Immigration Minister announces TOEFL test score equivalencies for student visas in Australia

Princeton, N.J.: Following the approval by the Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship of the TOEFL test for student visas in May 2011, the Minister has now accepted the test score equivalencies identified by ETS research for the TOEFL test when compared to International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores. The new score equivalencies will likely come into effect on 5 November 2011.

“We are delighted that the Minister has agreed to the equivalency scores recommended by Educational Testing Service (ETS) for the TOEFL test as an alternative English language test for student visa purposes,” said David Hunt, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ETS’s Global Division.

“ETS recognises the importance for both the Australian government and test takers in establishing reliable equivalencies between TOEFL scores and the IELTS academic scores currently in use for student visa regulations. ETS undertook transparent research with objective, data-based results to provide the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) with the most comprehensive and up-to-date information available on the equivalencies between the two tests,” Hunt explained.

The TOEFL iBT scores approved by the Minister to be used for student visas in Australia are show in the table.

To determine the most appropriate test score equivalencies, ETS conducted research and published its results in a study Linking TOEFL iBT scores to IELTS scores — A Research Report, which is available on the TOEFL website (http://www.ets.org/toefl/institutions/scores/compare/).

The study determined the corresponding TOEFL iBT scores for each of the identified IELTS academic scores by what is known as ”score-linking” or “score-comparison” in the field of educational measurement. As part of this study, ETS obtained a sample of 1,153 students who had scores for both the TOEFL iBT test and the IELTS academic module between 2008 and 2009.

Using a method of statistical analysis called “equipercentile linking,” the corresponding TOEFL score that would pass the same percentage of test takers for each IELTS academic score was obtained. Importantly, at all data points in the research, both scores would pass similar percentages of test takers, ensuring consistency when comparing the two tests.

For more than 45 years, the TOEFL test has been the most widely accepted English language assessment in the world, recognized by more than 8,000 colleges, universities and agencies including the most prestigious institutions in the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. And with more than 4,500 test sites around the world, the TOEFL test is more convenient than ever for students wishing to apply for study in Australia.  

More information about the TOEFL test, including registration dates and free sample test questions, is available at www.TOEFLGoAnywhere.org.