Education Minister recently announced that there will be a standardised proficiency test before ELICOS students can commence their tertiary courses.
When: In 2018, date TBC
Who: International students wanting to enroll at an/in Australian university/TAFE/Vocational Educational and Training Courses through the ELICOS program.
What:
Currently, prospective overseas students can take an intensive English course to prepare for further studies if they do not already have other qualifications showing their ability to study in the language. From 2018, students enrolling in Australian tertiary courses must pass a standard proficiency test (and no longer able to just enroll in ELICOS courses to pass the English language requirements). All ELICOS courses will now also have a minimum of 20 face-to-face contact hours per week and a maximum teacher-to-student ratio of 1:18.
There’s no need to be alarmed by the coverage of this news. Yes, the tests will be standardised across ELICOS providers, but these changes are not sweeping changes. Most ELICOS providers already assess students upon completion, and it has been a standard since 2007 that ELICOS providers have a minimum of 20 face-to-face contact hours.
If you have any questions or concerns about this announcement, please feel free to contact us for a chat, or read more here.
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