Functional English

To prove you have functional English, show evidence that:

• you are a citizen of and hold a valid passport issued by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland; or
• your English has been assessed as functional by an Australian Adult Migrant English Program service provider; or
• you completed a degree, a higher degree, a diploma or a trade certificate in an institution in or outside Australia that required at least two years of full-time study and all instructions were in English; or
• you undertook your education at:

Institution	Study time
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

or

• in the 12 months before you applied for the visa, you scored one of the following:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): An average band score of at least 4.5 for each of the 4 test components; or
• Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT): A total band score of at least 32 based on the 4 test components of speaking, reading, writing and listening; or
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic): An overall band score of at least 30 for each of the 4 test components; or
• Cambridge C1 Advanced test: An overall band score of at least 147 for each of the four test components

 

Vocational English

• Passport from UK, USA, Canada, NZ or Ireland; or
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): At least 5 for each of the 4 test components; or
• Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT): At least 4 for listening, 4 for reading, 14 for writing and 14 for speaking; or
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic): At least 36 for each of the 4 test components; or
• Occupational English Test (OET): At least B for each of the 4 test components; or
• Cambridge C1 Advanced test: ​At least 154 in each of the 4 test components

 

Competent English

• Passport from UK, USA, Canada, NZ or Ireland; or
• IELTS: at least 6 in each component; or
• TOEFL iBT: 12 in Listening, 13 Reading, 21 Writing, 18 Speaking; or
• PTE Academic: At least 50 in each component; or
• OET: at least ‘B’ in each component; or
• Cambridge (CAE): At least 169 in each component

 

Proficient English

• IELTS: at least 7 in each component; or
• TOEFL iBT: 24 in Listening, 24 Reading, 27 Writing, 23 Speaking; or
• PTE Academic: At least 65 in each component; or
• OET: at least ‘B’ in each component; or
• Cambridge (CAE): At least 185 in each component

 

Superior English

• IELTS: at least 8 in each component; or
• TOEFL iBT: 28 in Listening, 29 Reading, 30 Writing, 26 Speaking; or
• PTE Academic: At least 79 in each component; or
• OET: at least ‘A’ in each component; or
• Cambridge (CAE): At least 200 in each component