Chisholm English scores
From Chisholm's international admission requirements page, which says each course page carries its full English requirement. Its PTE comparison table maps each IELTS level to a PTE range; the lower end of each range is the minimum.
| IELTS level | PTE overall | PTE listening | PTE reading | PTE speaking | PTE writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0, no band below 5.0 | 47–54 | 33–39 | 36–41 | 24–38 | 29–40 |
| 6.0, no band below 5.5 (bachelor's) | 47–54 | 40–46 | 42–47 | 39–53 | 41–50 |
| 6.0, no band below 6.0 | 47–54 | 47–52 | 48–53 | 54–65 | 51–59 |
| 6.5, no band below 6.0 | 55–62 | 47–52 | 48–53 | 54–65 | 51–59 |
One Skill Retake and two sittings
Chisholm treats an IELTS One Skill Retake, or a PTE Single Skill Retake, as part of the same test sitting. If you use two full sittings, both must fall within 12 months, come from the same provider and meet the overall and component minimums; results from different providers cannot be combined.
For the Diploma of Nursing, the course page asks IELTS Academic 7 with 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing, or PTE Academic 66 with 66 in listening, reading and speaking and 62 in writing, from one sitting or up to two sittings in 12 months. The admissions page's nursing table instead lists PTE 63 with listening 58, reading 59, speaking 76 and writing 60, so confirm the PTE figure with Chisholm before you book.
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ELICOS partners and contact
Chisholm's ELICOS pathway partners are ILSC and Browns English Language School. For packaging options, or to confirm the English standard for your course, Chisholm asks you to contact its international admissions team. Duolingo is not on its list of recognised tests.
Requirements vary by course, and Chisholm 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 Chisholm Institute 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
What IELTS does Chisholm need for a bachelor's degree?+
IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with no individual band below 5.5 for first-year bachelor's entry.
Does Chisholm accept IELTS One Skill Retake?+
Yes. Chisholm lists the IELTS One Skill Retake as a recognised test and treats it as part of the same sitting as your original test.
What PTE score does Chisholm accept?+
Chisholm's table maps IELTS 6.0 to PTE 47–54 overall, with skill minimums that depend on your band requirement; for bachelor's (no band below 5.5) the lowest skill scores are listening 40, reading 42, speaking 39 and writing 41.
What IELTS does Chisholm need for nursing?+
IELTS Academic 7 with at least 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing for the Diploma of Nursing.
Keep reading
Related
- PTE for Australia compared
- IELTS One Skill Retake explained
- IELTS for nurses in Australia
- Box Hill Institute 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.
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