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Australia is one of the top study abroad destinations for students in India. More than 400,000 students aspire to study in Australia every year. Therefore, it is understandable that the level of competition is tough and that students will have to prove their excellence in order to make the cut. There are two main basis of assessment for entry to top Australian universities i.e. academic merit and scores of exams to study in Australia. All international students seeking admission to institutions in English-speaking countries will have to provide English language proficiency scores of IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or CAE. English language proficiency test scores are also considered for offering scholarships in Australia. Besides, scores of secondary exams to study in Australia such as SAT or ACT for undergraduates and GRE or GMAT for graduates is also an important aspect for admission.

International students are expected to have a minimum IELTS score of 6.0-6.5 or TOEFL score of 90 or PTE score of 72 or CAE score of 60-79 or above for acceptance to the university. A higher score on any of these exams will add value to the candidate’s profile. International entrance scores largely depend on the institution. For instance, applicants seeking admission to MBA in Australia are expected to demonstrate a GMAT score of 550 or above with relevant work experience for admission. The score requirements for more selective institutions are generally above 600. While preparing for entrance exams to study in Australia, candidates must check the average score requirements for their choice of institution and program and aim for higher scores.

Exams to Study in Australia: Indian Student Application Fees

International applicants will have to register for the necessary exams to study in Australia and submit the registration fees. Most exam fees are accepted either through debit/ credit card or online fund transfer. Late registration may attract additional fees. The fees for the top exams required to study in Australia are given in the table below:

English Proficiency Requirements to Study in Australia

As a requirement for admission to universities in Australia, international students whose native language is not English are required to take English language tests to fulfill the English proficiency requirements. Besides admission, English language tests are also necessary for visa purposes.

Since English is the medium of instruction at most Australian universities, it is believed students who demonstrate strong English language skills are more likely to succeed at their academics. Some of the most popular and widely accepted tests are IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and CAE. Some institutions may also consider equivalent test scores in other exams.

Depending on your scores and academic background, you might be offered conditional admission and asked to enroll in preparatory courses to strengthen English language proficiency. However, this may not be the case for top institutions with competitive admission policies and therefore it is best to be prepared for the exam itself.

IELTS

International English Language Testing System or IELTS is one of the most widely accepted English proficiency test scores for studying in Australia. The band requirements and individual scores depend on the level of study and area of study.

• In India, IELTS is conducted in more than 800 centres and the application fee for the same is 14,700 INR. IELTS scores are valid for 2 years from the exam date.
• An overall IELTS score of 6.0 or 6.5 is necessary for admission to Australian universities.
• Candidates with an overall band score of 7.0 or above are considered competent. Students can apply for the exam through the official website, British council website/ center, IDP Education website or offline by downloading the IELTS application form and submitting it through courier.

TOEFL

Test of English as Foreign Language or TOEFL score is a 120 mark exam divided into 4 sections each of 30 marks – reading, listening, writing and speaking. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ETS introduced a special home edition of the TOEFL iBT (internet based test) due to the closure of testing centers.

• The fees to register for TOEFL exam in India is 11,468 – 17,919 INR depending on test location. The exam is popular in India and conducted across 4,500+ test centers.
• The application for this exam can be completed online or offline through the official website or app available on the play store.
• On an average, a score of 90 in TOEFL-iBT is required for admission to most institutions.
• Students with a score of 100-110 are in a better position to be accepted at their choice of institution.

PTE

Pearson Test of English or PTE is a 3-hour computer based exam conducted across various cities in India. The PTE exam tests 4 skills of candidates that include reading, writing, speaking and listening.

• It is a 90 point test and a score of 72 or above is considered satisfactory while those between 74-84 is a competitive score for admission.
• Registering for PTE is simple and only requires creating an account on the official PTE account.
• The registration fee for PTE is 13,300 INR. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, PTE testing has resumed in India, Australia and China.

CAE

The Cambridge Advanced English test (CAE) is offered by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. Students preparing to apply for undergraduate programs in Australia commonly appear for this exam in standard 11 or 12 of higher education. However, it must be noted that the scores are valid for 2 years only.

• This exam can be taken as a paper-based or computer-based test at a local testing centre. It comprises 5 papers related to reading, writing, speaking, listening and usage of English. Around 25 centers in India offer the CAE exam.
• The application for the CAE exam can be downloaded online. The registration fee in India is 6,000 INR currently. The scores of the CAE exam are published in the form of grades with a corresponding CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) level.
• A score between 60-79 receives a level C1 certificate and is considered fairly good. Scores above 80 are outstanding and correspond to level C2.

Study in Australia without IELTS or TOEFL

Students who complete their academic curriculum of previous years (approximately for 5 years) with English as a primary mode of instruction may not necessarily produce English Language Proficiency Proof.

Following universities admit students without IELTS or TOEFL scores if they accept an English program at the university prior to commencing their degree. These universities are:

• University of Adelaide
• Macquarie University

In another case, English language test scores of CAE and PTE are accepted in place of IELTS and TOEFL by:

• Bond University
• University of South Australia

University of Southern Queensland, Bond University, and the Swinburne University of Technology accept students whose secondary education medium of instruction was English. University of Southern Queensland also suggests undertaking USQ pathway programs for admission to the university.

Exams to Study Undergraduate Programs in Australia

Undergraduate applicants in Australia are offered admission mainly on the basis of successful completion of Australian year 12 or equivalent and proof of English language proficiency. Standardized test scores such as SAT or ACT are not necessary for undergraduate admission to Australian universities.

It is required mainly when U.S. high school students apply for admission to Australian universities. SAT or ACT scores may also be accepted as proof of English language proficiency at some institutions.

Applicants for programs in medicine require secondary tests to study in Australia such as UMAT scores for admission. Another exam used for admission to medicine programs in Australia is ISAT.

UMAT

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) conducts the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission (UMAT) test in Australia and New Zealand. It is a 3 hour multiple choice based exam held late in July every year.

• It is a specialized exam prepared for students interested in seeking admission to undergraduate medicine, dentistry and health science degree programs in Australia.
• There are 4 sections of the paper: critical thinking, problem solving, understanding people and abstract non-verbal reasoning.
• UMAT scores are accepted by a number of reputed institutions such as University of New South Wales, University of Newcastle, University of Western Australia, Charles Darwin University, University of Queensland, Flinders University, University of Adelaide, Monash University and La Trobe University among others.

ISAT

International Student Admission Test or ISAT is another test for determining admission to medicine, occupational therapy and speech, language pathology programs and healthcare programs in Australia.

• It is a 3-hour multiple choice test that assesses candidates on the basis of critical reasoning and quantitative reasoning abilities. A minimum score of 60 is required for admission to Australian universities. The scores are valid for one year from the test date.
• The registration for ISAT exam can be done online or telephone through Prometric. This exam is accepted by prestigious institutions such as Flinders University, Monash University, University of New South Wales, University of Queensland, University of Western Australia, University Western Australia, University of Western Sydney, etc.

LSAT

Law School Admission Test or LSAT is conducted on behalf of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), USA. It is an exam required for admission to law programs both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

• The only way to register for LSAT is online with an application fee of 3,799 INR.
• The test is administered in various cities across India such as Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai, Jaipur, Bhopal, etc.
• It is a MCQ based exam with 4 sections including reading comprehension, analytical reasoning and 2 sections of logical reasoning. Check Exam pattern of LSAT

SAT

Scholastic Aptitude Test or SAT is a very popular entrance test for undergraduate admission administered by the College Board. It is a multiple-choice based exam focusing on 2 sections – Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing.

• It also has an optional essay section, the scores of which are reported separately. Some colleges may specifically look for SAT Essay scores depending on their selection criteria.
• The registration for SAT must be conducted at least 5 weeks before the test date.
• The registration fee for the SAT exam in India is 7,500 INR and the application can be submitted online or via mail to the designated address.
• Scores above 1200 are considered good for admission. Exceptional candidates who score above 1500 in SAT are prioritised for admission.

Some of the top institutions in Australia that accept SAT scores for admission include University of Queensland, University of Sydney, University of Western Australia, University of South Australia, Australian National University, Curtin University, Flinders University, etc.

ACT

American College Test or ACT is another undergraduate entrance exam and a common alternative for the SAT. ACT is a computer-based exam consisting of subjects like Mathematics, English, Science and Reading.

• The writing component of ACT is optional. This exam uses a 36 point scale and is more or less considered equally competitive as the SAT.
• The minimum average ACT composite score for admission and scholarship consideration is 28 or above at most reputed institutions.
• The registration for ACT can be done online through the official website or offline by requesting and submitting the application form via mail. The application fee is 11,571 – 12,429 INR.

Exams to Study Postgraduate Courses in Australia

For admission to postgraduate courses in business colleges in Australia, Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) scores are required. GRE is not very popular for admission to Australian universities. Medicine, dentistry and health related programs require a Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) score. Admission to the well-known Juris Doctor program at the University of Melbourne requires the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score.

GMAT

Graduate Management Admission Test or GMAT is a very well-known computer-based entrance exam to study in Australia necessary for seeking admission to management based programs abroad. It comprises 4 sections: writing, integrated reasoning, verbal and quantitative skills.

• Scores of GMAT are valid for 5 years from the date of exam. The duration of the exam excluding analytical writing is 2 hours and 45 minutes.
• The GMAT registration process can be completed online by paying an application fee of 18,300 INR. The main factors affecting your performance in GMAT are time management and flexibility to use the computer system.
• With more than 2 lakh candidates appearing for the exam every year from India itself, the level of competition is tough and a very small proportion of candidates pass the exam with a score of 700 or above.
• Applicants with a score of 680 or above can expect to get admitted to some of the top business institutions in Australia. GMAT is an important component for MBA admission in Australia and therefore your performance in the test can largely affect admissions.

Top b-schools in Australia are Melbourne Business School (University of Melbourne), Monash Business School (Monash University), Australian Graduate School of Management (University of New South Wales), University of Queensland Business School, etc.

MCAT

Postgraduate applicants seeking admission to medical schools in Australia must take the Medical College Admissions Test or MCAT. Australian medical schools such as Griffith Medical School, Melbourne Medical School and Sydney Medical School require MCAT scores for admission. Students can apply to JCU Medical School or Monash Medical School without appearing for MCAT.

• The exam is conducted multiple times between January and September. It is a computer-based MCQ test based on physical sciences, biological sciences, psychology, natural, social and behavioral sciences, etc.
• Students can apply for the test online by entering details of the exam date and preferred location. The registration fee for MCAT is 23,410 INR. The MCAT scores are valid for 3 years.
• The total score of the exam is between 472 to 528 while individual section scores vary between 118 and 132.

LSAT

As mentioned above, Law School Admissions Test or LSAT scores are required for admission to JD programs at Australian law schools. Some of the most popular law schools in Australia requiring LSAT scores for admission are Adelaide Law School, Melbourne Law School, Faculty of Law at Monash University and Faculty of Law at the University of Western Australia among others.

From the above discussion, it is clear that to apply before deadlines of Australian universities, applicants require various test scores depending on the area of study. While minimum requirements for different universities vary, candidates must give it their best shot if they wish to get selected at some of the top institutions. Every exam has a different pattern, score range and result bands. Institutions ask for any one of the test scores to study in Australia and it is up to the candidate to take any of the accepted exams.