CIT minimum scores
From CIT International's entry requirements page. CIT says this table is a guide to overall IELTS equivalence and each course lists its own band minimums. The test must be taken no more than two years before you apply for your student visa.
| Test | Direct entry | With at least 10 weeks of ELICOS | With at least 20 weeks of ELICOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic or General Training | 6.0 | 5.5 | 5.0 |
| PTE Academic | 47 | 39 | 31 |
| TOEFL iBT | 67 | 51 | 37 |
| OET | 1210 | 1090 | 1020 |
| C1 Advanced | 161 | Not accepted | Not accepted |
Diploma of Nursing
CIT's Diploma of Nursing page sets new minimums for tests taken on or after 23 April 2026, all at a test centre only: IELTS Academic 7 with 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing; PTE Academic 63 with listening 58, reading 59, writing 60 and speaking 76; TOEFL iBT 91 with listening 22, reading 22, writing 23 and speaking 24; or C1 Advanced 178. Up to two sittings in 12 months can be used, following AHPRA's rules.
If you have IELTS Academic 6.5, CIT suggests the Certificate III in Individual Support as a pathway, and with 6.0 the Certificate IV in Mental Health; you then sit IELTS again to meet the nursing level.
Free test: are you at CIT's score yet?
Take a free AI-scored IELTS mock test and get a band for each skill, so you know how far you are from the requirement before you book the real test. Free account, no card.
Free test: take an IELTS mock →Practise before you book: free IELTS mock test, IELTS reading practice, IELTS listening practice and IELTS speaking predictions.
CIT's own placement test and ELICOS note
CIT offers the online Versant English Placement Test to applicants at the Department of Home Affairs' low-risk evidence level who apply through a CIT education agent. Below the table, the page also states IELTS 5.0 as the minimum with 10 weeks of ELICOS and 4.5 with 20 weeks, which differs from the table's 5.5 and 5.0; confirm with CIT which applies to your package.
Requirements vary by course, and CIT can change them between intakes. Always confirm the score on your course page before you book a test. Your student visa has its own English rules, set by the Department of Home Affairs.
Student visa (subclass 500) English rules
Your offer and your visa are assessed separately. If Home Affairs asks you for English evidence, the Student visa (subclass 500) page sets these minimums for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025: IELTS Academic or General Training 6.0, PTE Academic 47 or TOEFL iBT 67. With at least 10 weeks of ELICOS (or a Foundation or eligible Pathway program) packaged with your course they drop to 5.5, 39 and 51, and with at least 20 weeks of ELICOS to 5.0, 31 and 37.
The test must be taken within the 2 years before you lodge (Regular Evidence level), or within the 2 years before a decision if you are Streamlined Evidence level and asked for evidence. Tests delivered entirely online, such as IELTS Online and TOEFL iBT Home Edition, are not accepted for the visa, and from 21 January 2026 TOEFL candidates must select 'Taking TOEFL for Australia' when registering.
Minimum vs competitive score
Where the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) publishes an IELTS score, it is the minimum: the floor an application has to meet to be considered, not a score that guarantees an offer.
Competitive programmes, and courses with far more applicants than places, may expect more than the minimum, and some departments set their own overall or per-skill scores, often for writing or speaking. The course page has the final word, so check it before you book a test.
If you are close to the line, aim for a margin above it: one weak skill can miss the requirement even when the overall band clears it. Not sure where you stand? Take a free IELTS mock test and get a band for each skill.
Frequently asked questions
Does CIT accept IELTS General Training?+
Yes. CIT accepts IELTS General Training and Academic, including the One Skill Retake, for Certificate III to Advanced Diploma courses, except the Diploma of Nursing, which needs Academic.
What PTE score does CIT need?+
PTE Academic 47 for direct entry, 39 with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS and 31 with at least 20 weeks.
What IELTS does CIT need for nursing?+
IELTS Academic 7 with at least 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing, taken at a test centre.
Does CIT accept Duolingo?+
Duolingo is not on CIT's list. It accepts IELTS, TOEFL iBT, C1 Advanced, OET and PTE Academic, plus its own Versant placement test for eligible agent applicants.
Keep reading
Related
- IELTS for Australia: scores by university and visa
- IELTS for the Student visa 500
- IELTS for nurses in Australia
- University of Canberra IELTS requirement
- All 1393 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 14 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy