What IELTS score do you need for Ara Institute of Canterbury?

Ara's programme pages ask for IELTS or a result from NZQA's chart of acceptable alternatives, and suggest booking PTE Academic through the Ara Examination Centre if you are not a New Zealand citizen or resident. NZQA's minimums are PTE 50 (no band below 42) for Level 6 and 7 and 58 (50) for Level 8 and above, but where Ara asks for more in a band, as for nursing, check the programme page for an accepted equivalent.

IELTS scores must come from a single IELTS Test Report Form and are valid for two years from the test date. Completing a New Zealand Certificate in English Language at Level 5 is another way in for postgraduate applied management, and Ara's NZCEL Level 5 itself needs IELTS 6.0 (5.5).

Each programme page states its own English level, and Ara can change it for a new intake. Confirm the score on your programme page before you book a test.

Outside the universities, New Zealand providers must follow NZQA's English language entry requirements. The minimum by level in NZQA's Table is IELTS Academic 5.5 (no band below 5) or PTE 42 (36) for Level 5 programmes, 6.0 (5.5) or PTE 50 (42) for Level 6 and 7 diplomas and degrees, and 6.5 (6.0) or PTE 58 (50) for Level 8 to 10 postgraduate study. A programme may set a higher level, and then the higher level applies.

Results must be from the two years before the programme starts and from a single test report, taken at a test centre. NZQA accepts IELTS One Skill Retake but not TOEFL MyBest scores. Since 21 January 2026 the new-format TOEFL iBT cannot be accepted by non-university providers; only older TOEFL results and the TOEFL iBT Australia / New Zealand test count. Duolingo is not in NZQA's Table.

A degree taught in English exempts you only if it is from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Fiji, Ireland, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tonga, Tuvalu, the UK, the US or Vanuatu. Indian, Nepali and Pakistani degrees are not on that list, so applicants from those countries need a test.