Australia English Requirements: A Simpler Picture
🇦🇺 Good News: Australia Accepts PTE for Both Uni + Visa
Unlike the UK (where you need IELTS UKVI for the visa specifically), Australia's student visa (subclass 500) accepts both IELTS and PTE Academic. This means you can avoid IELTS entirely by using PTE — for both your university application AND your visa. This is a significant advantage for Indian students.
| Test | Uni Admissions | Student Visa (500) | Score Needed (Equiv. IELTS 6.0) |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | ✅ | ✅ | 6.0 overall |
| PTE Academic | ✅ | ✅ | 50+ overall |
| TOEFL iBT | ✅ | ✅ (selected visa streams) | 72–79 |
| Duolingo | ✅ (select unis) | ❌ | 105–115 |
| MOI Certificate | ✅ (select unis) | ❌ | N/A |
PTE Academic: The Best IELTS Alternative for Australia
Why Indian Students Prefer PTE for Australia
- ✅ Results in 5 business days (vs. 13 days for IELTS)
- ✅ Computer-graded (no human examiner bias)
- ✅ Accepted for both Australian university + student visa
- ✅ Can retake within 5 days
- ✅ Scores valid for 2 years
- ✅ Cost: ₹14,500 (similar to IELTS)
PTE Score Requirements for Australian Universities
| University | Min. PTE Score |
|---|---|
| University of Melbourne | 58 overall |
| University of Sydney | 60 overall |
| ANU Canberra | 64 overall |
| University of Queensland | 57 overall |
| Monash University | 58 overall |
| UNSW Sydney | 62 overall |
Australian Universities with IELTS-Free Admission Options
Group of Eight (Go8) — PTE/TOEFL Accepted
- • University of Melbourne — PTE 58, TOEFL 79
- • University of Sydney — PTE 60, TOEFL 85
- • Australian National University — PTE 64, TOEFL 80
- • University of Queensland — PTE 57, TOEFL 72
- • Monash University — PTE 58, TOEFL 79
- • UNSW Sydney — PTE 62, TOEFL 85
- • University of Adelaide — PTE 57, TOEFL 79
- • University of Western Australia — PTE 58, TOEFL 80
Universities Accepting Duolingo
Duolingo acceptance in Australia is still growing. Currently accepted by:
- • University of Tasmania — DET 100+
- • Charles Darwin University — DET 95+
- • Federation University — DET 100+
- • University of Southern Queensland — DET 95+
- • CQUniversity — DET 100+
⚠️ Note: Duolingo not accepted for student visa subclass 500