What IELTS score must international students achieve to get into a university in Australia? If you’re looking to study abroad, down under is still an undisputed top destination for students worldwide.
To keep their international education sector sustainable, Australian visa and policy settings have continued to evolve even through 2026. However, the government and universities remain open to attracting genuine students and providing them with high-quality outcomes.
If you’re planning to further your education in Australia and secure a student visa with the Department of Home Affairs, you’ll be required to take an English test like IELTS to demonstrate your language proficiency. This test will also be important if you’re looking to work in Australia.
IELTS requirements stated are general entry requirements. Specific programmes such as Medicine, Law, Nursing, Education and Psychology may require higher scores (typically IELTS 7.0 - 7.5). Students are encouraged to check with their counsellor for more detailed guidance.
Minimum IELTS scores for Australian universities
To qualify for an Australian student visa (subclass 500), you must obtain the minimum IELTS band score of 6.0.
As you explore the minimum IELTS requirements according to the top-ranked universities in Australia, keep in mind these caveats:
Some Australian universities do not differentiate between undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) score requirements, and may have the same baseline applied.
Universities such as the University of Wollongong and the University of Newcastle (UON) generally do not have a higher PG baseline than UG scores.
Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings in 2026
One of the world’s most established metrics, the Times Higher Education world rankings assess universities based on the following five key performance indicators: teaching, research quality, research environment, international outlook and industry income.
Rank | University | Global rank | IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes) | IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes) |
1 | University of Melbourne | 37 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
2 | The University of Sydney | =53 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
3 | Monash University | =58 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
4 | Australian National University | =73 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
5 | The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney | 79 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
6 | The University of Queensland | =80 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
7 | University of Adelaide | 133 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
8 | University of Technology Sydney | =145 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
9 | The University of Western Australia | 153 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
10 | Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia) | =166 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
=11 | Deakin University | 201 – 250 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
=11 | Queensland University of Technology | 201 – 250 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
=11 | University of Wollongong | 201 – 250 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
=14 | Curtin University | 251 – 300 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
=14 | Griffith University | 251 – 300 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
=14 | La Trobe University | 251 – 300 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
=14 | RMIT University | 251 – 300 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
=14 | Swinburne University of Technology | 251 – 300 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
=14 | University of Newcastle, Australia (UON) | 251 – 300 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
=14 | University of Tasmania | 251 – 300 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
QS World University Rankings in 2026
The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) world rankings is also another global premier ranking system that rates universities by institution and subject through academic reputation, citation, faculty to student ratio, employer, international research and sustainability indicators.
Rank | University | Global rank | IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes) | IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes) |
1 | University of Melbourne | 19 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
2 | The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney | 20 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
3 | The University of Sydney | =25 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
4 | Australian National University (ANU) | =32 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
5 | Monash University | =36 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
6 | The University of Queensland | =42 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
7 | The University of Western Australia | 77 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
8 | Adelaide University | =82 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
9 | University of Technology Sydney | 96 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
10 | RMIT University | 125 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
11 | Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia) | =138 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
12 | Curtin University | 183 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
13 | University of Wollongong | =184 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
14 | Deakin University | =207 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
15 | Queensland University of Technology | =226 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
16 | The University of Newcastle, Australia (UON) | =227 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
17 | La Trobe University | =233 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
18 | Griffith University | 268 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
19 | Swinburne University of Technology | =294 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
20 | University of Tasmania | =314 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
Successfully study in Australia with IDP
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As a co-owner of the IELTS test, IDP has decades of experience in helping students to prepare and achieve their target IELTS score for study abroad.
Prepare for IELTS with the all-in-one IDP IELTS Prep Hub and earn a top score for Australia’s universities and immigration. Learn how to tackle the different sections of the English test, use official IELTS Academic practice tests and hear from IELTS experts through video podcasts.
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