AHPRA changed its English language test scores from 23 April 2026. If you are a nurse planning to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, this update affects which score you need to aim for, depending on the test you pick and the date you sit it.

The good news first. The actual level of English proficiency required to register as a nurse has not changed. What has changed is how each test score lines up against that proficiency level, based on fresh concordance research published by the test providers themselves.

This guide breaks down exactly what changed, which test moved and by how much, and what you need to do depending on when you plan to sit your test. Working with an Australian nursing registration consultant can help you confirm which table applies to your specific timeline before you book anything.

Quick Answer

Here is what changed in one line for each test.

• IELTS Academic stays the same. Overall 7.0, with 7.0 in listening, reading and speaking, and 6.5 in writing.
• PTE Academic overall score dropped from 66 to 63. Speaking jumped from 66 to 76. Writing rose from 56 to 60.
• OET moved completely from letter grades to numeric scores. Listening 350, Reading 360, Writing 350, Speaking 360.
• TOEFL iBT overall dropped from 94 to 91, with most components easing slightly except speaking, which rose from 23 to 24.
• Cambridge C1 Advanced now has separate component scores for the first time, with speaking set notably higher than the rest.
• Cambridge C2 Proficiency did not change at all.

If your test date falls on or before 22 April 2026, none of this applies to you. The old scores still hold. If you are sitting your test from 23 April 2026 onward, you need the new numbers covered below.

Why Did AHPRA Change the English Score Requirements?

In August 2025, Australia’s Department of Home Affairs updated its English language requirements for migration visas. This update was based on new score concordance research carried out by the test providers, comparing how scores on different tests actually line up against each other in terms of real proficiency.

AHPRA and the National Boards reviewed the same research and decided to align their own registration standard with it. From 23 April 2026, the minimum scores accepted for nursing and midwifery registration through the test pathway were updated to match.

Important: this is a recalibration exercise, not a difficulty change. AHPRA has been clear that the underlying level of English needed to safely practise as a nurse in Australia is exactly the same as before. Only the scoring scale comparison has shifted.

Who Does This Apply To?

This update applies to anyone using the test pathway under the English Language Skills registration standard, including internationally qualified nurses and midwives applying through the NMBA.

A specific list of recognised English-speaking countries qualifies for an exemption from the test requirement, though conditions still apply even within that exemption. If your country is not on that list, submitting a qualifying English test result is mandatory.

Which English Tests Does AHPRA Accept?

AHPRA accepts five English language tests for nursing and midwifery registration. All of them must be taken at an approved test centre.

• IELTS Academic, taken on paper or computer at a test centre. IELTS Online and IELTS General Training are not accepted.
• OET, the Occupational English Test, taken on paper or computer at a test centre.
• PTE Academic, the Pearson Test of English, taken on computer at a test centre.
• TOEFL iBT, taken on computer at a test centre. You must select Taking TOEFL for Australia when registering, or your result will not count.
• Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, taken on paper or computer at a test centre.

No at-home tests are accepted. AHPRA does not accept remotely proctored or at-home versions of any test for registration purposes.

Table 1: Minimum Scores for Tests Taken on or Before 22 April 2026

If your test date falls on or before 22 April 2026, these are the scores you need to meet.

Table 2: Minimum Scores for Tests Taken on or After 23 April 2026

If your test date falls on or after 23 April 2026, these are the scores that apply to you.

Note: the date that matters is your test sitting date, not your registration application date. Each test is assessed individually based on when you actually sat it.

Test by Test: What Actually Changed

IELTS Academic: No Change

IELTS Academic is the one test where nothing moved. The requirement stays at an overall 7.0, with 7.0 in listening, reading and speaking, and 6.5 in writing. If IELTS is your test of choice, your preparation target stays exactly the same as before.

The only thing to note is that the IELTS One Skill Retake is accepted by AHPRA. If you meet three of the four components but fall short on one, you can retake just that single component within 60 days rather than sitting the entire test again.

PTE Academic: Lower Overall, Much Higher Speaking, Higher Writing Too

PTE Academic saw the most talked about change, and it cuts in more than one direction.

The overall score requirement dropped from 66 to 63, which on paper looks easier. The speaking component jumped from 66 to 76, a full 10 point increase, the single largest change across any test or component. Writing also rose, from 56 to 60, a smaller but still meaningful 4 point increase.

This means the old strategy of using a strong score in one section to offset a weaker speaking or writing score no longer works as comfortably. A score of 76 in speaking requires consistent fluency, clear pronunciation and steady oral delivery, which usually needs dedicated, structured practice rather than general English study.

If speaking has been your weaker PTE skill historically, this change works against you even though the overall number looks lower. Plan your preparation time accordingly.

OET: From Letter Grades to Numeric Scores

This is the biggest structural change in the entire update. OET has moved away from grade only assessment to a purely numeric scale running from 0 to 500.

Under the new system, you need at least 350 in Listening and Writing, and 360 in Reading and Speaking. If you already hold an older OET result in letter grade format, it continues to be assessed under the old standard. No conversion is required on your end.

• Old letter grade standard: Listening B, Reading B, Writing C plus, Speaking B.
• New numeric standard: Listening 350, Reading 360, Writing 350, Speaking 360.

AHPRA has confirmed the underlying proficiency level represented by these numbers is equivalent to the old letter grades. The scale changed, not the bar.

TOEFL iBT: Small Drops, Slight Rise in Speaking

TOEFL iBT overall dropped from 94 to 91. Most individual components eased slightly too, with listening and reading both reduced to 22. Writing dropped from 27 to 23. Speaking is the exception, rising marginally from 23 to 24.

If you are sitting TOEFL iBT, remember to select Taking TOEFL for Australia when you register for the test. Without this selection, your score will not be valid for AHPRA or NMBA registration purposes, even if the numbers themselves meet the requirement.

Cambridge C1 Advanced: Differentiated Scores for the First Time

Before 23 April 2026, Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency required identical scores: 185 overall, 185 in listening, reading and speaking, and 176 in writing. Both tests were treated the same.

From 23 April 2026, Cambridge C1 Advanced gets its own distinct score profile for the first time. Overall drops to 178, listening to 175, reading to 179, writing rises slightly to 180, and speaking jumps to 194, well above every other component.

If Cambridge C1 is your chosen test, speaking preparation needs to become your main focus given how much higher that component score now sits relative to the others.

Cambridge C2 Proficiency: No Change

Cambridge C2 Proficiency is the only test where every single score, overall and component, stayed completely identical to the previous standard. If you hold a C2 result or are planning to sit C2, nothing in this update affects you.

Two Sitting Combination Rules

AHPRA allows you to combine results from two separate test sittings, but specific rules apply.

• Both sittings must be completed within a 12 month period.
• You cannot combine scores from two different test providers. IELTS plus PTE is not allowed, for example.
• Each sitting must individually meet a minimum floor score in every component, even if you are using your best result from each sitting for the overall calculation. The exact floor scores for each test are listed in the conditions column of Table 1 and Table 2 above.
• If your first test was sat before 23 April 2026 and the second after, your first sitting is assessed against the old scores in Table 1 and your second sitting against the new scores in Table 2. Both must meet their own respective thresholds.

Notice that the old PTE and Cambridge floor rules used a single number across every skill. The new rules set a separate floor for each individual skill instead, which is a meaningful structural change beyond just the headline scores.

IELTS One Skill Retake

IELTS is the only test where AHPRA accepts a single skill retake. If you meet three of the four components, you can retake just the one component you missed, within 60 days of your original sitting. This is not treated as a separate full sitting under the combination rules. PTE, OET and TOEFL do not allow this kind of single section retake for AHPRA purposes.

How Long Are Test Results Valid?

English test results are generally valid for two years from the test date for AHPRA registration purposes. In some cases, results may still be accepted beyond two years if you can demonstrate continuous work in an appropriate role in a recognised country during that period. Specific conditions apply, so confirm your individual situation before relying on an older result.

Common Mistakes Nurses Make With This Update

• Assuming the test got easier just because PTE’s overall number dropped, without checking the speaking and writing requirements separately.
• Booking a test date without first checking whether Table 1 or Table 2 applies to that date.
• Trying to combine scores from two different test providers, which AHPRA does not allow under any circumstance.
• Sitting an at-home or online version of a test, which is never accepted regardless of the score achieved.
• Forgetting to select Taking TOEFL for Australia during TOEFL iBT registration, making an otherwise qualifying score invalid.
• Assuming your AHPRA English score automatically satisfies your visa English requirement, when the two are assessed separately and may need different scores.

AHPRA Requirement vs Visa Requirement: Two Separate Things

Your AHPRA registration English requirement and your Australian visa English requirement are assessed separately, even though both updates were based on the same underlying concordance research published in 2025 and 2026.

It is possible for a single test result to satisfy both requirements if your scores clear the higher of the two thresholds and the result falls within the valid timeframe for each. But this depends entirely on your specific visa stream, your nominated occupation, and which scores apply on your test date.

Confirm this with a registered migration agent and an Australian nursing registration consultant before you book your test, rather than assuming one test automatically covers both requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When did the AHPRA English score changes take effect?

The new minimum scores took effect from 23 April 2026. If you sat your test on or before 22 April 2026, the old scores in Table 1 apply to your application. If you sit your test from 23 April 2026 onward, Table 2 applies.

2. Did the level of English proficiency required for nurses increase?

No. AHPRA has stated clearly that the underlying proficiency level required has not changed. Only the way scores are measured and compared across different test providers has been updated, based on new concordance research.

3. Is IELTS still the safest test to choose?

IELTS Academic did not change at all in this update, which makes it a predictable option if you are already midway through preparation. Whether it is the right test for you still depends on your individual strengths in reading, writing and speaking, not just the fact that the score stayed the same.

4. What is the new OET score for nurses?

From 23 April 2026, OET requires a minimum of 350 in Listening and Writing, and 360 in Reading and Speaking, on the new numeric 0 to 500 scale. If your OET result was taken before 23 April 2026 in the old letter grade format, the old standard of Listening B, Reading B, Writing C plus, Speaking B still applies, with no conversion needed.

5. Why did the PTE overall score go down but the speaking and writing scores go up?

This reflects the updated score concordance research used to recalibrate each component individually rather than just the overall number. AHPRA and the National Boards have placed more weight on spoken and written English specifically, given their direct importance in clinical handovers, patient documentation, and teamwork in healthcare settings.

6. What was the old PTE score before 23 April 2026?

Overall 66, with 66 in listening, 66 in reading, 66 in speaking, and 56 in writing. If your test was sat on or before 22 April 2026, this is the table that applies to you.

7. Did Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency always have different scores?

No. Before 23 April 2026, both tests required identical scores: 185 overall, 185 in listening, reading and speaking, and 176 in writing. The 2026 update is what split them apart, giving C1 Advanced its own distinct profile with a notably higher speaking requirement of 194.

8. Can I combine an IELTS score with a PTE score to meet the requirement?

No. AHPRA does not allow combining scores from two different test providers under any circumstance. You can combine two sittings of the same test within a 12 month period, but both providers must be identical.

9. Do nurses always need to take an English test for AHPRA registration?

Not always. A specific list of recognised English-speaking countries qualifies for an exemption, though conditions still apply. If your country is not on that list, sitting an accepted English test is mandatory.

10. Will my old English test result still be accepted after this update?

Yes, provided your test was sat on or before 22 April 2026, your result is still within its two year validity window from your planned registration lodgement date, and your scores meet the old minimums published in Table 1 of AHPRA’s transition arrangements policy.

Final Word

The 2026 AHPRA English language score changes are about fair score comparison, not a tougher bar. IELTS stayed put. PTE got an easier overall number with a much tougher speaking target and a slightly tougher writing target. OET switched entirely to numbers. TOEFL eased slightly. Cambridge C1 got more detailed, and C2 did not move at all.

What matters most right now is checking your test date against the correct table before you book anything, and choosing the test that plays to your actual strengths rather than whichever one seems most familiar or convenient.

Desma International Pvt Ltd works with nurses across India preparing for AHPRA registration and helps match the right English test to your personal strengths, current scores and registration timeline, so you do not lose time or money sitting the wrong test under the wrong table.