Skip to main content

TAFE admission requirements

Academic requirements

If you have completed schooling to the equivalent of Australian Year 10 or 11, you will probably start your TAFE study at a Certificate III level.

If you have completed schooling to the equivalent of Australian Year 12, you may be able to start at a Certificate IV or Diploma level.

Each study area can have different academic requirements. For full details please refer to our course catalogue

View list of equivalent levels by country
Year level equivalents by country

 Country 

Year 10/11 equivalent 

Year 12 equivalent 

 English equivalent 

 Argentina 

Education Polimodal (General Education or Integrated technical education) / General 
or 
bachillerato school/technical and specialised school 

Bachillerato/Tecnico de Nivel Medio/Bachillerato Especializado 

N/A

Bangladesh 

Secondary School Certificate – pass 
 
 

Higher Secondary Certificate (minimum GPA 3.5 
or 

60% in HSC first division pass ) two subject passes at GCE A-Level  

  • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) overall (no band less than 5.5) direct entry. 
  • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) overall (no band less than 5.0) – course will be packaged with 10 weeks ELICOS prior to entry. 

Bhutan

Bhutan Middle Secondary School Certificate 

Bhutan Higher Secondary School Certificate or Middle Secondary School Certificate plus two-year relevant vocational diploma  

  • IELTS 5.5 (or equivalent) overall (no band less than 5.0) direct entry. 
  • IELTS score of overall less than 5.5 or any band score less than 5.0 will not be accepted. 

 Brazil 

Certificado de Ensio Medio 

Certificado de Ensio Medio from 2011 (Year 12 equivalent) 
** Certificado de Ensio Medio plus one-year Diploma or Higher  qualification (pre-2011) 
 

N/A

Chile 

Educacion Media 

Educacion Media (Year 12 equivalent) 
Licencia de Educacion Media Tecnico-Profesional or Tecnico 
 
 

N/A

China 

Senior secondary school Year 1 (Year 10 equivalent) 

Senior secondary school Year 2 (Year 11 equivalent) 

Senior Secondary Certificate (senior school Year 3) 

N/A

Colombia

Bachillerato upper secondary schooling (Year 11 equivalent) 
 

Bachillerato plus Curso Tecnico or one-year Diploma or higher qualification 

N/A

Cuba 

Secundari Basica/Basic Secondary (Completion of Year 11) 

Diploma de Bachiller en Ciencias y Letras/Título de Bachiller (nivel medio superior de la Education General Politecnica Laboral) 
or
Certificado de Fin de Estudios Secundarias/Técnico Medio/Maestro Primario, etc. (Certificado de Fin de Estudios Secundarias) 

N/A

France 

Upper secondary school certificate 

Baccalaaureat 

N/A

Germany

Realshule or Hauptschule 

Gymnasium 

N/A

Hong Kong 

Secondary 4 or Secondary 5 or Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) 

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) 

or Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) 

All courses: 

  • HKDSE: 3 
  • HKCEE: D Grade 

India  

CBSE or CISCE 60% average across all academic subjects
or 
State education boards 65% average across all academic subjects. TIWA assesses state education boards on a case-by-case basis. Some state education boards are not accepted. 

 

CBSE or CISCE 60% average across all academic subjects
or 
State education boards 65% average across all academic subjects. TIWA assesses state education boards on a case-by-case basis. Some state education boards are not accepted. 

  • IELTS 6.0 overall (no band less than 5.5) direct entry. 
  • IELTS 6.0 overall (no band less than 5.0) – course will be packaged with ten weeks ELICOS prior to entry. 

Italy  

Diploma di scuola secondaria di primo grado 
Diploma di Qualifica 

Diploma di Scuola Superiore 
Diploma di Maturità 

N/A

Indonesia 

Secondary School: SMU 2  

Senior Secondary School Certificate of 
Completion (ijazah/STTB SMA/STTB SMK/STTB MA) 

N/A

Japan 

Completion of Kotogakko Year 1 Lower Secondary Leaving Certificate 

Kotogakko  Shomeisho / Upper Secondary School Certificate 

N/A

Kenya 

KCSE pass  

or four passes at GCE O-Level 

KCSE C grade average or 

Two passes at A-Level or 

One A-Level pass and two AS-Level passes or IB Diploma 

C grade in KCSE English 

Malaysia 

Four passes D grade or higher at SPM, O-Level or UEC Senior Middle 2

Two passes at STPM or A-Level or  

Two Bs and Two Cs in UEC academic subjects 

B grade in SPM 1119 English or C grade in SPM 1119 GCE-O English 

Mauritius 

Four passes at GCE O-Level 
 

Two passes at A-Level or One pass at A-Level pass and two passes at AS-Level or IB Diploma 

N/A

Myanmar 

Matriculation/Basic education high school (BEHS) (completion of Year 10 or Year 11) 45% or higher or  
Four subject passes GCE O- Level (Department of Home Affairs requires completion of Year 11) 

 

Matriculation/Basic Education High School (BEHS) plus minimum completed two years at professional college or secondary technical college 
or 
GCE A-Level (two subject passes) or A level (one A and two AS level passes) 
 

N/A

Nepal 

Higher Secondary Education Board 
Certificate Grade 12 with 60% average 

Higher Secondary Education Board 
Certificate Grade 12 with 60% average 

 

  • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) overall (no band less than 5.5) direct entry. 
  • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) overall (no band less than 5.0) – course will be packaged with 10 weeks ELICOS prior to entry 

Nigeria 

Pass grade in senior secondary school exams (WAEC/NECO) 

 

Five subject passes with C-grade average in senior secondary school exams (WAEC/NECO) 

 

N/A

Pakistan 

HSS Intermediate Certificate 55% average across all academic subjects 

 
 

HSS Intermediate Certificate D-grade minimum. 55% avg. across all academic subjects
or
polytechnic/vocational diploma 

 

  • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) overall (no band less than 5.5) direct entry. 
  • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) overall (no band less than 5.0) – course will be packaged with 10 weeks ELICOS prior to entry. 

Peru 

Secundaria / Education Secundaria (completion of Year 11) 

Secundaria / Education Secundaria (completion of Year 11) plus a technical diploma or entrance to university 

N/A

Philippines 

Post 2016 – Certificate of High School Graduation/Year 10/11 High School Diploma 
 

Post 2016 – Certificate of High School Graduation /Year 12 High School Diploma 

N/A

Singapore 

Four passes D grade or higher GCE O-Levels   

GCE A-Levels (two subject passes) 

N/A

South Africa 

Year 10/11 pass in Senior Certificate or IEB 

 

Senior Certificate or two passes at A-Level or 1 A-Level pass and two AS-Level passes or IB Diploma or IEB leaving certificate 

 

N/A

South Korea 

10 or 11 years of school 

General/Academic Senior High School Certificate/Diploma (Kodung Hakkyo Choreupchang) 

N/A

Sri Lanka

Four passes GCE O- levels   

Sri Lankan passes A-Level three passes or Cambridge A-Level two passes 

 

N/A

Taiwan

Senior high school (1st or 2nd Year) 

Senior high school Diploma or senior vocational school Diploma 

N/A

Thailand 

Upper secondary school (Matayom 5/ Matayom 4) 

Upper secondary school (Matayom 6 or Certificate in Vocational School) 

N/A

United Kingdom 

Four subject passes at GCE O-Level  

Two subject passes at GCE A-Levels  

N/A

Venezuela

Educacion Media (10 years of secondary schooling minimum) 

Educacion Media – Academic or Tecnico (Medio) 

N/A

Vietnam

Upper secondary schooling (Year 10 or 11 equivalent) 
 
 

Diploma of General Education 
or 

Vocational Education Graduation Diploma 
or  
Vocational Training Diploma 
 

N/A

Zambia 

Four passes ZSC Year 12  or 
Four passes GCE O-Level    

Five passes C grade minimum in ZSC Year 12 or 
Two subject passes at A- Level or 

or one A-Level pass and two AS-Level passes or  

Diploma in relevant area one-year minimum  

N/A

Zimbabwe 

Four passes GCE or ZGCE O-Level 

Two passes at A-Level or one pass at A-Level and two passes at AS-Level or IB Diploma   

N/A

Please note that entrance may also be possible for mature aged students, without the grades listed above, based on appropriate work experience. 

English language requirements

The basic level of English proficiency required for entry into most TAFE courses is the equivalent of Academic IELTS 5.5, with no band lower than 5.0. Some courses may require a higher level of English such as IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent). Should TIWA require confirmation of your current English level that cannot be demonstrated through other accepted means (eg other tests, certifications, or previous English/Schools studies that are sufficient), you may be eligible for a TIWA English Placement Test. Note that certificates are never shared with test-takers.

An IELTS test result is only valid for two years. If you need to improve your English, you can package an English course with your TAFE course.

View IELTS equivalent results
English providerIELTS (academic) score of 5.5 with no band score less than 5​IELTS (academic) 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5​
TOEFL​TOEFL 55 (iBT)​TOEFL 60 – no band lower than 15 (iBT)
Pearson​Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic – Minimum level 42 (no band lower than 36)​Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic – Minimum level 50 (no band lower than 42)
Password​Password score of 5.5​Password score of 6.0​
Eiken​Eiken Grade Pre 1​Eiken Grade 1​
English medium course

​Successful completion of at least two years of study at an acceptable grade in an English medium course completed within the previous two years

or

  • GCE O Levels English with 'C'
  • 'A' or 'B' in Malaysian SPM English or ‘C6 (C)’ in English 1119
  • Kenyan KCSE English 'C'​

​Successful completion of at least two years of study at an acceptable grade in an English medium course completed within the previous two years

or

  • GCE O Levels English with 'B'
  • 'A' in Malaysian SPM English or ‘C5 (C+)’ in English 1119
  • Kenyan KCSE English 'B'​
International Baccalaureate​International Baccalaureate (IB) Minimum of 3 in English A1 or A2​International Baccalaureate (IB) Minimum of 4 in English A1 or A2
Cambridge English​Completion of the Cambridge B2 First (formerly known as First Certificate of English [FCE])​Completion of the Cambridge C1 Advanced (formerly known as Cambridge Advanced English [CAE])
English for Academic PurposesSuccessful completion of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at upper intermediate level or equivalent at a recognised English college​Successful completion of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at pre-advanced level or equivalent at a recognised English college
Duolingo​Duolingo score 95–100​Duolingo score 105–115

Folio requirements

For some courses, you need to submit a folio of your work to be assessed for course entry. You may also need to submit a folio when you want to continue into the related diploma or advanced diploma course.

View list of folio requirements and submission dates

TIWA reserves the right to alter any admission requirement without prior notice.

Please note the Department of Home Affairs may require different or higher English levels for visa purposes. Please check the visa requirements for your passport nationality(opens in a new tab)​.​

Last updated on March 11, 2024