• Section 1 - Summary
• Section 2 - TEQSA/ASQA/ESOS Alignment
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Definitions
• Section 5 - Policy/Regulation
• Section 6 - Procedures
• Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
• Part B - General Requirements
• Table A: Minimum English Language Standards 
• Table B: Course Specific Higher English Language Standards
• Part C - Study in English or Residence / Employment in an English-speaking Country as Evidence of English Language Proficiency
• Table C: General Rules – Study equivalence for English Language proficiency demonstration
• Part D - International equivalences for English language proficiency
• Part E - Approving Standards and Special Cases
• Standard English Language Admission Levels
• Unique Cases

Section 1 - Summary

(1) The purpose of this Procedure is to provide direction on the formulation, amendment and approval of English language requirements for admission to Victoria University (VU) courses.

Section 2 - TEQSA/ASQA/ESOS Alignment

(2) HESF Standard: 1.1.1 Admission.

(3) ESOS Act - National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018): Standard 2.2 Recruitment of an Overseas Student.

(4) This Procedure also demonstrates VU's compliance with the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 (Cth) and the Skills First Dual Sector VET Funding Contract which has language, literacy and numeracy requirements.

Section 3 - Scope

(5) This Procedure applies to the approval and amendment of English Language Admission Requirements for:

1. domestic students;
2. onshore international students;
3. offshore students.

(6) This Procedure applies to admission requirements for the following:

1. Vocational Education (VE) award courses;
2. Higher Education award courses;
3. VE non-award courses that have accredited units;
4. International Foundations courses.

Section 4 - Definitions

(7) College

(8) Eligible Qualification – An eligible qualification is a qualification obtained in the medium of English from an accredited institution within the previous five years. Part D of this Procedure outlines specific rules related to eligible qualifications of different types.

(9) Language Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) – Part of the Pre-Training Review process to assess LLN levels to determine suitability for admission to VE Courses.

(10) Skills First Dual Sector VET Funding Contract – Contract between Department of Education and Training and VU.

(11) Pre-Training Review – Process undertaken by all VE applicants to determine suitability.

Section 5 - Policy/Regulation

(12) Admissions Policy

Section 6 - Procedures

Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities

Part B - General Requirements

(13) The University sets minimum English language proficiency standards to ensure that all students can fully participate in their chosen studies and have a reasonable chance of success.

(14) For selection into a University course, all applicants, whether domestic or international, must meet the minimum English language admission criteria for the relevant course.

(15) All VE (Cert 1 - Adv Diploma) applicants must sit a literacy and numeracy assessment as part of the pre-training review in compliance with the Skills First Dual Sector VET Funding Contract.

(16) International applicants must satisfy the Department of Home Affairs English language criteria in order to obtain a student visa to study in Australia. This requirement is in addition to the applicant meeting the University’s English language admission criteria. (NB: Meeting the requirement for a student visa does not mean that an applicant has automatically met the University's English language admission requirements.)

(17) Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency by providing evidence of:

1. successful completion of Australian Senior Secondary School Certificate with a study score in the English subjects at or above the level specified in the course admission criteria; or
2. successful completion of VU English programs or other recognised English language learning programs; or
3. ongoing study, residence or employment in an English speaking country in accordance with Part C; or
4. in accordance with Part D – International Equivalences for English Language Proficiency:
   1. a recognised English language proficiency test, completed no more than two years prior to commencing studies at VU unless otherwise specified; or
   2. an eligible qualification, completed no more than five years prior to an offer for admission at VU unless otherwise specified.

(18) Where course entry admission requirements are satisfied with evidence of an eligible qualification in the medium of English, this will also constitute sufficient evidence of English language proficiency provided the eligible qualification was completed within the preceding five years.

(19) Multiple tests (with the exception of IELTS One Skill Retake), qualifications and residency and employment cannot be combined to meet criteria. Only a single source of evidence will be accepted.

(20) Where an applicant has more than one test or qualification relevant to English language proficiency, only tests or qualifications that are within the currency period are to be considered. Generally, higher weight will be given to the most recent test or qualification.

(21) The University will not approve any waivers in relation to this Procedure.

(22) The general minimum standards for English language proficiency are established in Table A below.

(23) Minimum standards for literacy and numeracy for Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses are established in reference to the Training Package, Accredited Curriculum, or by the teaching area manager in consideration of industry standards, market analysis and if available, mapping to the Australian Core Skills Framework (for domestic students) and the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) for international students, which establishes required International English Language Testing System (IELTS) levels for entry to VET study.

(24) If the student has undertaken an English language proficiency test as a requirement of obtaining a student visa, providers are required to report the name of the English language test, the date the student took the test and the score the student received to the Australian Government.

(25) Students enrolling to undertake Study Abroad / Exchange programs may be set different English language requirements. The details of required English proficiency for these programs will be established in the governance documentation associated with the program.

(26) Particular courses may establish higher English language proficiency requirements if justified by the demands of the course of study or the Australian professional requirements of the occupation the course is likely to qualify a graduate to enter in Australia. At VU, these higher level requirements are detailed in Table B.

(27) Where an Australian professional accreditation body requires that English language proficiency is demonstrated before professional registration to practice in Australia, and imposes a currency requirement on testing results, VU will:

1. ensure that applicants are informed that they may be required to take a test, or another test, before they are able to be registered and practice in the profession for which their studies have qualified them; and
2. ensure that applicants are informed if the relevant professional body has imposed restrictions on which tests may be accepted for demonstration of English proficiency.

(28) The standard validity of English language proficiency established by a test is two years, unless otherwise noted in this Procedure. Due to the variability in the timing of the commencement of study periods, this validity may be extended by up to four months in order to account for elapsed time between offers, enrolment and commencement of studies.

The standard validity of English language proficiency established by completion of a eligible qualification is five years, unless otherwise noted in this Procedure (see Table C below).
 

Table A: Minimum English Language Standards 

Table B: Course Specific Higher English Language Standards

Part C - Study in English or Residence / Employment in an English-speaking Country as Evidence of English Language Proficiency

(29) Applicants may demonstrate they meet the English language proficiency criteria by providing evidence of study in the medium of English as described in Table C below.

(30) For the purposes of this Procedure, "study in the medium of English" means:

1. study in an accredited institution where English was the medium of instruction and assessment for the whole institution; or
2. study in an accredited institution where English was the medium of instruction and assessment for the whole qualification, as evidenced by:
   1. reference to the medium of instruction on the transcript or testamur; or
   2. information about the institution's medium of instruction on a governmental accreditation website; or
   3. external benchmarking or equivalency information; or
3. study in an accredited institution where the qualification achieved is externally accredited and delivered solely in English, except for any languages taught as a foreign language that may form part of the curriculum.

Table C: General Rules – Study equivalence for English Language proficiency demonstration

(31) Applicants may also demonstrate they meet the English language proficiency criteria by providing evidence of ongoing residence and/or employment for a period of not less than five years within Australia, or one of the following specified English speaking countries:

1. Canada (excluding Quebec)
2. Fiji
3. Republic of Ireland
4. Kenya
5. New Zealand
6. Papua New Guinea
7. Samoa
8. Singapore
9. Solomon Islands
10. South Africa
11. United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales)
12. United States of America (excluding Puerto Rico)
13. Zambia

(32) Where the applicant has been employed, the requirement is that employment was in an occupation requiring proficient written and verbal communication in English, which ended no more than five years previously. Where the applicant has been resident but not continuously employed, other forms of evidence can be considered to demonstrate proficiency, including community engagement, volunteering, and involvement in public life.

(33) Sufficient evidence of residency and employment is a passport and residency/citizenship documentation and, where relevant and practically available, supporting statements from employers with details of duties, responsibilities and company profile to allow verification.

Part D - International equivalences for English language proficiency

(34) Some international qualifications or certifications may be accepted as evidence of English language proficiency for course admission purposes. The general rules covering study equivalence are contained in Table C, but specific qualifications may have different outcomes, and reference should be made to the approved list (see below).

(35) VU Global will maintain a full listing of all international qualifications and educational levels that are accepted as indicating that an applicant has an appropriate level of English language proficiency and does not need to undertake testing.

(36) International qualifications, including secondary schooling, will be verified every two years by the International Admissions team to ensure that curriculum, English language content, and assessment methods for those qualifications are still at a sufficient level to promote the required level of English language proficiency. In particular, information available for offshore admissions will be considered as part of an assessment of the equivalence table's currency and validity. Any changes arising from this process will be submitted to the authorities listed in the Roles and Responsibilities Table and in the clause below.

(37) The listing will be maintained by the Senior Manager International Admissions, who will make amendments to the listing only if approved by the authorities in the clause below.

(38) Amendments to the listing, including the addition or deletion of particular qualifications, must be approved by the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer, with advice from the Chief International Officer; Director, Centre of VU Transitions; and the Director, Academic Quality and Standards.

(39) Some applicants are exempt from taking an English language test for visa purposes under the Migration Regulations 1994. Where an applicant is exempt on this basis, VU must report the relevant class the applicant is. The relevant classes are:

1. an applicant who is a citizen of, and who holds a valid passport issued by:
   1. the United Kingdom;
   2. the United States of America;
   3. Canada;
   4. New Zealand; or
   5. the Republic of Ireland
2. an applicant who is enrolled in a principal course of study that is:
   1. registered to be delivered in a language other than English;
   2. a registered ELICOS course;
   3. a registered school course; or
   4. a registered post-graduate research course
3. an applicant who is a:
   1. Foreign Affairs student;
   2. Defence Student; or
   3. Secondary exchange student
4. an applicant, who, in the two years before applying for a Subclass 500 (Student) visa, has successfully completed:
   1. the requirements for a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education, in a course that was conducted in Australia and in English; or
   2. a substantial component of a course leading to a qualification from the Australian Qualifications Framework at the Certificate IV level or higher that was conducted in Australia and in English, while the applicant was holding a student visa.
5. an applicant who has successfully completed a minimum of five years of study in English undertaken in one or more of the following countries:
   1. Australia;
   2. Canada
   3. New Zealand;
   4. South Africa;
   5. United Kingdom;
   6. United States of America; or
   7. Republic of Ireland.

(40) The current Schedule of international equivalences is available as Schedule A to this Procedure (refer to pages 115-120).

Part E - Approving Standards and Special Cases

Standard English Language Admission Levels

(41) English language admission levels are established for each course of study:

1. as part of the Course Approval process (for Higher Education courses), and
2. established in reference to the Training Package, Accredited Curriculum, or by the teaching area manager in consideration of industry standards, market analysis and if available, mapping to the Australian Core Skills Framework (for domestic students) and the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) for international students, which establishes required IELTS levels for entry to VET study.

(42) Where a course proponent wishes to establish or alter a higher English language admission requirement than the general minimum standards set at Table A, they must provide evidence in their course proposal of:

1. a professional accreditation or registration body requirement for a higher English language proficiency level; or
2. an evidence-based need for higher English language proficiency to successfully complete the requirements of the course or practice in Australia in the profession that the course qualifies graduates to enter.

(43) Where a professional accrediting body responsible for mandatory professional registration sets English Language admission requirements that differ from the parameters of this Procedure, these requirements will be verified by the Academic Board's Courses Committee and built into the admissions requirements for relevant courses. This includes:

1. English language proficiency levels;
2. Accepted testing methods;
3. Methods other than testing that are acceptable for demonstrating English language proficiency (eg residence and employment, study); and
4. Currency requirements for test results.

(44) Under no circumstances will a course be approved with a lower English language admission requirement than the general standards set at Table A.

(45) The approval authority for setting and amending English language admission levels for Higher Education courses is the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer, via a course proposal endorsed by the Academic Board's Courses Committee (see Courses Lifecycle Procedures). The Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer may also consider input regarding English language standards and market conditions from:

1. Chief Student Officer
2. VU English
3. VU Global
4. Transnational Education Partnerships

Unique Cases

(46) In all HE cases, VU reserves the right to require an applicant to sit an English language proficiency test before confirming an offer of admission.

(47) Where an applicant, or a College on behalf of an applicant, wishes to have a qualification which is not included on VU's list accepted as demonstrating English language proficiency without having completed a recognised test, they may request an assessment of the case using the English Language Proficiency Assessment Form.

(48) An initial review of the case will be performed by VU Global in conjunction with VU English, who, if satisfied, will recommend that:

1. the applicant can be accepted as having demonstrated English language proficiency sufficient to satisfy the admission requirements; and
2. if appropriate, the qualification should be added to the list of recognised equivalences for English language proficiency.

(49)  Approval of unique cases will be done by the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer, acting on advice from the Chief International Officer; the Director, Centre of VU Transitions; and the Director, Academic Quality and Standards.

(50) Where equivalence is not established, the applicant will be given the opportunity to sit an approved English language test to establish their level of proficiency.