English language requirements

At UOW all courses are taught and assessed in English. When you apply for admission, you will need to meet the University’s English language requirements and you may need to provide evidence that your proficiency in English is at a level that is appropriate for the linguistic demands of lectures, tutorials, assignments, and examinations.

If you are an international student applying for a student visa, in addition to meeting UOW’s English language requirements, you may need to meet UOW Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) screening requirements and additional English language requirements for visa purposes, as advised by the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA). DoHA may require you to provide additional evidence of your English language proficiency at the time you submit your visa application. To find out the evidence you need to provide, please refer to the DoHA Document Checklist tool.

You can meet UOW’s English language requirements in several ways, depending on your educational background and country of origin. These include either:

  • An approved English language proficiency test
  • A recognised qualification undertaken in English
  • An approved Foundation program
  • A UOW College or other approved English language program
  • Other approved evidence to meet minimum standards

Students applying for a study abroad, exchange or a visiting research practicum program should check under the application criteria for these programs.

All approved English language proficiency tests must be undertaken within two years of your course commencement date. English language proficiency tests must be taken at a test centre, UOW does not accept online/at home versions of any of the tests listed below.

List of tests we accept:

  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System): Academics and UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) only
  • IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR) together with the original Academic or UKVI IELTS test
  • TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based)
  • PTE (Pearson Test of English - Academic)
  • C1 Advanced Cambridge 
  • C2 Proficiency Cambridge 
  • OET (Occupational English Test) – accepted for some health-related courses.

IELTS One Skill Retake is assessed alongside a standard IELTS test. The 2-year validity applies to the original test, not the date of the IELTS One Skill Retake test.

Please note: From 26 July 2023 TOEFL iBT will no longer be offering English language tests for Australian visa purposes until further notice. See English language visa requirements.

The following online English Language tests are not accepted:

  • IELTS Indicator / IELTS Online
  • TOEFL iBT Home Edition
  • PTE Academic Online

The minimum IELTS and TOEFL requirements for each course are found on the course information page on Course Finder – look for the ‘International students’ tab under the ‘Admissions, Key dates, and Fees’. If you are sitting Pearsons, Cambridge, or OET, use the equivalence to IELTS tables below to determine the required score.

TOEFL internet based 

IELTS Overall Score Overall TOEFL iBT Minimum TOEFL iBT Skill Scores
5 40 Reading & Writing 14, Listening & Speaking 12
5.5 54 All bands 14
6 70 Reading & Writing 18, Listening & Speaking 17
6.5 86 Reading & Writing 22, Listening & Speaking 19
7 98 Reading & Writing 25, Listening & Speaking 22

Please note: From 26 July 2023 TOEFL iBT will no longer be offering English language tests for Australian visa purposes until further notice. See Department of Home Affairs English language visa requirements.

C1 Advanced Cambridge or C2 Proficiency Cambridge

IELTS Overall Score Cambridge English: CAE & CPE
5.5 162
6.0 169
6.5 176
7.0 185

Pearson test of English (PTE)

IELTS Overall Score Overall PTE Score Minimum PTE Communicative Skill Scores
5.0 42 Reading & Writing 42, Speaking & Listening 36
5.5 49 All bands 43
6.0 54 Reading & Writing 54, Speaking and Listening 47
6.5 62 *All bands 54
7.0 69 Reading & Writing 69, Speaking & Listening 62
7.5 76 All bands 69

OET - Occupational English Test

OET is accepted for courses related to Nursing, Exercise Science and Nutrition & Dietetics.

Overall Score Course
B Bachelor of Nursing
Bachelor of Nursing for Overseas Qualified Nurses
Bachelor of Nutrition & Dietetics
Bachelor of Exercise Science & Rehabilitation
Master of Nutrition & Dietetics
Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology
C+ Bachelor of Nutrition Science
Bachelor of Exercise Science
Master of Nursing International
Courses offered by the School of Nursing not listed above

If you do not already meet the English requirements for your chosen course, you can complete an English language course at UOW College Australia. UOW also recognises English language courses offered by some other colleges in Sydney - contact UOW Future Students for details.

A guide to the length of English course you may need to study is provided below. Please note that this table should only be considered a guide. Lower scores in Writing may mean that you'll need to study English for longer.

Score at time of application Estimated time required to reach IELTS entry score (weeks)
IELTS TOEFL 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0
6.5 86         12
6.0 70     6* 12 18
5.5 54   6# 12 18 24
5.0 40   12 18 24 30
4.5   12 18 24 30 36
4.0   18 24 30 36 42
3.5   24 30 36 42 48
3.0   30 36 42 48 48+

* for students with 6.0 overall, but 5.5 in either reading or writing
# for students with 5.5 overall, but less than 5.0 in reading or writing

Visit the UOW College website for more information on English language courses.

UOW accepts prior studies undertaken in English either in Australia or offshore.

Please note, some variations apply to specific degrees which have external registration or accreditation requirements.

Coursework

Prior studies in English from an approved English-speaking country*

If your prior studies have been undertaken in an approved English-speaking country* you will meet UOW’s English language requirements where:

  • You have successfully completed a recognised senior secondary qualification or a minimum of one year of full-time tertiary study, at AQF Diploma level or higher, within the last three years.

OR

  • You are a citizen, or permanent resident of an approved English-speaking country*, AND
  • You have resided in an approved English-speaking country* for a minimum of ten years, AND
  • You have successfully completed a recognised senior secondary qualification, University Preparation program, Foundation Year program, or post-secondary qualification, at AQF Certificate IV level or higher, taught and assessed entirely in English from an approved institution.

Other prior studies in English

If your prior studies have been undertaken in a country not included on the UOW list of approved English-speaking countries*, but your studies were taught and assessed entirely in English, you may meet the University’s English language requirements if you have successfully completed a minimum of two years of recognised full-time tertiary studies, at AQF Diploma level or higher, within the last two years.

You will need to provide an official letter from the Academic Registrar (or suitable delegate)  verifying that:

  • all courses at the institution are entirely taught and assessed in English; or
  • that the specific course you completed was entirely taught and assessed in English.
  • The notification must apply to both the awarding institution and the institution you studied at (if different).

Prior study in English is considered on a case-by-case basis and does not automatically meet UOW's English language requirements.

If you have undertaken a recognised senior secondary qualification in a country not included on the UOW list of approved English-speaking countries*, you may meet UOW's English proficiency requirements if you have achieved at a specified level in an approved senior secondary English subject and the study was completed within the last two years.

*American Samoa, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Canada, Fiji, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, UK, USA, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Higher Degree Research (HDR)

HDR applicants may also meet the English language requirements by satisfying one of the following:

  • Within the last two years have completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, of at least two years duration, where the degree was taught and assessed entirely in English and the institution is located in a country where the official language is English. Qualifying countries are Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Fiji, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, UK and USA;
  • Within the last two years have completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, of at least two years duration, where the degree was taught and assessed entirely in English. Acceptable evidence includes an official university web page or letter from the Registrar's office (or equivalent) stating the degree was taught entirely in English;
  • Within the last two years completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in an approved country that includes a major assignment or thesis written in English. Approved countries are Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden;
  • Completed the degree qualifications described in 1, 2 or 3 above within the last five years together with additional evidence of recent studying or working in an English environment and/or writing in English.

Before you can start studying to become a registered nurse, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) requires you to demonstrate a high level of English language proficiency. To do this, you must do one of the following:

  • Declare that:
    • English is your primary language (ie the language you primarily use for reading, writing, listening and speaking and the language you know best and are most comfortable with)
    • before the course start date, you will have completed six years of schooling in English – including at least two years of secondary school in English – in one of the following countries: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, United States, Canada, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom.
  • Providing IELTS, TOEFL, OET, or PTE results, equivalent to IELTS 7.0 overall, with no less than 7.0 in each band.
  • Provide evidence that you are currently registered as an enrolled nurse or registered nurse with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency – Nursing and Midwifery (AHPRA).

When you graduate and apply for registration as a nurse or a midwife in Australia, you will also need to meet the English language skills registration standard of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia

For full details of requirements, please visit the Bachelor of Nursing Course Finder page.

As an international student you may have to meet the English language requirements based on your citizenship for visa purposes, as advised by the Department of Home Affairs. Please refer to the Australian Department of Home Affairs website for more details.

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