English-language requirements for admission to the graduate-entry-teaching program

Because all teachers in Australian schools must have a good command of the English language, and BTeach and MTeach students are assigned professional experiences in Australian schools as part of their coursework, the English-proficiency requirement for admission to the program is more exacting than for many other graduate courses. Candidates must be good to very good users of English, especially spoken English.

Prospective students whose first language is not English are required to provide proof of their English proficiency. International applicants must do this through a recognised test result submitted with their application.

At the discretion of the faculty, local applicants whose undergraduate degree was conferred in a country where English is not the first language, will be asked either to provide evidence of English proficiency or attend an interview.

The minimum requirements are:

• IELTS 7.5 with a minimum of 7.0 in in Writing and Reading and a minimum of 8.0 in Listening and Speaking.
  
  
• TOEFL 627 for the paper-based version of the TOEFL, plus 5.0 on the Test of Written English (TWE) or 263 for the computer-based version of the TOEFL plus an essay rating of 5.0.
  
  

Accreditation and employers' expectations

The NSW Department of Education and Training, the major employer of teachers in NSW, requires teachers from non-English backgrounds to sit for a rigorous English-proficiency test before employment. The details of the minimum requirements are available on the NSW Institute of Teachers website.