What English test scores does Ahpra need?
Checked against the regulator’s own pages, October 2026
Ahpra’s English language skills standard accepts IELTS Academic, OET, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT and Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency. For tests taken on or after 23 April 2026, IELTS Academic needs an overall 7, with 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing. Results must usually be from the two years before you apply.
Who this is for
Nurses, midwives, radiographers, physiotherapists and other professionals applying to an Australian National Board through Ahpra.
What the official guidance says
- The standard applies to every National Board except the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board. New minimum scores apply to tests taken on or after 23 April 2026.
- IELTS Academic: overall 7; listening 7, reading 7, writing 6.5, speaking 7.
- OET (from 23 April 2026): listening 350, reading 360, writing 350, speaking 360.
- PTE Academic (from 23 April 2026): overall 63; listening 58, reading 59, writing 60, speaking 76.
- TOEFL iBT (from 23 April 2026): total 91; listening 22, reading 22, writing 23, speaking 24.
- You can use one sitting or up to two sittings within 12 months, if each sitting meets the overall score and no component falls below the floor. Results from different providers cannot be combined, and at-home or remotely proctored tests are not accepted, apart from the centre-based computer OET.
- Results must be from within the two years before you apply, unless you have worked or studied continuously since, as the standard describes.
- Instead of a test, you may qualify through education in a recognised country, including the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada and New Zealand, as the standard sets out.
What it does not mean
- Ahpra’s numbers are not the same as the NMC’s or the HCPC’s: OET and PTE scores in particular differ.
- Scores for tests taken on or before 22 April 2026 follow the older table on Ahpra’s page.
- This is the registration standard, not the visa English requirement.
What to do next
- 01Check whether your education in a recognised country already meets the standard.
- 02Pick a test and check the score table for your test date.
- 03Apply within two years of the test.
Questions
Does Ahpra accept PTE Academic?
Yes. PTE Academic is one of the accepted tests. For tests on or after 23 April 2026 it needs an overall 63 with the component scores Ahpra lists.
Can I combine two IELTS results for Ahpra?
You can use up to two sittings in a 12-month period if each meets the overall score and no component falls below the floor Ahpra sets. You cannot combine results across providers.
Is Migo part of Ahpra or any National Board?
No. Migo is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ahpra or any National Board, and it does not give legal or immigration advice.
Official sources
Checked October 2026. Regulators change their rules, fees and scores, so confirm them on the official page before you act.
The visa side
Registration and the visa are separate. Migo’s visa guides cover the routes for this country, from the official government pages.
Let Migo prepare the paperwork with you
Migo AI Mobility plans the Board’s steps for your profession, checks the documents you will use with the Board and Ahpra, and prepares your answers for Ahpra’s online application. You lodge the application yourself, and the exams are yours: Migo does not coach you for them. Migo does not give visa advice in Australia; it links the Department of Home Affairs pages and the register of migration agents instead.
Your plan is free. You approve every paid step.
Related guides
Migo is independent: it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the regulator named on this page. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.