Basic academic requirements
To gain entry to a TAFE South Australia course, you need to have completed your schooling to the overseas equivalent of Australian Year 12. You will also need to be aged 18 years or over at the commencement date of the course.
English language requirements
The general entry requirement for most Diploma, Advanced Diploma and Degree award programs is that you have an IELTS (International English Language Testing Service) score of 5.5 (with no band under 5.0) in either the general or academic IELTS test or equivalent in another English language test.
For Certificate award programs, the basic entry requirements are completion of Year 12 high school or equivalent and an IELTS score of 5.5 (with no band under 5.0) in either the general or academic IELTS test or equivalent in another English language test.
TAFE South Australia now accepts the following English language tests; IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, CAE.
English Language test score equivalencies
| IELTS SCORE Band | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 |
| Test of English as a Foreign Language
internet based Test (TOEFL iBT) | 31 | 32 | 35 | 46 | 90 | 79 | 94 | 102 | 110 | 115 | 118 |
| PTE Academic | 29 | 30 | 36 | 42 | 50 | 58 | 65 | 73 | 79 | 83 | 86 |
| Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
from Cambridge ESOL test scores | 32 | 36 | 41 | 47 | 52 | 58 | 67 | 74 | 80 | 87 | 93 |
You must check the specific IELTS score and other entry requirements for your chosen course on the TAFE South before applying.
Some courses require a general IELTS score of more than 5.5 and others require an academic IELTS score of more than 6.0 for entry.
If your IELTS score is less than 5.5, you can still study at TAFE South Australia but you will need to complete an English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) and achieve an IELTS score of 5.5 (with no band under 5.0) All entry requirements are listed against each course in the International courses section of this website. Learn more at the IELTS website.
TAFE South Australia also offers a range of English language courses.
Special admission requirements
Visual Arts and Craft, and Design courses may ask to see a portfolio of your work as part of your application. This can be presented as images on a CD or DVD so that it can be sent and viewed easily.
If you are applying for a Dance or Performing Arts course you may be asked for an audition tape, CD or DVD or to attend an audition in person.
While completion of year 12 or the overseas equivalent is sufficient for most courses, some may ask for certain subjects or a specific pass level in certain subjects or an IELTS score higher than 5.5. Some Diploma, Advanced Diploma or Associate degree courses may need to assess your application or ask you to sit a test before an offer can be made. This may apply to courses in dental and oral health, translating and interpreting, children’s services, veterinary nursing and electronics engineering.
You should always check the admission requirements for your preferred course. As you will be studying independently and conducting your own research, it is very useful to have good computer skills.