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All courses at UC – including undergraduate, postgraduate, research (HDR) or pathways programs – are taught in English. To make sure you can fully participate in lectures, tutorials, assessments and exams, you must demonstrate a sufficient level of English Proficiency before starting in your chosen course.
This requirement applies to all students including:
You can meet the English language requirements in several ways:
Details on UC’s minimum English language requirements are outlined in the UC Admissions Procedure and the Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Procedure.
If your previous studies meet the English language criteria, 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.
If you've previously completed secondary school or university studies in English in Australia, New Zealand or another recognised English-speaking country, you may already satisfy the UC English language requirements.
If you have certain qualifications from either Australia or New Zealand, you automatically satisfy the UC English language requirements for most undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
Accepted qualifications
You must have completed at least one tertiary qualification at AQF 7 or higher.
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 degrees:
*Study from Malaysia is not recognised for research courses
Assessable qualifications
Qualifications that can help you automatically meet UC’s English language requirements include:
If you've previously studied at a recognised institution listed below, you may already satisfy the UC English language requirements.
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.
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.
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 for undergraduate and postgraduate coursework.
Being registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) satisfies the English language requirements for Faculty of Health postgraduate courses that require either of the following for admission:
An English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course with an overall grade of B+ makes you eligible for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, whereas an overall grade of B makes you eligible for undergraduate courses only.
A Certificate III in Spoken and Written English makes you eligible for a UCC Diploma.
A Certificate IV in Spoken and Written English makes you eligible for further studies.
If you studied an Australian Year 11 English subject with an overall grade of C or more, you are eligible for the UCC International Foundation Studies course.
Please note that this is the only course Year 11 students are eligible for.
An Austrian Maturity Certificate or GPA of 2 in English during the last three years of your Austrian High School Diploma.
If you studied the ANU Academic English Preparation (AEP) Level 3 program, an overall grade of 60% (with a minimum of 60% in each skill) makes you eligible for UCC Foundation Studies and Extended Diploma courses.
If you studied the ANU AEP Level 4 program, an overall grade of 60% (with a minimum of 60% in each skill) makes you eligible for all UCC Diploma courses.
If you studied the ANU Access English program, an overall grade of 60% makes you eligible for undergraduate and postgraduate courses with standard English language requirements as well as certain law courses.
A Bhutan English Language Proficiency Certificate issued by the Bhutan Council for School Examinations and Assessment.
Studentereksamen (Upper Secondary School Leaving Examination) with a Grade of 6 in English A or a Grade of 9 in English B.
The English for Study and Life (Upper Intermediate) course makes you eligible for courses requiring an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 5.5
The English for Study and Life (Advanced) course makes you eligible for courses requiring an IELTS score of 6.0.
The English for Study and Life (Academic) course makes you eligible for courses requiring an IELTS score of 6.5.
Lukionpaastotodistus (Upper Secondary School Diploma) with a Grade of 8 in English A or English Advanced.
If you studied the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level (A Level), a Grade of C in English, English language, English studies, English literature, English as a Second Language, or a Humanities subject is required.
If you studied the GCE Advanced Subsidiary Level (AS Level), a Grade of B in English or a Humanities subject is required.
If you studied the GCE Advanced Level (A2) or Higher Level (H2) and are interested in courses requiring an IELTS score of 7.5, a Grade of C in any of the following subjects is required: Ancient History/Classical Studies, Anthropology, Archaeology, Citizenship Studies, Communication Studies, Creative Writing, Critical and Contextual Studies, Drama and Theatre, Economics, English (English Language/English Literature), Film Studies, General Studies, Government and Politics, History, History of Art, Humanities, Law, Media Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Social Policies, Sociology, World Development.
A Grade of B in any English or Humanities subject satisfies UC’s English language requirements.
If you are interested in courses requiring an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.5, a Grade of B in General Paper or English is required.
Acceptable Cambridge International Examination (CIE) and Edexcel International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) subjects include: English – First Language, English Language – Second Language, English as a Second Language (ESL), English – Literature and English Literature.
An Abitur (Senior High School Diploma) with a Grade of 3 in the final two years or a DAAD English Language Certificate with a Grade of B in each category of the test.
If you studied an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Level 2 course, an overall score of 70% makes you eligible for undergraduate courses with standard English language requirements.
If you studied an EAP Level 3 course, an overall score of 70% makes you eligible for postgraduate courses with standard English language requirements.
A Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) with a minimum of Level 3 in English.
If you are interested in courses requiring an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0, a minimum of Level 5 in English Language and English Literature is required.
Please note if you studied a Level 2 in English, you are only eligible for UCC Extended Diploma courses.
An All India Senior School Certificate (AISSC) with a minimum of 70% in English.
An Indian School Certificate (ISC) with a minimum of 70% in English.
An Indian State Board Higher Secondary School Examination (Year 12) result of 70% or more in English.
An All India Senior School Certificate (AISSC) with a minimum of 80% in English.
An Indian School Certificate (ISC) with a minimum of 80% in English.
An Indian State Board Higher Secondary School Examination (Year 12) result of 80% or more in English.
If you studied an International Baccalaureate (IB) in the November 2012 session or earlier, a Grade of 4 in English A1 or A2 at the standard or higher levels or a Grade of 5 in English B at the higher level satisfies UC’s English language requirements.
If you studied an IB in the May 2013 session or after, a Grade of 4 in English A: Literature or English A: Language and Literature at the standard level or a Grade of 5 in English B at higher levels satisfies UC’s English language requirements.
For courses with an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0, you must meet the following requirements:
For courses with an IELTS score of 7.5, you must meet the following requirements:
An overall score of 60% in English as an Obligatory Subject (Language I or II).
Passing grades in either the Education First (EF) Module Two or EF Exam Module from the University Preparation Program makes you eligible for undergraduate courses with standard English language requirements.
A passing grade in the EF Exam Module in the University Preparation Program makes you eligible for postgraduate courses with standard English language requirements.
If you have studied English for Further Studies (EFS) Level 4, you are eligible for UCC International Foundation Studies, Diploma and Extended Diploma courses.
Please note that this does not make you eligible for undergraduate or postgraduate courses.
If you studied an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Level 1 course, you are eligible for UCC Diploma courses.
If you studied an EAP Level 2 course, you are eligible for undergraduate courses.
If you studied an EAP Level 3 course, you are eligible for postgraduate courses.
Please note that to be eligible you must have achieved an overall score of 65% with a minimum of 60% in any macro skill.
If you studied at Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM), a Grade of C in an English language subject or English Literature examination is required.
If you studied at Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), a Grade of B in subjects examined in English or a Grade of C in 1119 English Language (Bahasa Inggeris) is required.
If you studied at Malaysian Independent Chinese Secondary Schools (MICSS) and have a Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), a Grade of B3 in English is required.
For courses with an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0, a Grade of C in 914 English or 920 English is required.
If you have studied the Monash English Upper Intermediate program, you are eligible for UCC International Foundation Studies, Diploma and Extended Diploma courses.
Please note that this does not make you eligible for undergraduate or postgraduate courses.
Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO) with an overall score of 7 or more in English.
Vitnemal (Upper Secondary) with a Grade of 4 or more in English.
If you have studied Academic English 2, you are eligible for UCC Extended Diploma courses.
If you have studied Academic English 3 and achieved a minimum overall score of 55%, you are eligible for UC coursework courses with standard English language requirements.
If you have completed 12 weeks of the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course and achieved a result of at least 50% in all macro skills, you are eligible for undergraduate courses.
If you have completed 24 weeks of the EAP course and achieved at least 50% in all macro skills, you are eligible for postgraduate courses.
If you have completed Secondary School (Year 12) within five years of your elected commencement date, with evidence confirming English as the language of instruction, you satisfy UC’s English language requirements.
If you have completed one year of full-time study equivalent with Australian tertiary studies within five years of your elected commencement date, with evidence confirming English as the language of instruction, you satisfy UC’s English language requirements.
Matriculation Certificate (Avgangsbetyg/Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskolan) with a Grade of 3 (or G) in English A or English B.
Certificate IV in English for Academic Purposes (AEP).
Qualifications where outcomes are determined to be equivalent with UC College entry scores satisfy UC’s English language requirements. Qualifications must be from participating member institutions.
Please note that this does not make you eligible for undergraduate or postgraduate courses.
If you have studied the Academic English Level 3 course, you are eligible for a UCC three-term Diploma.
If you have studied the Academic English Level 4 course, you are eligible for a UCC two-term diploma.
If you have studied the Academic English Level 5 course, you are eligible for undergraduate courses.
If you have studied the Academic English Level 6 course, you are eligible for undergraduate and postgraduate courses as well as any course with an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0 or more.
Institution/Country |
Completed Qualification (including standard required, where applicable) |
|---|---|
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) or |
Applicants of postgraduate Faculty of Health courses who are required to be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) or the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), are, they deemed to have met English proficiency requirements by virtue of their AHPRA/NMBA registration. |
| Australian Registered Training Organisations (RTO) | Certificate IV in Spoken and Written English – Further Studies |
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:
Note: Test results over two years old at the time of submitting your application won’t be accepted.
Each course has its own minimum English language score requirements. These vary depending on the level and type of study (e.g. foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate, or research). Be sure to check the specific requirements for your chosen course.
Here’s a quick overview of typical minimum 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/HDR | 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 |
Tip: Always check your course’s specific English requirements on the course detail page before applying.
UC acknowledges the Ngunnawal people, traditional custodians of the lands where Bruce campus is situated. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of Canberra and the region. We also acknowledge all other First Nations Peoples on whose lands we gather.
