A single test score can decide whether your student visa moves forward or stalls. Plenty of applicants book the wrong exam or chase the wrong number because they trust outdated advice. Australia changed its rules on 7 August 2025 when LIN 25/090 replaced the earlier instrument. Now every approved test carries its own minimum, and that number drops if your study plan includes an English course. This guide breaks down the English requirements for the Australian student visa subclass 500, the tests you can sit and the exemptions that might apply to you. One point matters from the start. Your university sets its own entry score, and it often runs higher than the visa minimum.
Why Does Australia Ask for English Evidence?
Home Affairs wants proof that you can follow lectures, write assignments and handle daily life without constant support. A test score gives assessors one common yardstick. It also works in your favour, since struggling with academic English in your first semester gets stressful and expensive fast. Not every applicant must submit a score though. Under subclass 500, the Minister can require evidence, and several groups are exempt (more on that below).
Minimum English Test Scores for 2026
These figures come straight from Schedule 1 of LIN 25/090. The first column shows the standard minimum. The next two apply when your main course comes with English study, which we cover further down.
| Test | Standard minimum | With 10+ weeks ELICOS, foundation or eligible pathway | With 20+ weeks ELICOS |
| IELTS Academic or General Training | 6.0 | 5.5 | 5.0 |
| PTE Academic | 47 | 39 | 31 |
| TOEFL iBT | 67 | 51 | 37 |
| C1 Advanced | 161 | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| CELPIP General | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| LANGUAGECERT Academic | 61 | 54 | 46 |
| Michigan English Test (MET) | 53 | 49 | 44 |
| Occupational English Test (OET) | 1210 | 1090 | 1020 |
IELTS uses an average band score. Even so, your education provider may apply component-level rules of its own. Ask before you book. TOEFL iBT availability for Australian visa purposes has also been limited in the past, so confirm that your test centre offers it.
IELTS or PTE Academic: Which Should You Pick?
Both tests work. IELTS includes a face-to-face speaking interview with an examiner, which suits students who feel more comfortable talking to a real person. PTE Academic is computer-based and scored by algorithm, and results usually arrive quickly. Choose the format that matches your strengths and then practise with timed mock tests. A comfortable 6.5 in IELTS beats a nervous 6.0 that you only just scrape through.
Watch the format closely. Study Australia states that Home Affairs doesn’t accept online or at-home versions, including IELTS Online and OET Home. Sit your test at a secure test centre. Your result also expires for visa purposes. You must take the test within the two years before you apply, or before the decision date if you submit the result later.
How Do Packaged Courses Change the Score?
Suppose you enrol in at least 10 weeks of ELICOS before your main course. The middle column applies. The same goes for a standard foundation program, an extended foundation program or an eligible pathway program. With at least 20 weeks of ELICOS, the lowest column applies. The ELICOS must accompany your principal course and start after you lodge the visa application. Pathway diplomas count only if they appear in Schedule 2 of the instrument, so match the exact CRICOS course code before you assume anything. An English course doesn’t erase the test requirement. It simply lowers the bar.
Can You Study in Australia Without IELTS?
Yes, through two routes. You can sit another approved test such as PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT. Alternatively, you might qualify for an exemption. Under section 7 of the instrument, you don’t need a test score if you:
- hold a valid passport from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States
- enrol only in an ELICOS course, a registered school course, a postgraduate research course or a course delivered in a language other than English
- are a Foreign Affairs student, a Defence student or a secondary exchange student
- completed an Australian senior secondary certificate or a substantial part of a Certificate IV or higher course in Australia, in English, within the past two years
- completed at least five years of study in English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, the UK or the US
Indian citizenship alone doesn’t grant an exemption. Most Indian applicants will need a test unless one of these categories fits their situation exactly.
Visa Scores vs University Entry Scores
Universities and colleges set their own English standards. Many ask for more than the visa minimum. Postgraduate programs and competitive faculties often sit higher still. Nursing, teaching and other regulated professions add another layer because registration bodies run separate English standards. A student who meets the visa score but misses the course requirement won’t receive a Confirmation of Enrolment. Aim for whichever number is higher. Remember too that the English requirements for the Australian student visa form only one part of your application. You also need a CoE, Overseas Student Health Cover and evidence that you’re a genuine student.
How to Prepare Step by Step
- Confirm which test your institution accepts.
- Find the visa score that matches your course package.
- Check any component minimums your provider sets.
- Book an approved test at a secure test centre.
- Make sure the result stays within the two-year window.
- Gather your academic, financial and identity documents.
- Review the official Home Affairs checklist before you lodge.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Mixing up university entry scores with visa minimums
- Booking an online or at-home test
- Assuming every applicant faces the same score
- Letting a result slip past the two-year limit
- Believing an English course removes all evidence requirements
- Ignoring higher course-specific standards
How Kangaroo Migration Consultants Can Help
Kangaroo Migration Consultants guides students through course selection, English test planning and document preparation. The team compares your course package against the current instrument, sets the right score target and checks your file before lodgement. Because rules shift, every requirement gets verified against official sources on your application date. Book a consultation at Kangaroo Migration Consultants to map out your plan.
Conclusion
Before you lodge, confirm four things: your approved test, the score that matches your course package, any exemption you may hold and your institution’s own entry standard. Rules change, so check the latest version on the Home Affairs website. Getting the English requirements for the Australian student visa right at the start saves time, money and stress. Kangaroo Migration Consultants can review your course, test plan and documents before you apply. Contact the team today and take the next step toward studying in Australia with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What IELTS score is required for an Australian student visa in 2026?
The standard minimum is an average band score of 6.0. It falls to 5.5 with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS, a foundation program or an eligible pathway program. It falls to 5.0 with at least 20 weeks of ELICOS.
What PTE score is required for an Australian student visa?
PTE Academic requires 47 overall. The reduced thresholds are 39 and 31 for the packaged options described above.
Can I study in Australia without IELTS?
Yes. You can take another approved test or qualify for an exemption, such as holding a passport from an exempt country.
Can I use an English test taken two years ago?
Only if you took it within the two years before you applied. If you submit the result later, the window counts back from the decision date.
Do Australian universities require higher English scores than the visa?
Often they do. Check your course page because the higher requirement controls your admission.
Can I take an English course before my main course?
Yes. Packaged ELICOS of 10 or 20 weeks lowers your visa score, but it must accompany your main course and start after you lodge your application.