What are the English Language requirements for an Australian visa (in plain English)? (Updated on 21 February 2025)

Depending on the visa you apply for in Australia, as a visa applicant you may need to provide the Department with evidence of your English language ability.

Which visa are you applying for and what are the English requirements?

The below table sets out the general English requirements for some common visa applications (noting that certain applicants may be exempt from English language in lieu of other factors):

Visa (common categories)	Required level of English
407 primary applicants 186 over 18 dependent applicants (unless a second instalment is paid)	Functional English
482 primary applicants	Vocational English
186 primary applicant 187 primary applicant 189 primary applicant 190 primary applicant 491 primary applicant	Competent English
189 / 190 / 491 primary applicants claiming 10 points for English	Proficient English
189 / 190 / 491 primary applicant claiming 20 points for English	Superior English
485 visa	IELTS: Overall score of 6.5 (and 5.5 in each component) TOEFL iBT: Total score of 83 (with at least 7 in Listening, 8 in Reading, 18in Writing and, 16 in Speaking) PTE Academic: Overall score of 57 (with at least 43 in Listening, 48 in Reading, 42 in Speaking and, 51 in Writing) OET: ‘B’ in each component Cambridge English: 176 overall average (and at least 162 in each component)
500 visa	IELTS: Overall score of 6.0 TOEFL iBT*: Total score of 64 PTE Academic: Overall score of 50 OET: ‘B’ in each component Cambridge English^: 169 overall average

Note that though some testing centres are providing versions of their tests that you can take at home or online, such as TOEFL iBT –Home Edition, OET@Home, PTE Academic Online, and IELTS Online (General and Academic) and IELTS Indicator, the Department do not currently accept these tests.

*For TOEFL iBT, tests completed between 26 July 2023 and 4 May 2024 will not be accepted as during this period the TOEFL iBT test was not offered as an approved test.

^For CAE, only results from paper-based Cambridge C1 Advanced test will be accepted from 12 February 2024.

What is “Functional English”?

To prove functional English, an applicant must provide evidence of one of the following scores (usually) in the last 12 months prior to the application being made:

Test	Required score
IELTS	An average band score of at least 4.5 for each of the 4 test components
TOEFL iBT*	A total band score of at least 32 based on the 4 test components of speaking, reading, writing and listening
PTE Academic	An overall band score of at least 30 for each of the 4 test components
Cambridge English^	An overall band score of at least 147 for each of the four test components

Alternatively, you can provide evidence that:

1. 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
2. you completed a degree, a higher degree, a diploma or a trade certificate in an institution in or outside Australia that require at least two years of full-time study and all instructions were in English
3. you undertook your education at:
   1. a primary school and secondary school where all instruction was in English in or outside Australia AND have evidence covering all years of primary and at least 3 years of secondary study
   2. a secondary school in or outside Australia where all instruction was in English which was at least 5 years of study
   3. an institution in Australia where all instruction was in English where at least 1 year of full-time study towards a degree, higher degree, diploma, or associate diploma
   4. an institution in Australia where all instruction was in English where the part-time equivalent of 1 year of full-time study towards a degree, higher degree, diploma, or associate diploma

Certain visas will allow you to submit other forms of evidence. Check the relevant visa pages on our website to view the appropriate requirements and / or contact your Hannan Tew representative.

What is “Vocational English”?

To prove you have vocational English, you must provide evidence of one of the following scores in (usually) the last 3 years prior to the application being made:

Test	Required score
IELTS	At least 5 for each of the 4 test components
TOEFL iBT*	At least 4 for listening, 4 for reading, 14 for writing and 14 for speaking
PTE Academic	At least 36 for each of the 4 test components
OET	At least B for each of the 4 test components
Cambridge English^	​At least 154 in each of the 4 test components

Alternatively, you can provide evidence that:

1. 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

Certain visas will allow you to submit other forms of evidence. Check the relevant visa pages on our website to view the appropriate requirements and / or contact your Hannan Tew representative.

What is “Competent English”?

To prove you have competent English, you must provide evidence of one of the following scores (usually) in the last 3 years prior to the application / invitation for application being made:

Test	Required score
IELTS	At least 6 for each of the 4 components
TOEFL iBT*	At least 12 for listening, 13 for reading, 21 for writing and 18 for speaking
PTE Academic	At least 50 for each of the 4 components
OET	At least B for each of the 4 test components
Cambridge English^	At least 169 in each of the 4 components

Certain visas will allow you to submit other forms of evidence. Check the relevant visa pages on our website to view the appropriate requirements and / or contact your Hannan Tew representative.

What is “Proficient English”?

To prove you have competent English, you must provide evidence of one of the following scores (usually) in the last 3 years prior to the invitation being made:

Test	Required score
IELTS	At least 7 for each of the 4 test components​
TOEFL iBT*	At least 24 for listening, 24 for reading, 27 for writing and 23 for speaking
PTE Academic	At least 65 for each of the 4 test components​
OET	At least B for each of the 4 test components
Cambridge English^	At least 185 in each of the 4 test components​

Certain visas will allow you to submit other forms of evidence. Check the relevant visa pages to find out.

What is “Superior English”?

To prove you have superior English, you must provide evidence of one of the following scores in (usually) the last 3 years prior to the application being made:

Test	Required score
IELTS	At least 8 for each of the 4 test components
TOEFL iBT*	At least 28 for listening, 29 for reading, 30 for writing and 26 for speaking
PTE Academic	At least 79 for each of the 4 test components
OET	At least A for each of the 4 test components​
Cambridge English^	​At least 200 in each of the 4 test components

Any questions?

Certain visas will allow you to submit other forms of evidence. Check the relevant visa pages on our website to view the appropriate requirements and / or contact your Hannan Tew representative. If you seek further information about the specific English requirements for your visa, please email our general query inbox at [email protected] or call us on +61 3 9016 0484.

THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE OR CREATE AN ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP. PLEASE CONSULT AN IMMIGRATION PROFESSIONAL FOR UP TO DATE INFORMATION