ScoreFluentLanguageCert for Australian visas: the scores, by level.
The Department of Home Affairs accepts LanguageCert Academic for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025 — and publishes exact per-skill minimums for every English level it defines, from Vocational to Superior. Here is the full table, plus the delivery rules that catch people out, with a source for every claim.
Accepted — for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025.
On 7 August 2025 the English tests approved for Australian visa purposes changed, and the LANGUAGECERT Academic Test joined the accepted list alongside IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, OET, MET and Cambridge C1 Advanced. Two conditions sit around that acceptance: the test must be taken in a secure testing centre — not online at home — and the acceptance applies to sittings from that date onward. A result from before it may still be usable for up to 3 years depending on your visa subclass.
Unlike the UK, Australia has no SELT concept — Home Affairs accepts the standard LanguageCert Academic test itself, with no special visa booking. If you are weighing both destinations, the UK visa guide explains the SELT distinction that applies there.
Every level, every component floor.
Home Affairs publishes LanguageCert Academic minimums per English level, per skill, on the 0–100 Global Scale (checked July 2026). Each component must clear its own floor — note the Speaking bar sits highest at every level:
| English level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Functional English | Overall band score of at least 38 — no per-component floors published | |||
| Vocational English | 41 | 44 | 45 | 54 |
| Competent English | 57 | 60 | 64 | 70 |
| Proficient English | 67 | 71 | 78 | 82 |
| Superior English | 80 | 83 | 89 | 89 |
Which level your application needs is set by the visa subclass — Home Affairs directs you to your subclass’s own listing for the required level and evidence timeframes, and for points-tested skilled visas the subclass rules are also where English fits into your points calculation. How these 0–100 scores are produced in the first place is covered in how the scoring works.
The details an application actually turns on.
The test centre is not optional
Home Affairs states the test must take place in a secure testing centre. LanguageCert Academic can also be sat online with remote proctoring — but a home sitting does not satisfy an Australian visa application. Book a test-centre sitting.
Results in working days, not weeks
LanguageCert publishes results within five working days. The exam is booked as two components — Listening-Reading-Writing and Speaking — taken the same day or within 14 days of each other, so plan the later component against your lodgement date.
The 7 August 2025 line
The approved-tests list changed on 7 August 2025: LanguageCert Academic counts for tests taken on or after that date. A test completed before it may still be usable for up to 3 years, depending on the visa subclass — check your subclass before re-booking anything.
One sitting covers every level
LanguageCert Academic is multi-level: a single sitting reports each skill 0–100 against CEFR B1 to C2, so the same booking covers whichever English level your visa asks for. Miss a threshold and the score report still shows exactly where each skill landed.
Check the pages that decide this.
ScoreFluent is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to LanguageCert, PeopleCert or the Department of Home Affairs. Visa rules change — everything above was checked against these sources in July 2026:
- Home Affairs — English language requirements — the accepted-tests list, the 7 August 2025 change, the secure-test-centre rule, and links to every level’s score page.
- Home Affairs — Competent English — one of the per-level pages the table above is built from; each level has its own.
- Qualification Handbook (PDF) — the Global Scale, the exam format and the results timeline.
Exam and visa details change — if a decision hangs on a detail here, check it against the official pages above first; they outrank this page.
Still choosing an exam for Australia? See LanguageCert Academic vs PTE Academic — both are on the Home Affairs list, so the decision is about format, not acceptance.
Australian visa questions, answered.
Is LanguageCert accepted for Australian visas?
Yes. The Department of Home Affairs English-language page names the LANGUAGECERT Academic Test on its accepted list, for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025. The test must be taken in a secure testing centre, and score requirements are published per English level rather than per visa.
What LanguageCert scores do I need for Competent English?
Home Affairs sets per-component minimums: at least 57 for listening, 60 for reading, 64 for writing and 70 for speaking on the Competent English page. Every component must clear its own floor — a high average does not compensate for one weak skill.
Which English level does my visa or PR pathway need?
That is set by the visa subclass, not by the exam. Home Affairs defines the levels — Functional, Vocational, Competent, Proficient and Superior English — and each subclass states which one it requires and what evidence timeframes apply. Check your subclass on the Home Affairs English-language page and its visa listing before booking a test date.
Do I need a SELT booking for Australia like I would for a UK visa?
No — SELT is a UK concept. Home Affairs names the LANGUAGECERT Academic Test itself, so an ordinary test-centre sitting counts. The one delivery rule Australia does impose is the secure testing centre: an online-proctored sitting does not satisfy Home Affairs, while for UKVI the requirement is instead the dedicated SELT booking.
Can I use a LanguageCert test taken before 7 August 2025?
Possibly. Home Affairs states that results from before the 7 August 2025 change may still be valid for up to 3 years, depending on the visa subclass you apply for — its English-language page directs you to the required scores and eligibility timeframes for each visa. Check your subclass rather than assuming either way.
Does ScoreFluent offer LanguageCert Academic practice?
Not yet — scored LanguageCert Academic practice is in development. Our PTE Academic practice is live today, and the LanguageCert waitlist gets one email on the day practice opens.
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