Australia Approves TOEFL® Test Scores for Student Visas

Students From Around the World Can Use the TOEFL Test, the Most Widely Accepted English Language Assessment, for Student Visas in Australia.

Princeton, N.J. (May 19, 2011) —Students from around the world who wish to study in Australia can now use their TOEFL® test scores as part of their visa application as announced by Australia’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).

"I am very pleased the TOEFL test has been chosen as one of the new English test providers and I am confident they will provide a valuable service to student visa applicants," said the Hon. Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.

This announcement has significant meaning for large numbers of international students from Assessment Level 3 and 4 countries, including China, India, Vietnam, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey and the Philippines, who are interested in studying in Australia. International students now have the opportunity to use the TOEFL test to demonstrate their English language proficiency, satisfying the required language component of the visa application process.

"Nearly every university and college in Australia already accepts TOEFL scores for admission purposes. Today’s announcement means that students globally can now use their TOEFL scores for both visa and academic admission purposes," explains David Hunt, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ETS’s Global Division.

For more than 45 years, the TOEFL test has been the most widely recognized English language assessment in the world, used by more than 8,000 colleges, universities and agencies, including the most prestigious institutions in the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. And with more than 4,500 test sites globally, the TOEFL test is more convenient than ever for students wishing to apply for study in Australia.

"The TOEFL test is the most widely accepted English language assessment worldwide. It is popular with prospective students and agents in all of Australia’s major source markets. I’m sure that all of Australia’s universities, VET and English language providers join me in welcoming the re-introduction of the TOEFL test for student visa purposes," commented Jeffrey Smart, Pro Vice- Chancellor (International and Recruitment) at Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology. "For many years, students have been able to gain academic admission into Australia’s universities on the basis of their TOEFL score: now applicants will be able to satisfy visa requirements with this test as well. With students in 165 countries taking the TOEFL test, the Department’s decision provides a boost to Australia’s international student recruitment efforts offering a larger and more diverse applicant pool."

More information about the TOEFL test, including registration dates and free sample test questions, is available at www.TOEFLGoAnywhere.org.

View the "Australia Approves the TOEFL Test" video.

About the TOEFL Test

The TOEFL test is the most widely accepted English language assessment in the world, recognized by more than 8,000 institutions in more than 130 countries. Globally, the TOEFL test is available at more than 4,500 testing sites. To date, more than 25 million students around the world have taken the TOEFL test.

About ETS

At nonprofit ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually — including the TOEFL® and TOEIC® tests, the GRE® tests and The Praxis Series™ assessments — in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations. www.ets.org