If you are looking to immigrate to Australia and want to study at an Australian university, then you need to know about the minimum IELTS scores for both a student visa and permanent residency (PR).
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a way for people from all over the world to prove they have strong English language proficiency and literacy skills. It is an important component of your student visa application if you are not a native English speaker.
The exact minimum requirements vary between universities. In this article, we’ll take a look at the minimum required IELTS score for Australian universities, student visas, and PR applications. We’ll also give you some tips on how to prepare effectively so you can get your desired IELTS score.
Education in a world university might be the dream of many students worldwide. Australia has many renowned Universities which can fulfil your dreams of being an International student. The following table contains the list of colleges and universities in Australia accepting IELTS band requirement of 5.5 and above.
S.No | Australian University | IELTS Overall Score | IELTS Listening Score | IELTS Speaking Score | IELTS Reading Score | IELTS Writing Score |
1 | University of Sydney | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
2 | University of New South Wales | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
3 | Carnegie Mellon University | – | 6.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 6 |
4 | University of Technology Sydney | 6.5 | – | – | – | 6 |
5 | Australian National University | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
6 |
| 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
7 | University of Western Australia | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
8 | University of Queensland | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
9 | University of Canberra | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
10 | University of Melbourne | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
11 | University of Notre Dame | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
12 | Monash University | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
13 | Macquarie University | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
14 | RMIT University | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
15 | University of Technology | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
16 | Bond University | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
17 | Griffith University | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
18 | Curtin University | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
19 | Monash University | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
20 | Macquarie University | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
21 | The University of Divinity | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
22 | University of Adelaide | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
23 | RMIT University | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
24 | University of Canberra | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
25 | Charles Darwin University | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
26 | Federation University | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
27 | Edith Cowan University | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
28 | Deakin University | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
29 | Federation University | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
30 | James Cook University | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
31 | Flinders University | 6 | – | 6 | – | 6 |
32 | Murdoch University | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
33 | La Trobe University | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
34 | Swinburne University of Technology | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
35 | University of Newcastle | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
36 | University of South Australia | 6 | – | – | 6 | 6 |
37 | Victoria University | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
38 | Australian Catholic University | 6 | 5.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 6 |
39 | Torrens University Australia | 6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
40 | University of New England | 6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
41 | CQ University | 6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
42 | Charles Sturt University | 6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
43 | Southern Cross University | 6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
44 | University of Southern Queensland | 6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
45 | University of the Sunshine Coast | 6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
46 | University of Tasmania | 6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
47 | University of Wollongong | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
However, do check with the university you want to apply to and make sure the minimum IELTS score they require is the same as the list above.
As an International student, you need a student visa to study in Australia. And for getting a student visa, you need an IELTS score to prove that you have the minimum English language requirements or the English language ability.
To be approved for undergraduate programs, you must attain a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.0, with no individual band lower than 5.5. For admission to graduate courses, an overall IELTS score of 6.5 is required, with each individual band not less than 6.0. Teaching and education studies and Engineering require a minimum overall IELTS score of 7.0, as well as a minimum score of 7.0 in each band.
For an IELTS score to be valid, it should be taken within the last two years. Therefore, plan your timing for taking the test and submitting a visa application accordingly.
If you are planning to get a Permanent Residency in Australia, you will also need an IELTS score to apply for the PR visa. There is a point system in applying for Australian PR Visa. Australia PR gives 0 points for an IELTS band below a 6.0 score. That means you cannot migrate to Australia if your overall IELTS score is below 6.0.
You receive 10 points if your IELTS score is greater than band 7.0 or your overall IELTS score is greater than 7.0. IELTS band 8.0 or above results in a maximum of 20 immigration points in Australia’s point system.
However, besides the IELTS score, your points for immigration to Australia will also depend on other factors like age, health, educational background, etc. You need a minimum of 65 points to get an Australian PR visa.
There are two types of IELTS tests available. IELTS Academics and IELTS General Training. IELTS Academics test score is usually used to get admission to an Australian University. Whereas the IELTS General Training score is used for PR and migration purposes. So it is better to choose the one that matches your purpose and requirements.
An IELTS text contains the following sections: Listening Scores, Reading Scores, Writing Scores, and Speaking Scores. The Overall IELTS score would be calculated from these scores. Some Universities accept students who score a minimum in each section of these tests, which are called band scores. But some other universities just check the overall IELTS score.