UTS has English language proficiency requirements for every course.
English language requirements
English language requirements apply to both international and domestic students.
Each UTS course has English language proficiency requirements which you must satisfy in order to be considered. The way you demonstrate your proficiency depends on whether you have studied in English before.
I have previously studied in English
If you have previously studied in English, you satisfy the UTS English if one of the options below are applicable to you.
I have an assessable qualification undertaken in English
An assessable qualification is a qualification undertaken in English from an approved country (full list below). An assessable qualification is:
- senior secondary studies comparable with the New South Wales Higher School Certificate (HSC)
- one full year of Australian or comparable tertiary studies, including RATE Associate Diploma and Advanced Diploma, Associate degree, Bachelor degree and postgraduate studies
- comparable AQF Diploma and Advanced Diploma
- Australian or comparable non-award studies and tertiary preparation courses, with a full-time equivalence of one year.
Your qualification must have been undertaken in one of the following countries:
|
|
Many courses have further English language requirements. Be sure to check the special requirements section for additional criteria that relate to your course.
I have completed a course taught in English
If you do not have an assessable qualification from one of the above countries, you may still be able to satisfy the English language requirement.
If you have successfully completed no less than the equivalent of one year full-time study of a secondary/post-secondary course that is taught in English (equivalent to the level of Australian Year 12 or higher), you satisfy the UTS English language requirement. However, your course must be delivered by an institution that is:
- public or private
- accredited by a government, and
- recognised by UTS.
You must provide an official document from your institution on the institution letterhead certifying that the medium of instruction for your qualification was English.
Acceptable assessable courses of study include:
- senior secondary studies comparable with the New South Wales Higher School Certificate (HSC)
- one full year of Australian or comparable tertiary studies, including RATE Associate Diploma and Advanced Diploma, Associate degree, Bachelor degree and postgraduate studies
- comparable AQF Diploma and Advanced Diploma
- Australian or comparable non-award studies and tertiary preparation courses.
Many courses have further English language requirements. Be sure to check the special requirements section for additional criteria that relate to your course.
I have completed another acceptable qualification or program in English
The following is also recognised by UTS as meeting the English language requirements:
- UTS College Academic English Level 5 (AE5). You must have achieved a “Pass” for courses with an English language admission requirement of IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 in writing
- UTS College Academic English Level 6 (AE6). You must have achieved a “Pass” for courses with an English language admission requirement of IELTS 7.0 with 7.0 in writing
- High school English mark equal to or greater than 75% from Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway or Switzerland
- Australian TAFE (NSW) Certificate IV in English for Academic Purposes (EAP). In 2018, the EAP test replaced Certificate IV and will be recognised by UTS as meeting minimum English Language Proficiency requirements from 2019.
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE):
- for courses requiring an IELTS academic overall score of 8.0, you must receive an overall CPE score of 200 or above
- for courses requiring an IELTS academic overall score of 7.5, you must receive an overall CPE score of 191 - 199
- for courses requiring an IELTS academic overall score of 7.0, you must receive an overall CPE score of 185 – 190
- for courses requiring an IELTS academic overall score of 6.5, you must receive an overall CPE score of 176 – 184
- Successful completion of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program subjects ‘English A: literature’ or ‘English A: language and literature. This is applicable if the Diploma Program was taught in a language other than English.
- A result of level 4 or above in the core subject English in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination.
I have not studied in English
If your previous education was not conducted in English, you are required to demonstrate proficiency in English by completing an English language test or program recognised by UTS. English language proficiency test scores are recognised if they were obtained less than two years before you applied to UTS. For IELTS OSR, the validity period is two years from the one skill re-take date.
Each course at UTS requires different English language test results to satisfy the language requirement. For all combined courses, the highest English language requirement test scores apply.
Please note that the TOEFL Paper Based Test is currently being phased out by TOEFL. UTS will continue to accept TOEFL IBT and TOEFL IBT Home Edition scores, provided the test was taken within the two years prior to application at UTS.
Undergraduate coursework English language requirements
Bachelor of Science/Master of Teaching in Secondary Education (C10404)
Bachelor of Communication (Writing and Publishing)/Master of Teaching in Secondary Education (C10405)
Bachelor of Technology/Master of Teaching in Secondary Education (C10406)
Bachelor of Business/Master of Teaching in Secondary Education (C10449)
Bachelor of Economics/Master of Teaching in Secondary Education (C10450)
Bachelor of Education Futures Master of Teaching in Primary Education (C10480)
- IELTS (Academic/Online/OSR): 7.5 overall, speaking 8.0, listening 8.0, reading 7.0, writing 7.0
- TOEFL (Internet-based/Home Edition): 102-109 overall, speaking 26, listening 28, reading 24, writing 27
- PTE (Academic): 73-78 overall, speaking 79, listening 79, reading 65, writing 65
- C1A/C2P: 191-199 overall with 200 in both the speaking and listening, and a reading and writing score of 185
Please check the special requirements section to see if you need to satisfy other requirements.
Bachelor of Communication (Honours)
- IELTS (Academic/Online/OSR): 7.0 overall, writing 7.0
- TOEFL (Internet-based/Home Edition): 94-101 overall, writing 23
- PTE (Academic): 65-72 overall with a writing score of 65
- C1A/C2P: 185-190 overall with a writing score of 185
- UTS College Academic English Level 6 (AE6): Pass grade
Bachelor of Nursing
Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation
Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of International Studies (C10123)
- IELTS (Academic/OSR): 7.0 overall, speaking 7.0, listening 7.0, reading 7.0, writing 7.0
- TOEFL (Internet-based): 94 total, speaking 23, listening 24, reading 24, writing 27
- PTE (Academic): 65 overall, speaking 65, listening 65, reading 65, writing 65
- OET: B score in listening, reading, writing and speaking
Please check the special requirements section to see if you need to satisfy other requirements.
All other courses
- IELTS (Academic/Online/OSR): 6.5 overall, writing 6.0
- TOEFL (Internet-based/Home Edition): 79–93 overall, writing 21
- PTE (Academic): 58-64 with a writing score of 50
- C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169
- AE5/AE6 (PASS): AE5
Note: For all combined courses, the applicable English language requirement is the higher of the scores of the two component courses.
Postgraduate coursework English language requirements
Master of Teaching in Primary Education
Master of Teaching in Secondary Education
- IELTS (Academic/Online/OSR): 7.5 overall, speaking 8.0, listening 8.0, reading 7.0, writing 7.0
- TOEFL (Internet-based/Home Edition): 102-109 overall, speaking 26, listening 28, reading 24, writing 27
- PTE (Academic): 73-78 overall, speaking 79, listening 79, reading 65, writing 65
- C1A/C2P: 191-199 overall with 200 in both the speaking and listening, and a reading and writing score of 185.
Please check the special requirements section to see if you need to satisfy other requirements.
Graduate Certificate in Executive Management
Executive Master of Business Administration
Graduate Certificate in Media Practice and Industry
Master of Media Practice and Industry
Master of Media Practice and Industry (Extension)
- IELTS (Academic/Online/OSR): 7.0 overall with a writing score of 6.5
Note: the IELTS OSR is not recognised as evidence of English language proficiency for the following courses: Graduate Certificate in Executive Management and Executive Master of Business Administration. - TOEFL (Internet-based/Home Edition): 94-101 overall with a writing score of 24
- PTE (Academic): 65-72 overall with a writing score of 58
- C1A/C2P: 185-190 with a writing score 176
- UTS College Academic English Level 6 (AE6): Pass grade
Please check the special requirements section to see if you need to satisfy other requirements
Graduate Diploma in Psychology (Advanced) - OPM
Master of Pharmacy
Master of Pharmacy (International)
Master of Clinical Psychology
Master of Physiotherapy
Master of Genetic Counselling
Master of Speech Pathology
- IELTS (Academic/OSR): 7.0 overall, 7.0 in each subtest
- TOEFL (Internet-based): 94 overall, reading 24, listening 24, speaking 23, writing 27
- PTE (Academic): 65 overall, speaking 65, listening 65, reading 65, writing 65
- C1A/C2P: Not applicable
Please check the special requirements section to see if you need to satisfy other requirements.
Master of Orthoptics
- IELTS (Academic/OSR): 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.5; or
- TOEFL: internet based: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 24; or
- PTE (Academic): 58-64 overall with a writing score of 58; or
- C1A/C2P: 176-184 overall with a writing score of 176
Please check the special requirements section to see if you need to satisfy other requirements.
Master of Animation and Visualisation
Graduate Certificate in Animation and Visualisation
- IELTS (Academic/Online/OSR): 6.5 overall, speaking 6.5, listening 6.5, reading 6.5, writing 6.0
- TOEFL (Internet-based/Home Edition): 79–93 overall, speaking 20–22, listening 20–23, reading 19–23, writing 21–23
- PTE (Academic): 58-64 overall with a score of 58 in listening, speaking and reading, and a score of 50 in writing
- C1A/C2P: 176-184 overall with a score of 176 in listening, speaking and reading, and a score of 169 in writing
All other courses
- IELTS (Academic/Online/OSR): 6.5 overall, writing 6.0
- TOEFL (Internet-based/Home Edition): 79-93 overall, writing 21
- PTE (Academic): 58-64 with a writing score of 50
- C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169
- UTS College Academic English Level 5 (AE5): Pass grade
Postgraduate research English language requirements
All Business research courses [except C03069 Master of Business (Research)]
All Health research courses
All Communication research courses
All Education research courses
All International Studies research courses
All Graduate School of Health research courses
All Law research courses
All Sustainable Futures research courses
All Analytics and Data Science (Connected Intelligence Centre) research courses
- IELTS (Academic/Online/OSR): 7.0 overall, writing 7.0
- TOEFL (Internet-based/Home Edition): 94-101 overall, writing 27
- PTE (Academic): 65-72 overall with a writing score of 65
- C1A/C2P: 185-190 overall with a writing score of 185
- UTS College Academic English Level 6 (AE6): Pass grade
C03069 Master of Business (research)
- IELTS (Academic/Online/OSR): 7.0 overall, writing 6.5
- TOEFL (Internet-based/Home Edition): 94-101 overall with a writing score of 24
- PTE (Academic): 65-72 overall with a writing score of 58
- C1A/C2P: 185-190 with a writing score 176
- UTS College Academic English Level 6 (AE6): Pass grade
All Design, Architecture and Building research courses
All Engineering research courses
All Information Technology research courses
All Science research courses
All Transdisciplinary Innovation research courses
- IELTS (Academic/Online/OSR): 6.5 overall, writing 6.0
- TOEFL (Internet-based/Home Edition): 79–93 overall, writing 21
- PTE (Academic): 58-64 with a writing score of 50
- C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169
- UTS College Academic English Level 5 (AE5): Pass grade
English language tests and programs
All the links below open external websites.
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- International English Language Testing System Online (IELTS Online)
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS One Skill Retake – OSR)
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
If you sit the TOEFL test, you must arrange for the official score report to be sent directly to UTS. The UTS institutional code for TOEFL is 0743. - Pearson Test of English (PTE)
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
- Academic English Level 5 (AE5) AND Level 6 (AE6)
AE5 and AE6 are offered by UTS College as a pathway to UTS, the UTS College CRICOS provider number is 00859D. - Occupational English Test (OET)
Additional English language tests
Linguaskill scores will be accepted for courses which require an overall IELTS score of 6.5 with 6.0 in writing. You must score 176-184 (using the Cambridge English Scale) to be eligible. The test must be undertaken less than one year prior to applying to UTS and is only applicable for applications and Linguaskill results submitted by 30 November 2024.
Special requirements
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences courses
Graduate Certificate in Media Practice and Industry (C11289)
Master of Media Practice and Industry (C04394)
Master of Media Practice and Industry (Extension) (C04411)
Applicants who have previously studied in English may only satisfy the English language requirements for these courses if they have successfully completed tertiary qualifications of at least three years that was taught and assessed solely in
English from one of the below approved countries:
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Canada
- Republic of Ireland
- Singapore
- South Africa
- United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
- United States of America
Master of Teaching in Secondary Education and all degrees combined with the Master of Teaching in Secondary Education (C04255)
Applicants who have previously studied in English only satisfy the English language requirements for these courses if they have successfully completed an undergraduate qualification of at least three years that was taught and assessed solely in English from one of the below countries:
- Australia
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
- United States of America
- Canada
- Republic of Ireland
If you have not studied English, or have not satisfied the above requirement, you must take an English language test recognised by UTS. Find out more in the I have not studied in English section.
Graduate School of Health courses
Master of Pharmacy (C04252)
Master of Pharmacy (International) (C04395)
Master of Physiotherapy (C04306)
Master of Orthoptics (C04299)
Master of Speech Pathology (C04386)
Master of Genetic Counselling (C04374)
Graduate Diploma in Psychology (Advanced) (C06149) - UTS Online
Applicants who have previously studied in English may only satisfy the English language requirements for these courses if they have successfully completed tertiary qualifications in the relevant degree of at least three years that was taught and assessed solely in English from one of the below approved countries:
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Canada
- Republic of Ireland
- South Africa
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
In order to provide sufficient evidence to support this, you will need to submit an official document from your institution on the institution letterhead certifying that your tertiary qualification was taught and assessed solely in English.
If you have not studied English, or have not satisfied the above requirement, you must take an English language test recognised by UTS. Find out more in the I have not studied in English section.
For Pharmacy and Physiotherapy courses, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) may have additional English Language Requirements for registration at the completion of the course.
Master of Clinical Psychology (C04300)
Applicants must demonstrate their English competency in one of the approved pathways listed in the English Language Skills Registration Standard outlined by the Psychology Board of Australia. These requirements are also applied by AHPRA for eligibility for Provisional Registration once students are enrolled in the course.
Nursing and Midwifery courses
Bachelor of Nursing (C10122)
Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation (C10351)
Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of International Studies (C10123)
Bachelor of Midwifery (C10225)
Bachelor of Midwifery/Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation (C10329)
Graduate Diploma in Midwifery (C07070)
The English language requirements of these courses align with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (external site) English Language proficiency criteria. English requirements for these courses can be found under the I have not studied in English section. Please note that all midwifery courses are only available to domestic students only.
The test results must be current up to 2 years old and apply to one test sitting. The test scores from two different tests cannot be combined. However, a maximum of two sittings of the same test, in a 6 month period is acceptable only if:
- IELTS: an overall score of 7 is achieved in each sitting and achieve a minimum score of 7 in each component across the two sittings, and no score in any component of the test is below 6.5.
- TOELF iBT: a total score of 94 in each sitting and achieve a minimum score of 24 for listening, 24 for reading, 27 for writing and 23 for speaking across the two sittings, and no score in any of the sections is below 20 for listening,19 for reading, 24 for writing and 20 for speaking.
- Academic PTE: a minimum overall score of 65 in each sitting is achieved and achieve a minimum score of 65 in each of the communicative skills across the two sittings, and no score in any of the communicative skills is below 58.
- OET: tested in all 4 components in each sitting and achieve a minimum score of B in each component across the two sittings, and no score in any component of the test is below C.
For applicants who declare English as their primary language, evidence of the following will only be accepted:
- Satisfactorily completed at least six years of primary and secondary education taught and assessed in English in a recognised country, including at least two years between years 7 and 12.
- Completed at least five years (full time equivalent) continuous education, including a tertiary qualification in health, taught and assessed solely in English in one of the recognised countries:
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Canada
- Republic of Ireland
- South Africa
- United Kingdom
- and the United States of America.
Students sponsored through aid programs
Special consideration for English language requirements may be given to applicants sponsored through aid programs (e.g. Australia Awards, World Bank, etc.). In some countries the Australian embassy may have different English language requirements for those seeking a student visa. Check with your nearest Australian Diplomatic Post before registering for an English language test.
UTS also accepts diplomas and advanced diplomas from Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognised tertiary institutions in Australia as well as most other Australian foundation studies programs.
