Australia resumes accepting TOEFL scores for visas after temporary pause

The Educational Testing Service (ETS), the organization behind the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), announced on Monday that TOEFL scores will again be considered valid for all Australian visa applications. This development comes after the Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA) suspended the acceptance of TOEFL scores last July, pending a review.

The restored acceptance applies to TOEFL exams taken on or after May 5, 2024. Sachin Jain, Country Manager, ETS India and South Asia, emphasized the significance of this decision, especially for Indian students and professionals. "Australia remains the preferred choice for Indian students and working professionals, with over 1.2 lakh Indian students studying in Australia last year," Jain said.

As of July 25 of last year, the TOEFL iBT was temporarily unavailable due to revisions being made to the test by ETS, the Educational Testing Service. The pause was announced by the Australian Department of Home Affairs. However, the department is currently reviewing the changes made to the test.


During this period, the Australian government accepted English proficiency test results from alternative tests, including:

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

Last year, ETS recently announced changes to the TOEFL test, including a reduction in test duration to less than two hours, making the test-taking experience more efficient for candidates.