checking the requirements of all three — your visa, the university you're applying to, and the professional body — before you sit, then choosing a test all three accept, avoids the cost of sitting twice. This matters especially for registered professions such as health and teaching, where the professional body's bar is often higher than the visa's, so set your target score to the highest of the standards that apply to you.
The English requirement for the Student visa (subclass 500) was raised from IELTS 5.5 to 6.0 (or an equivalent score) for applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024. For package pathways that start with an ELICOS English course the floor is 5.0, and for foundation and pathway programs it's 5.5. Your score must be from a test taken within 2 years of your visa application, so if you're holding an older result, check its validity first. University entry requirements are separate from the visa requirement and are often higher, so make sure you meet both.
Under the same March 2024 changes, the English requirement for the Graduate visa (subclass 485) was raised from an overall 6.0 to 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each section). IELTS One Skill Retake results are accepted for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, so if you plan to meet the requirement via a retake, managing your test date matters. The 485 requires a valid score at the time of application, so work backwards from your graduation date and design a timeline that leaves room for one or two re-sits, sitting the test in advance. Confirm the exact score-validity requirement on the Home Affairs 485 information page.
For skilled migration (189/190/491), Competent (equivalent to IELTS 6.0 / PTE 50) scores 0 points but is a mandatory threshold you must clear. Proficient (IELTS 7.0 / PTE 65) converts to +10 points and Superior (IELTS 8.0 / PTE 79) to +20 points, and a score is valid if it's within 3 years of the invitation and application date. In recent EOI cut-offs a 10-point difference in English often decides who gets through, so the leap from 7.0 to 8.0 can be a faster way to secure points than topping up qualifications or work experience. Start by calculating whether locking in 20 points for English gets your total-score simulation over the cut-off.
The Skills in Demand (SID, subclass 482) visa, launched in December 2024, unified the English requirement across all streams — Specialist Skills, Core Skills and Labour Agreement — to IELTS 5.0 overall plus 5.0 (or equivalent) in each section. In effect, the old TSS-era standards that were split by stream have been merged into the old medium-term stream standard. IELTS One Skill Retake results are also accepted, so if you fell short in just one section you can top it up without re-sitting the whole test.
As of 2026, IELTS costs A$490 for both Academic and General Training, IELTS UKVI (for UK visas) is A$505, and Life Skills is A$390. PTE Academic runs at roughly A$445–490 including GST on the payment screen, and OET is the most expensive at A$587. Regional test venues can be more expensive than city centres because of an operating surcharge, so check the final amount on the booking screen. Amounts are adjusted from time to time, so it's safest to base your budget on the current prices on each test provider's official website.
An IELTS re-mark (Enquiry on Results, EOR) costs A$230, must be requested within 6 weeks of the test date, and the full fee is refunded if your score goes up. Your odds are highest when you're stuck on a borderline score like 6.5 in the human-marked Writing and Speaking sections. An OET remark costs A$120 per sub-test. PTE, by contrast, is AI-marked, so a re-mark is very unlikely to change your score — spending the same money on a re-sit rather than a re-mark is the realistic move.
Rescheduling OET costs A$120 if it's more than 7 days before the test, and A$200 within 7 days. IELTS and PTE apply tiered refund rates depending on when you cancel, and cancelling close to the test date commonly means forfeiting the full fee. If you have a medical reason such as illness, you may be able to seek relief by submitting a medical certificate, but the requirements and deadlines vary by provider. Before you lock in a booking, save that sitting's cancellation and change rules — and if your schedule is uncertain, choosing a test with lower change fees is one option.
Migrants aged 18 or over who hold a permanent visa or certain temporary visas can take free English classes through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP). The 510-hour cap was abolished in 2021, so you can study without limit until you reach the Vocational level needed for employment. Free childcare is provided for pre-school children during class, and you can choose from around 300 locations nationwide or online courses. As a way to build your basic fitness for free before test prep, check your eligibility on the Home Affairs AMEP information page.
PTE runs almost daily at city centres, computer-delivered IELTS several times a week, and paper-based monthly, with weekend sittings often filling up early. Your ID must be a passport. If the name and passport number you enter when booking differ from the passport you present on the day by even one letter, you can be refused entry and lose your test fee. When you get your booking confirmation email, check it against your passport letter by letter, and if there's an error, ask the provider to correct it immediately.
PTE uses palm-vein scanning and IELTS takes fingerprints and a photo as part of biometric verification, and all belongings go into a locker. Watches, electronic devices and notepaper are banned from the test room, and if you're late you'll be refused entry with no refund. Plan your transport around arriving 30 minutes before the start, and if it's a centre you haven't been to before, it's safest to check the building entrance location beforehand.
Results typically come out in 2 business days for PTE (24–48 hours is common), 1–5 days for computer-delivered IELTS, 13 days for paper-based, about 10–14 business days for OET, and around a week for TOEFL. Work backwards from your visa or admission deadline — factoring in the time results take plus the chance of a re-sit — to calculate your last safe test date. For example, four weeks out from a deadline OET is already tight while PTE still leaves you at least one re-sit chance, so the test you choose can change depending on how much time is left.
Rather than a paper score report, Home Affairs takes a Test Reference Number (such as the IELTS TRF number) into ImmiAccount and verifies it directly online through the test provider's system. This means you don't need to post the original score report, but entering even a single digit wrong commonly causes verification to fail and delays your assessment. After entering it, double-check the number of digits and the format, and keep a scan of your score report on hand so you can submit it straight away if requested.
PTE lets you send scores to universities and institutions for free and without limit from your myPTE account. IELTS, by contrast, gives you one original TRF, with the conditions and fees for sending to additional institutions varying by test centre, while for OET the institution checks directly through an online verification portal. Because university admissions offices, AHPRA and Home Affairs each require different sending methods, list where you're applying first, then confirm the process each destination requires (direct sending, number verification, or submitting the original) to avoid confusion just before a deadline.
IELTS Writing is marked on four axes — task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar — at 25% each, and the stretch from 6.5 to 7.0 is the most common bottleneck. It's hard enough that even AHPRA eased only Writing to 6.5 under the new standard effective 23 April 2026. Rather than just cranking up the volume, it's more efficient to self-diagnose which of the four axes is losing you marks using the official marking criteria, then get targeted feedback on that axis alone. For example, if your task-achievement axis is weak, start by checking whether you answered every requirement in the question.
In Describe Image and Retell Lecture, set templates are a valid strategy for locking in fluency scores. However, Pearson is tightening detection of template overuse, so mechanically reciting sentences unrelated to what's on screen can actually work against you. Keeping only the skeleton sentence structures and filling the content words with the actual data and keywords on screen is the safest compromise for now. If you rely heavily on templates, verify with an official practice test that you actually get the score first.
PTE Speaking cuts off the recording if you're silent for more than three seconds and weights fluency and pronunciation heavily, so training to speak without breaks matters more than perfect sentences. IELTS, by contrast, is an interview with an examiner, so you can ask again and work things out interactively. If you get very anxious face-to-face and have practised speaking at a steady pace, PTE suits you; if your strength is recovering through conversation, IELTS is better. We recommend testing in advance, using the free samples for both, to see which format gets you a better score.
IELTS has no penalty for wrong answers, so the iron rule is never to leave a blank, and bands are decided by a raw-score conversion table, meaning a difference of one or two questions can split your band. PTE's multiple-answer multiple-choice, by contrast, penalises wrong picks within the question, so guessing everything actually costs you. Even when question types look the same, the scoring structure differs, so build a habit for handling questions you don't know that matches your test's marking rules (always fill in for IELTS; only select what you're confident about for PTE).
Holders of a UK, US, Canadian, New Zealand or Irish passport are exempt from the English test for many visas and are treated as Competent. However, to earn the Proficient (+10 points) or Superior (+20 points) bonuses in skilled migration, a passport alone isn't enough — you need a test score. Beyond that, alternative evidence pathways — such as at least five years of study conducted in English, or a CEMI proving at least two years of a degree conducted in English — are open differently by visa type, so confirming which alternative pathway is accepted for your visa before sitting can save you the test fee.
An Australian citizenship application does not require a recognised English test score such as IELTS. Instead, the citizenship test is conducted in English — you need 75% or more of the 20 questions correct, and you must get every Australian values question right to pass — so it effectively serves as an English check. So that those preparing for citizenship after gaining permanent residency don't needlessly re-sit an English test, remember that the citizenship stage runs on a separate framework.
If you have a learning disability or a visual or hearing impairment, you can apply for access arrangements such as extra time, enlarged texts or a separate exam room. You need to apply in advance, before booking, together with supporting documents from a medical professional, and for IELTS modified test papers (Braille, enlarged versions and so on) the benchmark is a request 6 weeks ahead. Approving arrangements takes assessment time, so the tighter your visa deadline, the larger the schedule buffer you should leave — and check the requirements first on each provider's Access Arrangements page.
If there are signs of irregularity, such as a sudden jump in score between sittings, the test provider can withhold the result and investigate. If a proxy test taker or a forged score is detected, then under Home Affairs' PIC 4020 provision, on top of the visa refusal you are banned from applying for a visa for 3 years (10 years for identity fraud). Remember that a broker's offer of a guaranteed score or a stand-in test taker is trading against this price — however urgently you need a score, resolve it by sitting the test yourself.
There's no objectively best test; the best one is the one that fits your purpose and strengths. IELTS is the most widely accepted, PTE returns results quickly thanks to computer scoring, and TOEFL is widely used for university admissions. However, accepted tests and versions differ by institution, so before choosing, always check the official list of accepted tests for the relevant visa, university or migration program.
It depends on the visa type. Some visas have no or low English requirements, while work and skilled-migration visas require a certain score. Check your specific visa's English requirements on the Department of Home Affairs' official visa page for accuracy, and note that policy can change.
While many tests' scores are typically valid for about 2 years from the test date, the validity accepted by visa, migration and university bodies may use a separate standard. Always confirm with the institution's official guidance that your score is still valid at the time of submission.
The Working Holiday visa 417 (for nationals of countries such as Korea and Japan) has no English requirement at all, but the Work and Holiday visa 462 (for nationals of countries such as China, Vietnam and Indonesia) requires proof of Functional English. The benchmark is around IELTS 4.5 average, PTE 30 or TOEFL 32, and only tests taken within 12 months before applying are accepted. Instead of a test, you can also substitute an English-speaking country's passport or at least five years of study conducted in English. Even within Working Holiday visas the requirements differ completely by nationality, so start by confirming which subclass applies to you.
If an accompanying family member aged 18 or over can't prove Functional English, a Second Instalment VAC of A$4,890 per person is charged at the visa approval stage. There are broadly two exemption routes: submit a score of around IELTS 4.5 average or above, or obtain a CEMI letter certifying you completed at least two years of a degree or qualification conducted in English. Once you factor in a spouse's share, sitting a test (around A$490) is far cheaper, so plan your family's English evidence together while the primary applicant is preparing.
Before you spend money, check the official free resources first. IELTS offers free sample questions and practice tests on the IDP official site, PTE offers free practice questions from Pearson, and OET offers free samples by profession. Many state libraries also run free English conversation classes. Before you enrol in a paid course that promises a guaranteed score, we recommend first reading each test's official band descriptors and identifying where your weaknesses lie.
If you fall short of your target, costs climb in steps. For example, two IELTS sittings plus one One Skill Retake comes to A$1,290. Confirm your expected band with an official practice test before your first sitting, and if you're 1.0 or more off your target, it's cheaper in the end to postpone and extend your prep. If you have a visa deadline, build a budget and schedule buffer that includes one or two re-sits into your plan from the very start.
The same score is calculated as valid for different periods depending on the purpose. Home Affairs points-tested visas count 3 years, student visas 2 years, AHPRA 2 years, and the Functional English for the 462 Working Holiday visa 12 months. The 2-year validity that test providers publish is only a recommendation — each institution's rules take priority — so if you plan your migration timeline trusting only the provider's benchmark, you can end up with an expired score and a costly re-sit. Manage your schedule against the shortest validity period among all the destinations you'll submit to.
OET Writing is about writing a referral letter and Speaking is a patient-consultation role-play — the same format as clinical practice — so many health practitioners rate it as less of a burden than IELTS Academic, which covers general academic topics. Because the questions differ across 12 professions such as nursing, medicine and dentistry, you must prepare with materials for your own profession. Work through the free profession-specific samples and marking criteria on the official site first, then make use of the option to re-sit only the sub-test you fell short in to save on costs.
If you meet the conditions, AHPRA recognises the combination of scores from up to two sittings, easing the burden of having to hit your target across every section in a single test. That said, you can only combine the same test type, and the score validity is 2 years. Home Affairs, by contrast, accepts only a single test's scores and doesn't allow combining sections across sittings. If you're a health practitioner, work on the premise that different rules apply to registration (AHPRA) and to your visa (Home Affairs), and manage separately which sitting's report you submit where.
If the romanised spelling on your passport differs from the name on your score report, Home Affairs' online verification fails and your assessment is delayed. If you renewed your passport due to marriage or a name change, you should first ask the provider whether the name on your existing score report can be corrected and what documents are needed. The surest prevention is the habit of keeping your passport beside you at the booking stage and comparing your name and passport number letter by letter. The order of surname and given name, spacing, and the presence or absence of hyphens are especially common points of mismatch.
If you've sat the test several times, you can pick and submit the score report from your best sitting. Note, however, that Home Affairs does not recognise combining sections across sittings, so every section must clear the standard within a single report. The One Skill Retake is another variable, since a lower retake score is reflected as-is on the new report. Keep your high-scoring original report and TRF number safely, and manage in a table which report you'll submit to which destination to reduce mistakes.
You can re-sit, usually with no limit on attempts, but you pay the fee again. Some tests offer the option to re-sit only the one section you fell short on (varies by test and country), so check the official guidance. It's most efficient to focus on shoring up your weaker section before re-sitting.
In Australia, IELTS, PTE and TOEFL are broadly in a similar few-hundred-Australian-dollar range, but the exact amount varies by test and timing and rises regularly. Before paying, check the current test fee and any extra fees (score transfer, re-mark, date change, etc.) directly on each test's official site.
Yes — many visas, universities and migration programs require not just an overall score but a minimum in each section: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. One section below the standard can cause the whole result to fall short, so check the per-section requirements of your institution in advance and shore up your weaker section.
Don't trust places that 'guarantee' a particular score or offer to 'sit the test for you' or to 'manipulate scores'. Cheating can void your result and cause serious harm to your visa or migration prospects. Always check study materials, format and score information against each test's official site, and for an assessment of your own situation use a registered migration agent (MARA) or an official consultation with the school.
