IELTS Score Requirements for Australia
Sources checked 2 September 2026
Quick answer
The Department of Home Affairs sets 6.0 overall for a Subclass 500 Student visa, dropping to 5.5 when the course is packaged with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS and 5.0 with 20 weeks. Skilled visas usually require Competent English — at least 6 in every component — with higher levels earning extra points. Universities typically ask 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, and Ahpra-registered nurses need 7.0 overall with 6.5 in writing. Confirm current figures with the relevant authority.
What IELTS score do you need for Australia?
The band you need depends entirely on why you are taking the test. Each row below links to the authority that publishes the figure, because requirements change and the source page is always more current than any summary of it.
| Purpose | Typical requirement | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student visa | 6.0 overall (IELTS Academic or General Training) | Home Affairs drops the minimum to 5.5 if the principal course is packaged with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS, a Foundation program or an eligible Pathway program, and to 5.0 with at least 20 weeks of ELICOS. | |
| Skilled migration / work visa | Competent English — at least 6 in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking | Home Affairs sets named English levels rather than one visa-wide band; Competent English is the usual threshold for skilled visas and both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training count, with higher levels (Proficient, Superior) earning extra points. | |
| Undergraduate study | Typically 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 | Set by each university — Melbourne's Level 1, Sydney's standard requirement and Monash's minimum are all 6.5 overall with 6.0 in every band; more competitive faculties go higher. | |
| Postgraduate study | Typically 6.5–7.0 overall with no band below 6.0 | Programme-specific: Sydney's standard postgraduate coursework requirement is 6.5 with no band below 6.0, while UNSW Business asks 7.0 overall and Melbourne's Level 2 is 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each band. | |
| Nursing / medical registration | IELTS Academic 7.0 overall, with 7.0 listening, 7.0 reading, 7.0 speaking and 6.5 writing | Ahpra's National Boards updated the minimum scores on 23 April 2026; the IELTS requirement itself is unchanged, and results from two sittings within 12 months can be combined subject to conditions. |
What do Australia universities ask for?
These are the minimums each university published on its own admissions pages when we checked on 2 September 2026. They are institution-wide floors: individual courses frequently ask for more, so confirm the figure on the page for your exact programme before you book a test.
| University | Undergraduate | Postgraduate | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Melbourne | Level 1: 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in writing, speaking, reading and listening | Level 2: 7.0 overall with at least 6.5 in each component | Melbourne publishes graded levels (1, 1a, 1b, 2, 2a, 2b) and each course is assigned one, so the level is programme-specific; Level 1b is 6.5 overall with 6.5 in every band. | |
| University of Sydney | 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 | 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 | This is the standard university requirement; the page notes some faculties and courses (for example nursing) set higher scores. | |
| UNSW Sydney | 6.5 overall (min. 6.0 in each subtest) for Arts, Design & Architecture and for Engineering; 7.0 overall (min. 6.0 in each subtest) for Business | 6.5 overall (min. 6.0 in each subtest) for Arts, Design & Architecture and for Engineering; 7.0 overall (min. 6.0 in each subtest) for Business | Faculty-specific rather than institution-wide — UNSW lists a requirement per faculty, and Education and Social Work programmes sit higher again. | |
| Monash University | 6.5 overall with reading 6.0, listening 6.0, writing 6.0 and speaking 6.0 | 6.5 overall with reading 6.0, listening 6.0, writing 6.0 and speaking 6.0 | Monash publishes a single minimum English test score table described as the University's minimum; individual courses can require higher scores. |
How should you plan for a target score?
Work backwards from the per-skill minimum rather than the overall band. Almost every requirement above includes a floor for each of the four skills, so a strong average with one weak skill still fails. Establish where you are per skill, then target the gap — and remember that the overall band is the rounded mean of the four, so 6.25 rounds up to 6.5 and a single half-band improvement can clear a threshold outright.
To see what the examiners are actually looking for at your target band, read the IELTS band descriptors.
IELTS requirements for Australia: FAQ
What IELTS score do I need for an Australian student visa?
Home Affairs sets 6.0 overall for the Subclass 500 Student visa, and either IELTS Academic or General Training is accepted. The minimum falls to 5.5 if your principal course is packaged with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS, a Foundation program or an eligible Pathway program, and to 5.0 with at least 20 weeks of ELICOS. Your university will usually ask for more than the visa minimum.
What is Competent English?
Competent English is the Department of Home Affairs level used for most skilled visas: at least 6 in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking. Both IELTS Academic and General Training count towards it. The higher named levels, Proficient and Superior, earn additional points in the skilled migration points test.
What IELTS score do Australian universities require?
Typically 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, which was the standard published by Melbourne (Level 1), Sydney and Monash when we checked. Competitive and professional programmes go higher — Melbourne’s Level 2 is 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each band, and UNSW Business asks 7.0 overall. Check the requirement for your exact course.
What IELTS score do nurses need in Australia?
Ahpra’s National Boards require IELTS Academic with 7.0 overall and at least 7.0 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing. Results from two sittings within 12 months can be combined subject to conditions. Ahpra updated its accepted-test scores in April 2026, so check the current standard before you sit.
Other destinations
For the Canada PR CLB conversion table and UK visa levels side by side, see the main IELTS score requirements guide.