Do providers need to test the English language proficiency of overseas students?

CRICOS providers must recruit responsibly and ensure that overseas students are appropriately qualified for the course they are seeking to complete. Providers must ensure overseas students have sufficient English language proficiency, educational qualifications and/or work experience to enrol in the course.

Registered providers must also have and implement a documented policy for assessing that overseas students’ English language proficiency, educational qualifications or work experience is sufficient to enter a course. All students need to have sufficient language proficiency to allow then to undertake the course and to complete the required assessment.

If there is no minimum English language proficiency required, for example in an ELICOS course, the provider does not need a process for assessing this. However registered providers should consider having literacy requirements in the international student’s first language.