PTE Academic
Computer-based with fast results, widely used by Indian applicants for Australia. Check the visa and university minimums for your course.
Australia · English requirements
Study in Australia Without IELTS
Australia is the strictest of the major destinations: most Indian applicants need a score from an accepted English test for the student visa (subclass 500), even if a university is flexible for admission. The good news is that IELTS isn't the only accepted test.
- Visa usually needs a test
- PTE and TOEFL accepted
- Online or at-home tests not accepted
- Packaged English courses help
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Quick answer
Study in Australia Without IELTS
Not usually without any test. The Australian student visa generally needs a score from an accepted English test — Home Affairs lists IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced, OET and a few others — unless you're exempt (for example holders of UK, US, Canadian, NZ or Irish passports). So you can skip IELTS by taking PTE or TOEFL, but home or online editions aren't accepted. A lower score is allowed if your course is packaged with English (ELICOS) study.
Ask on WhatsAppUpdated · Reviewed by the Visa Edu Loans admissions desk
Official sources: Department of Home Affairs — English language requirements
Australia at a glance
- Visa
- Subclass 500 — accepted English test score usually required
- Standard IELTS benchmark
- 6.0 overall for a standalone course (tests from 7 August 2025)
- Packaged with ELICOS
- Lower scores allowed with set weeks of English study
- Not accepted
- At-home or online editions of tests
- Universities
- Often set higher scores than the visa minimum
Options
Your realistic routes
TOEFL iBT (test centre)
Accepted at test centres. When registering, select that you're taking TOEFL for Australia, as Home Affairs requires.
ELICOS package
If you're slightly short, a university-approved English course before your degree can lower the visa score you need.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Still have a question?
Ask a counsellor directly — we reply on WhatsApp during working hours (Mon–Sat, 9 AM–6 PM IST).
Yes, PTE Academic taken at a test centre is accepted. Check the current minimum score on the Home Affairs site.
Some universities accept it for admission, but it isn't an accepted test for the student visa, so you'd still need another score.
A few universities consider it for admission, but it generally doesn't satisfy the visa requirement for Indian applicants.
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