IELTS for Australia: Which Test and What Score You Need

Australia is one of the main destinations for IELTS candidates. The test is used for student visas, for skilled migration, and by employers and professional bodies. The details differ by purpose, and they change often, so this guide explains how each use works and what to check, not just a single score.

Where IELTS is used for Australia

• University and college admission: each institution sets its own English score, usually IELTS Academic, with an overall band and a minimum in each skill. Courses such as nursing, teaching and law often ask for 7.0 or more.
• Student visa: the Department of Home Affairs sets a minimum English score for the visa, and the university may ask for more. Check the current figure on the Home Affairs website, because it has changed in recent years.
• Skilled migration: English test scores earn points in the points test. This is the use where each extra band counts most.
• Professional registration: regulators for nurses, doctors, teachers and engineers set their own English scores, often with a minimum in every skill.

How English scores earn migration points

For skilled migration, English is graded into levels based on your score in each of the four skills:

• Competent English: 6.0 in each skill. This is the usual minimum and earns no points.
• Proficient English: 7.0 in each skill, which earns 10 points.
• Superior English: 8.0 in each skill, which earns 20 points.

The level depends on your lowest skill, so a 7.5 in three skills and a 6.5 in Writing places you at Competent, not Proficient. For many applicants, lifting one weak skill is the cheapest way to gain points.

Which version of IELTS to take

Many Australian visas accept both Academic and General Training, but some courses and regulators require one in particular. University admission usually needs Academic. For visas, read the exact wording on the Home Affairs page for your subclass. If you are unsure which to take, our guide to Academic or General Training will help.

Check these before you book

1. The score: overall and minimum per skill, for your exact visa or course.
2. The version: Academic or General Training.
3. The validity: results for visa purposes are usually valid for a limited time, often three years, so check that yours will still be valid when you apply.
4. The booking rules: for example, whether you must reach the score in a single sitting.

How to prepare

• Find your weakest skill with a full mock test and aim to lift it first.
• Practise all four skills with the free IELTS practice tests.
• If you are comparing English tests, read our guide to IELTS vs PTE Academic, since Australia accepts PTE as well.

Frequently asked questions

What IELTS score do I need for an Australian student visa? The visa has a minimum set by Home Affairs, and your university usually sets a higher one. Use the university's course page as your target.

Is IELTS accepted for the Australian skilled migration points test? Yes. Scores from IELTS and other approved tests are used to grade your English level.

This guide is a study aid, not migration advice. Rules and scores change, so confirm the current requirements on the Department of Home Affairs website or with a registered migration agent.