The Educational Testing Service (ETS) has announced that scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) will now be accepted for all Australian visa purposes. This decision comes after the Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA) reviewed the TOEFL last July and temporarily stopped accepting scores. According to ETS, scores from exams taken on or after May 5, 2024, will be considered valid for visa applications.
Sachin Jain, Country Manager of ETS India and South Asia, highlighted Australia’s popularity among Indian students and professionals, with over 1.2 lakh Indian students studying there last year. He also emphasized Australia’s appeal as a destination for higher education and post-study work opportunities, with nine Australian universities ranked among the top 100 globally.
Jain stated that the affirmation for TOEFL follows a standard review process by the DHA, which evaluated changes made to TOEFL iBT last year. He expressed confidence that the enhanced TOEFL would continue to serve as a trusted measure of English proficiency for diverse visa applicants.
TOEFL is widely accepted by institutions in over 160 countries, including popular destinations like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. Nishidar Borra, President of the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India (AAERI), and Managing Director of Atlas Education, welcomed the decision, describing it as a significant affirmation of TOEFL’s rigor and relevance for students and professionals seeking opportunities in Australia.
Last year, ETS implemented several changes to improve the TOEFL experience, including reducing the test duration to less than two hours and providing candidates with their official score release date upon completion of the test.
Source: PTI
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