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English language proficiency

Find the English language requirements for an AITSL skills assessment. Requirements can be met with a study option or a suitable Academic IELTS Test Report Form.

What is the English language requirement for an AITSL skills assessment?

An AITSL skills assessment includes an English language proficiency requirement which can be met either through a study option or with a suitable Academic IELTS Test Report Form. AITSL accepts paper-based and computer-delivered academic version tests which are conducted at IELTS test centres.

For further details please refer to the Application Guide and checklist for your occupation available in the Application process webpage.


 

 

 

Study option

An AITSL skills assessment can consider qualifications that are:

  • completed in any of the 6 listed English speaking countries that results in award of a qualification;

AND

  • of at least 1-year full-time study duration

AND

  • comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor degree (Australian Qualifications Framework Level 7) or higher.

Please note that to fulfil the study option of the English Language criterion (Option 1), your total study must equal 4 full years in any of the 6 listed English speaking countries (Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of America) and this study must include a recognised initial teacher education qualification. All components of the initial teacher education qualification including supervised teaching practice must be completed in one or more of the 6 countries listed.

Yes. Credit transfer arrangements, recognition of prior learning or advanced standing may impact how AITSL assesses an applicant’s ability to meet the study option, which requires 4 full years of study in one of the listed countries.
AITSL will only consider a doctoral degree completed in one of the 6 listed English speaking countries to be a maximum of 2 years of full-time study towards meeting the study option of the English language criterion. Please note that the initial teacher education including the supervised teaching practice component must also have been completed in one of the 6 listed countries.
An applicant should only include evidence for one option. However, AITSL reserves the right to ask an applicant to undertake the Academic version of the IELTS test if there is uncertainty about their level of English language proficiency.

Academic IELTS option

No. AITSL will only accept an Academic IELTS Test Report Form. We do NOT accept PTE, PEAT, ISLPR, TOEFL, Cambridge or any other form of English language test.
Yes, we accept the IELTS One Skill Retake tests.
AITSL is unable to accept the IELTS Online and Indicator tests. AITSL only accepts paper-based and computer-delivered academic version tests which are conducted at IELTS test centres.
As part of our standard process, all IELTS TRFs are verified by the IELTS Results Service. If we find that the test result you submitted is not authentic, we will decline to assess the application and inform the Department of Home Affairs. It is the duty of the applicant to ensure that the testing centre is legitimate. The British Council and IDP Education websites have lists of the different testing centres around the world.
No, AITSL would decline to assess the application and a 3-year ban would be imposed on future applications. Where this is the case, you will be notified of this as part of the outcome letter.

Australian Teacher Registration

For applicants who hold Australian Teacher Registration, this may be considered during the assessment process. Please refer to our detailed Australian Teacher Registration Fact Sheet for more information.