How to apply

If the student’s country of citizenship is considered as Assessment Level 1 or 2 according to Australian Department of Home Affairs

AMCA can approve their English entry level if students meet any of the following criteria:

• The Cambridge FCE, CAE or CPE - Pass with an average of 60% or higher
• Passing AMCA’s English placement test
• English proficiency of Upper Intermediate level or EAP 2 from any CRICOS approved ELICOS colleges in Australia
• Senior Secondary Certificate of Education completed in Australia
• Certificate IV or higher completed in Australia
• Completing tertiary studies in the medium of English
• Evidence of at least 5 years of studies in an English speaking country (Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada, United States of America, South Africa, Republic of Ireland)
• If English is the student’s first language

If the student’s country of citizenship is considered as Assessment Level 3 according to Australian Department of Home Affairs

English language evidence exemptions

• you are a citizen and hold a passport from UK*, USA, Canada, NZ or Republic of Ireland
• you are an applicant who is a Foreign Affairs or, Defence sponsored student or a Secondary Exchange student (AASES)
• you are enrolled in a principal course of study that is a registered school course, a standalone English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS), a course registered to be delivered in a language other than English, or a registered post-graduate research course
• you have completed at least 5 years’ study in English in one or more of the following countries: Australia, UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, or the Republic of Ireland
• in the 2 years before applying for the student visa, you completed, in Australia and in the English language, either the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education or a substantial component of a course leading to a qualification from the Australian Qualifications Framework at the Certificate IV or higher level, while you held a student visa.

English language tests (Test taken on or after 7 August 2025)

• the 2 years before the date your visa application is lodged
• the 2 years before a decision is made on your visa application if you did not provide evidence of the English language test at the time your application was lodged.

* C1 Advanced test does not accept any test scores below IELTS 6.

^For a list of eligible Pathway programs, see Migration (English Language Tests and Evidence Exemptions for Subclass 500 (Student) Visas) Instrument 2025 - Federal Register of Legislation.

Note: For packaged courses i.e. ELICOS and a Bachelor course, 10 weeks and 20 weeks of ELICOS is a ‘minimum’ requirement to meet the IELTS threshold. For example, an applicant who has enrolled in at least 10 weeks of ELICOS packaged with a principal course must have achieved the required IELTS (or equivalent) test score of 5.5. If enrolled in at least 20 weeks of ELICOS packaged with a principal course, the applicant must have achieved IELTS (or equivalent) test score of 5.0.