Entry requirements for international students

Regardless of whether you’re going to be studying in Melbourne or from your home country, you need to meet the minimum English language and academic requirements for the course you want to study.

Please see the English Requirements table.

Academic requirements

Foundation Year, UniLink diplomas, vocational education and bachelor degrees

Enter your details to find entry requirements for your chosen course.

Other qualifications

To confirm entry requirements using an overseas qualification that does not appear on the list, please call 1300 275 794 (within Australia)
+61 9214 8444 (outside Australia) operating hours 9am - 5.30pm AEST or complete the enquiry form.

Master and research degrees

Use Course Search to find the entry requirements for your chosen course.

English language requirements

Each course offered by Swinburne has a minimum English language requirement for entry. Your course may also have the Pearson Test of English as an additional prerequisite.


English requirement for TAFE, pathway and overseas exchange courses

Course level / English language test

Swinburne Foundation Program

Vocational Education courses (certificates, diplomas* and advanced diplomas)

*except UniLink diplomas

 UniLink diplomas

UniLink Bridging Program

Study Abroad and Exchange

Postgraduate Qualifying Program

IELTS (Academic Module)

 Overall 5.5
No individual band below 5.0

UniLink diplomas

Overall 5.5
No individual band below 5.0

UniLink Bridging Program

Overall 6.0
No individual band below 5.5

 Overall 6.0
No individual band below 5.5		 Overall 6.0
No individual band below 5.5

PTE Academic

 42
(no communicative skill less than 36) 		 42
(no communicative skill less than 36) 		 50
(no communicative skill less than 45)		 50
(no communicative skill less than 45)

TOEFL iBT

 50
(no less than 5 in reading, 5 in listening, 14 in speaking, 15 in writing)

50
(no less than 5 in reading, 5 in listening, 14 in speaking, 15 in writing)

60
(no less than 10 in reading, 9 in listening, 16 in speaking, 19 in writing)

60
(no less than 10 in reading, 9 in listening, 16 in speaking, 19 in writing)

TOEFL iBT Home Edition Test^

50
(no less than 5 in reading, 5 in listening, 14 in speaking, 15 in writing)

50
(no less than 5 in reading, 5 in listening, 14 in speaking, 15 in writing)

60
(no less than 10 in reading, 9 in listening, 16 in speaking, 19 in writing)

60
(no less than 10 in reading, 9 in listening, 16 in speaking, 19 in writing)

C1 Advanced*

 162, no band less than 154 162, no band less than 154 169, no band less than 162 169, no band less than 162

Common European Framework

 B1 B1 B2 B2

Linguaskill – General^

 Overall score of 140-159 with no band less than 120 Overall score of 140-159 with no band less than 120 - Overall score of 160-179 with no band less than 140

Duolingo English Test (DET)^

 Overall score of 95 (minimum production score 80) Overall score of 95 (minimum production score 80) Overall score of 105-115 Overall score of 105-115

*Formerly Cambridge English: Advanced [CAE]

^Valid for students commencing Swinburne course offshore via transnational education partnerships (INTI - Malaysia, Swinburne Vietnam - Vietnam, NCHS - Sri Lanka and HKUSPACE - Hong Kong) or at the Sarawak campus in 2024 teaching periods only


English requirement for undergraduate and postgraduate courses

Course level / English language test

Undergraduate degrees

(see exceptions) 

Undergraduate degrees in:

education

law

psychological sciences

psychology (honours)

professional degrees

Bachelor of Nursing

Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science

Postgraduate courses by coursework

Bachelor of Psychological Sciences (Honours)

Master of Dietetics

Master of Occupational Therapy

Master of Physiotherapy

Master of Teaching (Primary)

Master of Teaching (Secondary)

IELTS (Academic Module)

 Overall 6.0
No individual band below 6.0

 Overall 6.5
No individual band below 6.0		 Overall 7.0
No individual band below 7.0^^		 Overall 6.5
No individual band below 6.0		 Overall 7.0
No individual band below 7.0		 Overall 7.0, No individual band below 7.5 in speaking and Listening 

PTE Academic

50
(no communicative skill less than 50)  

 58
(no communicative skill less than 50)		 65
(no communicative skill less than 65)^^		 58
(no communicative skill less than 50) 		 66
(no communicative skill less than 58)		 66
(no communicative skill less than 58)

TOEFL iBT

64
(no less than 13 in reading, 12 in listening, 18 in speaking, 21 in writing)

79
(no less than 13 in reading, 12 in listening, 18 in speaking 21 in writing)

94
(no less than 24 for reading, 24 for listening, 23 for speaking, 27 for writing)^^

79
(no less than 13 in reading, 12 in listening, 18 in speaking 21 in writing)

94
(no less than 25 in reading, 24 in listening, 23 in speaking, 27 in writing)

94
(no less than 25 in reading, 27 in listening, 25 in speaking, 27 in writing)

TOEFL iBT Home Edition Test^

64
(no less than 13 in reading, 12 in listening, 18 in speaking, 21 in writing)

 - -

79
(no less than 13 in reading, 12 in listening, 18 in speaking 21 in writing)

 - -

C1 Advanced*

169, no band less than 169 

 176, no band less than 169 - 176, no band less than 169 185, no band less than 185 185 (No band less than 185)

Common European Framework

B2

 B2 - B2  C1 C1

Linguaskill – General^

Overall score of 160-179 with no band less than 160

 - - - - -

Duolingo English Test (DET)^

Overall score of 105 (minimum production score 90)

 Overall score of 120 (minimum production score 105)  -  Overall score of 120 (minimum production score of 105)  -  -

Occupational English Test (OET)

-

 -

Minimum of B (>350 marks) in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking^^ 

  -  -  -

Exceptions: undergraduate (bachelor) degrees in education, exercise and sport science, law, nursing, psychological sciences, psychology (honours) and psychological sciences (honours), and professional degree courses

*Formerly Cambridge English: Advanced [CAE]

^Valid for students commencing Swinburne course offshore via transnational education partnerships (INTI - Malaysia, Swinburne Vietnam - Vietnam, NCHS - Sri Lanka and HKUSPACE - Hong Kong) or at the Sarawak campus in 2024 teaching periods only

^^NMBA Registration Standard: English Language Skills includes requirements around the number of test sittings from which results will be accepted 


English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS)

We also offer English language courses that can help you meet the English language requirement to study a course.