Visa update: ETS says TOEFL scores are now valid for all Australian visa purposes

Scores for English language test TOEFL will now be considered valid for all Australian visa purposes, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) announced on Monday.

The Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA) put the TOEFL under review last July due to revisions being made to the test, and therefore, its scores were not accepted for visa purposes.

The Princeton-based agency, ETS, is the maker of the TOEFL iBT test.  

The agency said the scores for exams taken on or after 5 May 2024 will be considered valid for visa purposes.

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ETS, the agency that also conducts the TOEFL test, said that Australia has remained the preferred choice for Indian students and working professionals. ETS said that over 1.2 lakh Indian students are studying in Australia as of last year.

"With nine Australian universities amongst the top 100 global universities as per the latest QS World University Rankings, Australia offers world-class higher education and post-study work opportunities," said Sachin Jain, Country Manager, ETS India and South Asia.

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TOEFL, or the Test of English as a Foreign Language, is a standard test to assess the potential of non-native English speakers who plan to study in English-speaking universities to understand English.

More than 12,500 institutions accept the TOEFL test in over 160 countries. 

The TOEFL scores are universally accepted in popular study destinations such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and by over 98 per cent of universities in the UK.

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In the new TOEFL test, the ETS announced changes in the duration of the test to less than two hours, making the test-taking experience more efficient for candidates.

Which other English proficiency tests are accepted as alternatives to TOEFL?

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• One Skill Retake (OSR)
• Pearson Test of English (PTE)
• Cambridge English (CAE), also known as C1 Advanced
• Occupational English Test (OET). It is specifically designed for health professionals.