English language requirements

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English language requirements

English language requirements

English language proficiency requirements

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All courses at UC – including undergraduate, postgraduate and Pathways programs – are taught in English. Whether you’re a full-time or part-time domestic or international student, or a student on a study abroad or exchange program, you must meet the English language requirements for your chosen course. This is to make sure you can keep up in lectures, tutorials, assessments and exams so you can succeed in your course.

UC’s minimum English language requirements are outlined in the UC Admissions Policy.  There are a few ways you can prove your proficiency in English, namely through:

  • previous study in Australia or a recognised English-speaking country, including but not limited to Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom and the USA
  • prior study at a recognised institution or in a recognised qualification
  • through an English language test.

If you already meet the language requirements through your previous studies, you won’t need to take an English language test.

You can find the English language requirements for your preferred course in the international tab on the course details page.

Find the English language requirements of your chosen course

Previous studies from recognised countries

Previous studies from recognised countries

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If you've previously completed secondary school or university studies in English in Australia, New Zealand or a recognised country, you may already satisfy the UC English language requirements.

Australian and New Zealand students

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If you have certain qualifications from either Australia or New Zealand, you automatically satisfy the UC English language requirements for most undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees.

Examples of qualifications that meet our English language requirements include:

  • Australian Year 12 qualifications or comparable
  • New Zealand National Certificate of Education Achievement (NCEA) or comparable senior secondary qualifications
  • Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Diploma or Advanced Diploma or comparable post-secondary qualifications
  • one full year of Australian tertiary preparation course studies or comparable (e.g. foundation course)
  • one full year of Australian tertiary studies at AQF Level 7 or above, including bachelor’s degrees and postgraduate studies, or comparable.

International students - Recognised countries

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If you’ve studied an assessable qualification from one of the recognised English-speaking countries listed below – provided the medium of instruction was English - you can also meet UC’s English language requirements for most undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees:

  • Australia (including Australian qualifications taught overseas)
  • Botswana
  • Canada
  • Fiji
  • Ghana
  • Guyana
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Malaysia (courses with standard IELTS or equivalent requirements)
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Samoa (American independent state)
  • Singapore
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Africa
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe.

Assessable qualifications

International students - Assessable qualifications

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Qualifications that can help you automatically meet UC’s English language requirements include: 

  • ACT Senior Secondary Certificate (SSC) or New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) or comparable senior secondary qualifications 
  • Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Diploma or Advanced Diploma or comparable post-secondary qualifications 
  • one full year of Australian tertiary preparation course studies or comparable 
  • one full year of Australian tertiary studies of AQF Level 7 or above, including bachelor’s degrees and postgraduate studies or comparable. 

Previous studies from recognised institutions

Previous studies from recognised institutions

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If you've previously studied at a recognised institution listed below, you may already satisfy the UC English language requirements.

Previous studies from recognised institutions - University of Canberra College

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The University of Canberra College (UCC) offers a number of Pathways programs to improve your English or study skills and help you gain entry into a UC degree. These include:

  • English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) will improve your English language skills and can help you gain entry into a UC degree.
  • UC diplomas
  • International Foundation Program
  • Graduate Certificate in Academic Foundations and achieved at least 50% in the Academic Writing and Research Skills unit and at least 65% in your combined test and final exam scores.

You’ll satisfy the UC English language requirements for most undergraduate and postgraduate courses if you complete a Pathways program at UCC. The specific Pathways program you choose determines the UC courses you can move to once you’ve finished your UCC studies.

You’ll still need to demonstrate some English language proficiency to be eligible for a UCC Pathways program, though the requirements are usually lower than the level you’d need for a UC degree.

Previous studies from recognised institutions - Other institutions

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UC accepts a range of qualifications from recognised institutions around the world as proof of English language proficiency.

Select an institution or country below to see what qualifications we recognise.

English language tests

English language tests

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If you don’t meet the English language requirements through your previous studies, you’ll need to take an approved English language test and provide the required results to UC before you can enrol.

At UC, although English requirements are set to the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score, we generally accept a range of other English tests too, including:

  • TOEFL iBT
  • Pearson Test of Academic English
  • Cambridge English Scale
  • OET.

Each degree has its own IELTS requirements, so check your course carefully to ascertain the level you’ll need to meet before applying. Test results over two years old won’t be accepted.

Use the table below to view and convert equivalent English language test scores.

UCC and UC Courses IELTS Academic TOEFL iBT1 Pearson Test of Academic English Cambridge English Scale Occupational English Test UC English Language Proficiency Test*
UCC International Foundation Studies 5.5 overall with no band score less than 5.0 Overall score of 46 with:

• R2: 4
• L: 4
• S: 14
• W:14
42 162 No grade lower than 'D' in any of the sub-tests4 N/A
UCC Diploma Extended 5.5 overall (no minimum band scores) Overall score of 46 42 162 No grade lower than 'D' in any of the sub-tests N/A
UCC Diploma Standard 5.5 overall with no band below 5.5 Overall score of 46 with:

• R: 8
• L: 7
• S: 16
• W:18
 42 with no skill score3 below 42 162 with no sub-score below 162 No grade lower than 'D' in any of the sub-tests N/A
Graduate Certificate in Academic Foundations (GCAF) 6.0 overall with no band below 6.0 Overall score of 60 with:

• R: 13
• L: 12
• S: 18
• W: 21
 50 with no skill score below 50 169 with no sub-score below 169 No grade lower than 'C' in any of the sub-tests N/A
UC standard UG degree 6.0 overall with no band below 6.0 Overall score of 60 with:

• R: 13
• L: 12
• S: 18
• W: 21
 50 with no skill score below 50 169 with no sub-score below 169 No grade lower than 'C' in any of the sub-tests N/A
UC standard PG degree 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 Overall score of 79 with:

• R: 13
• L: 12
• S: 18
• W: 21
 58 with no skill score below 50 176 with no sub-score below 169 No grade lower than 'C' in any of the sub-tests Minimum overall grade of 'C'

*UC administered offshore Masters courses
Courses requiring IELTS 7.0 with no band below 6.0 7.0 overall with no band below 6.0 Overall score of 94 with:

• R: 13
• L: 12
• S: 18
• W: 21
 65 with no skill score below 50 185 with no sub-score below 169 No grade lower than 'B' in any of the sub-tests N/A
Courses requiring IELTS 7.0 with no band below 6.5 7.0 overall with band below 6.5 Overall score of 94 with:

• R: 19
• L: 20
• S: 20
• W: 24
 65 with no skill score below 58 185 with no sub-score below 176 No grade lower than 'B' in any of the sub-tests N/A
Courses requiring IELTS 7.0 with no band below 7.0 7.0 overall with no band below 7.0 Overall score of 94 with:

• R: 24
• L: 24
• S: 23
• W: 27
 65 with no skill score below 65 185 with no sub-score below 185 No grade lower than 'B' in any of the sub-tests N/A
Courses requiring IELTS 7.5 with no band below 7.0 7.5 overall with no band below 7.0 Overall score of 102 with:

• R: 24
• L: 24
• S: 23
• W: 27
 73 with no skill score below 65 191 with no sub-score below 185 No grade lower than 'B' in any of the sub-tests N/A

English language tests superscript definitions

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1 Applicants may be required to attain higher than the minimum score in each individual skill to meet the overall score requirement.

2 ‘R’ refers to ‘reading’, ‘L’ to ‘listening’, ‘S’ to ‘speaking’ and ‘W’ to ‘writing’.

3 The skill score here refers to the common skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing. The “no skill score below” requirement does not apply to the enabling skills listed in the test results.

4 Results for all four subtests are required. Results must be from tests taken in one sitting.

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