Australia Student Visa English Requirements: The Scores You Need and When ELICOS Helps

TL;DR: The Australia student visa English requirements are set by law: for most applicants, IELTS Academic 6.0 overall, PTE Academic 47 or TOEFL iBT 67. If your university packages at least 10 weeks of English (ELICOS) before your degree, the bar drops to IELTS 5.5, and with 20 weeks or more, to 5.0. Your test must be taken within two years before you apply. Universities can, and often do, ask for more.

Two numbers decide whether your English is good enough for Australia, and most students only check one of them. The first is the visa minimum, which Home Affairs applies to everyone. The second is your university's own entry score, which is usually higher. Plan around the higher one and the visa minimum takes care of itself.

Not sure your current score fits your course and your visa? Check your eligibility with Prosper.

The visa minimum for each English test

Since 7 August 2025, one legal instrument sets the scores for the Student visa (subclass 500): the Migration (English Language Tests and Evidence Exemptions for Subclass 500 (Student) Visas) Instrument 2025. It lists nine tests and three levels.

Three points students miss:

• The scores are overall scores. The visa table sets no band minimums. Your university almost always does.
• The test must be recent. It must be taken within the two years before the day you lodge your visa application. If you lodge without it, it must fall within two years of the decision date.
• Cambridge C1 Advanced only works at the standard level. It is not accepted for the lower ELICOS or pathway scores.

Want a view on whether a packaged English course or a retake is the better move for your score?

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How ELICOS packaging lowers the score

ELICOS stands for English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students. When a university offers you an English course first and your degree straight after, the two are packaged, and one visa covers both.

The rule is simple: the longer the English course, the lower the visa score you need. Ten weeks or more takes IELTS down to 5.5. Twenty weeks or more takes it to 5.0. A foundation or pathway course into a degree counts at the 10-week level.

This does not mean a weaker student gets in on easier terms. You still have to pass the English course to start your degree, and the extra weeks add tuition and living costs. Packaging is a good route when your score is half a band short, not when it is two bands short.

Your university's score usually decides

The visa table is a floor. Universities set their own English entry rules for each course, and they are often higher, especially for postgraduate study, nursing, teaching and law. A master's that asks for IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0 is common.

So the practical order is:

1. Find the English requirement on your course page, including band minimums.
2. Check that the same result also clears the visa table above. It nearly always will.
3. Check the test date. Count two years back from the day you plan to lodge your visa, not from your course start.

If your score is close but short, ask the university whether it offers a packaged ELICOS course or a pathway, and how many weeks it would need.

Who does not need to show a test

The instrument lists people who are exempt from giving English test evidence. They include:

• Citizens holding a passport from Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States.
• Anyone who has completed at least five years of study in English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States.
• Students enrolling in a standalone ELICOS course, a registered school course, a postgraduate research course or a course taught in another language.
• Foreign Affairs or Defence sponsored students and secondary exchange students.

Being exempt for the visa does not exempt you from your university's own rules.

Applying from Sri Lanka

English-medium schooling in Sri Lanka does not count towards the five-year exemption, because Sri Lanka is not on the list of countries. Most applicants from Sri Lanka therefore need a test. IELTS and PTE Academic can both be taken in Colombo. Book early enough that your result arrives before your offer conditions are due, and keep the two-year window in mind if you took the test for an earlier plan.

FAQ

What IELTS score do I need for an Australia student visa? IELTS Academic or General Training 6.0 overall for the standard level, 5.5 with at least 10 weeks of packaged ELICOS or a foundation course, and 5.0 with 20 weeks or more. Your university may ask for more.

How old can my English test be? It must be taken within the two years before you lodge your visa application.

Is PTE accepted for an Australian student visa? Yes. PTE Academic 47 meets the standard level, 39 with 10 weeks of ELICOS and 31 with 20 weeks.

Do I need band scores for the visa? The visa table uses overall scores only. Universities usually set band minimums, so check your course page.

Can my Sri Lankan English-medium schooling replace a test? Not for the visa exemption, because Sri Lanka is not on the list of countries for the five-year study rule.

Does a lower score with ELICOS cost more? Yes. You pay for the English weeks and live in Australia for longer, so compare that cost with a retake.

PS: If you are half a band short, a retake often costs less and takes less time than extra weeks of ELICOS. If you are further away, a packaged course can keep your intake on track. Read our guide to the Australia student visa cost for the fees, then check your eligibility with Prosper and we will look at your score, your course and your timing together.

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