English Language Proficiency Policy and Procedure
- Andrew Read (Unlicensed)
- Rebecca Smibert
- Claudia Dowling
OVERVIEW
Status | CURRENT |
|---|---|
Classification* | INTERNAL |
Department | ALL |
Review | Mar 11, 2024 |
Notes | Â |
PUBLIC-FACING
English Language Proficiency - Info Sheet
To be accepted into a course with Strategix as an international student, you are required to demonstrate sufficient English Language Proficiency (ELP) based on the course you want to study. You are expected to provide sufficient and validated evidence of and/or participate in the Strategix English Language Proficiency Assessment.
Evidence of sufficient ELP can be demonstrated through:
An English Language Proficiency Level (ELPL) result
Strategix’s English Language Proficiency Assessment or
English test score result.
This requirement is in place to ensure you:
Meet the necessary Visa requirements where required
Meet the course entrance standards for English language
Can study in English, understand and interpret learning and assessment materials, and have the ability to respond in English clearly, in context and correctly.
POLICY
English Language Proficiency Policy
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Strategix has implemented the following standards for International Students who wish to study/enrol in a VET course delivered in Australia under our CRICOS registration. These standards are in place to ensure the student is able to:
Meet the necessary Visa requirements where required
Meet the course entrance standards for the English Language
Manage the rigours of studying in English
Understand and interpret learning and assessment materials and have the ability to understand, comprehend and respond in English clearly, precisely, in context and correctly.
Students enrolling in a CRICOS course at Strategix will be required to demonstrate sufficient English Language Proficiency (ELP) to enrol in their respective course level. Students are expected to provide sufficient and validated evidence of and/or participate in the Strategix English Language Proficiency Assessment.
Strategix English Language Proficiency Standard
Evidence of an English Language Proficiency Level (ELPL) or English test score is not required where the student meets one or more of the following:
Holds a passport from UK, USA, Canada, NZ or Republic of Ireland
Are an applicant who is a Foreign Affairs or Defence sponsored student or a Secondary Exchange student (Acceptance Advice Secondary Exchange Student – AASES)
Enrolled in a principal course of study that is a registered school course, a standalone English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS), a course registered to be delivered in a language other than English or a registered post-graduate research course
Completed at least 5 years of study in English in one or more of the following countries: Australia, UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa or the Republic of Ireland
Completed, in Australia and in the English language, either the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education or a substantial component of a course leading to a qualification from the AQF at the Certificate IV or higher level, while you held a student visa in the last two years
Has come from a low risk assessment level country*. (These students can use the EPT/LLN result to apply for the student visa to Australia (see Document Checklist Tool**) , and enroll.)
*Examples of low risk assessment level countries are Japan, Brazil, PNG, Colombia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Fiji. A complete list is not publicly available. We can tell which country has a low risk assessment level for an Australian visa, by the evidence that is requested for the passport when filling out the Document Checklist Tool. E.g. evidence of English language ability is not requested for a low risk assessment level country passport.
**In the Document Checklist Tool, a student will: enter in their country of passport - type in/search their Education Provider and CRICOS code - select ‘none of the above (all other students)’ under ‘I am one of the following…’ - click ‘Display evidence’.
These students who meet one of the conditions in items 1 to 6 above, will have to complete a Learner Needs Analysis, currently included in the International Speaking Test and Learner Needs Analysis form.
Students who do not satisfy any of the conditions above are required to have sufficient ELPL or educational history/qualifications to enrol. Evidence requirements and information can be found below.
Any evidence submitted will be subject to verification/validation by Strategix. At any stage, if it is identified as not being valid or cannot be verified and trusted, students will be required to complete the Strategix English Proficiency Assessment.
In addition to these requirements, students may be required to participate in an English proficiency interview with the College Manager, Director of Studies or appropriately trained team member to verify their suitability to be enrolled in their course of choice.
Strategix Philosophy
Strategix has implemented these standards after researching the visa, regulatory and legislative requirements as well as industry standards and the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) and Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Under the Certificate 3 Guarantee program (Certificate III and above) and Skilled Careers program (Certificate III and above), students are tested prior to entry into the program as the QLD and SA state governments have stipulated these as acceptable standards to be enrolled into Certificate III courses.
Under VET Student Loans (Diploma and above), the federal government requires students to achieve ACSF working level 3, exit level 4 or have achieved an equivalent Year 12 or certificate course.
Taking into consideration these program requirements, our accepted levels are in line with the accepted standards as per Visa Subclass 500.
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English Language Proficiency Procedure
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Steps | Person Responsible | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Identify English Proficiency requirements | Student /Admin/ International college manager |
| 2 | Determine student ELPL:
| Student / International college manager |
| 3 | Assess and determine suitability | Â |
| 4 | Records management | Â |
Identify English Proficiency Requirements
Acceptable ELPL
Relevant test results from either IELTS, ISLPR, TOEFL, PTE Academic, or
Results from an AQSF test completed within 3 months of enrolling into the course, providers include CSPA, BKSB, LLN Robot, or
A Senior Secondary Certificate of Education that has been awarded to the student by an agency or authority of a State or Territory for the student’s completion of year 12 in Australia, or
The student's statement of results or outcome of an approved assessment tool, as displaying competence in the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF), or
A certificate qualification at level 4 or above in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) has been awarded to the student, or at a level in a framework that preceded the AQF (refer to clarification below), that is equivalent to level 4 or above in the AQF. This certificate must be a document issued by a body registered to award the qualification in the AQF in Australia, or
A letter or certificate issued by a Federal, State or Territory government agency that assesses overseas qualifications, that evidence that the student’s qualification has been assessed by that agency (or contracted organisation) and determined to be equivalent or comparable to a qualification in the AQF at level 4 or above.
Previous courses/studies must have been completed in English and must be within 2 years from the granted student visa application.
Accepted Levels/Results*
Test Name | Minimum Test Score |
|---|---|
IELTS | 6 or:
(this update was effective 22/03/2024) |
TOEFL iBT (internet test) | 46 or:
|
PTE Academic | 42 or:
|
Certificate in Advance English | 162 or:
|
Occupational English Test (OET) | A score of at least B for each test component of the OET |
Previous study |
|
Strategix English Language Assessment |
|
*Note, there is a higher requirement for Diploma of Nursing students. Please refer to Diploma of Nursing Course Information for the details.
Determine Student Proficiency Level
Each student is individually assessed to ascertain if they hold an ELPL suitable to complete a VET course with Strategix. Students have 2 options to determine their suitability for the chosen course:
Gather evidence: Student supplies verified copies of documentation evidencing English proficiency in line with Visa and regulatory requirements. Refer to the Acceptable Evidence dropdown below
Administer English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA): Where students cannot provide evidence of English proficiency, the student may complete either the tests listed in the Acceptable Evidence or complete the Strategix ELPA. Strategix ELPA includes the identification of the student’s current ACSF level in:
Learning
Reading
Writing
Oral
Numeracy, and
Speaking.
*Instructions for completing the Strategix ELPA are listed in the English Language Proficient Assessment Procedure.
Assess and Determine Suitability
In line with acceptable ELP results, students who have sufficient ELP may continue with the enrolment process. Students who do not meet the requirements of the course will not be issued with a Letter of Offer and Acceptance Agreement until they have been referred to and engaged by an English Pathway Partner.
Records Management
Students' ELP evidence and test results are loaded into aXcelerate in the student’s portfolio under the Portfolio item ‘English Proficiency Document’.
Please ensure the following fields are completed:
Issued by – Organisation name
Issue/commence date – Date on documentation
Renewal/Expiry date – 2 years from issue/commencement date
English Proficiency Test – type of test used to determine ELPL
Score – EG IELTS 6, ACSF Exit lvl 3
Upload Document – Upload the documents gathered.
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English Language Proficiency Assessment Procedure
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The following is the process for the administration of the Strategix ELPA.
The following information must be emphasised to the student/s:
The minimum levels acceptable
The assessments are carried out by themselves as an individual
They are not allowed any assistance with either the LLN Quiz or the speaking test
They must provide evidence that they completed the assessments on their own (declaration).
Login Details
Test link: LLN Robot (Login procedure)
User name: Your email
Password: Your password
Steps | Communications – aXcelerate Template/s | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LLN Robot Quiz– Learning, Reading, Writing, Oral Communication and Numeracy | SIC – English proficiency – Test |
| 2 | English Proficiency Interview | SIC – English proficiency – Interview |
| 3 | Outcome:
| Â
|
LLN Robot Quiz
The student will be given the login details to LLN Robot in the enrolment form, refer to the International Enrolment Policy and Procedure. A separate email is sent via the LLN Robot invitation module. Students enrolling on a CRICOS course must complete the Level 4 quiz to determine the ACSF Exit level appropriate to the chosen course.
Test Instructions:
The student enrolling on the course must complete the online LLN quiz using the information provided to them in the emails. When doing this online quiz they must ensure the following conditions are met:
They have access to the hardware and system requirements as detailed here
They login to the site using the unique login credentials on the unique email (Passwords are known only to the end-user) issued by Strategix
They are not allowed to receive any third-party guidance or assistance in answering any of the quiz questions*
*Verification of the student completing the quiz will be asked for in the interview questions.
When Completed
Strategix will receive a notification from the student when the LLN Robot quiz is completed. When notification is received the administrator Assistant must generate and download the student's LLN report* and upload this document to the student's aXcelerate portfolio.
The international college manager must analyse the LLN results** to determine if the student meets the minimum ACSF level. This can be done for one or multiple students. To download this file complete the steps as shown here. If the results indicate the student is:
Proficient in learning, reading, writing, oral communication and numeracy they should continue with the next step of this process (English-speaking interview)
Students who are close or have not achieved a sufficient ELPL may attempt the assessment subsequent times when the enrolling officer deems it fair to do so
Not proficient in learning, reading, writing and oral communication they should email the student and/or their agent informing them of the results and available options (Step 3 - be enrolled into an English course).
** For more information on what is included in the results page and how to determine the learner’s current skill ACSF level (as assessed by the online LLN Quiz) click here.
Please note these ACSF levels are based on overall diploma and cert III course and may differ depending on a particular course/industry. For example, Certificate III in Food Processing has a higher numeracy level than that of Certificate III in Community Services due to the calculations they are required to do. Refer to the Australian Core Skills Framework guidance material for more information on these levels.
English Proficiency Interview
The international college manager or another suitable Strategix team member will email the student informing them of their success in the completion of stage 1 of this process and inviting them to a video or audio interview (SIC – English proficiency – Interview). The email must inform the student that they will be asked to verbally respond to a series of questions around the genuine temporary entrant requirements (GTE) and an International Speaking Test and Learner Needs Analysis will be completed by a Strategix team member.
Instructions:
The person assessing the student's English speaking skills must ensure the interview is conducted in a space that is free from distractions and upholds the student’s right to privacy and confidentiality of information.
The interviewer must inform the student that the conversation may be recorded and the student must agree to this before going ahead with the rest of the interview process.
Prior to asking the interview questions, the interviewer must ask the student to verify the identification by asking them for their:
Full name and date of birth
Address
Date they completed the LLN Quiz.
Questions are to be answered in English, without the assistance of any person, and responses must be assessed progressively and upon completion.
Interview Completed
The assessment document must be completed and dated by the assessor. This document must be kept on the student's aXcelerate file in the portfolio item ‘English Proficiency Document’.
Outcome
Denial – Insufficient English proficiency levels:
Where a student has failed to meet the minimum ACSF level as required they are to receive notification via the SIC – English proficiency – Your next step template in aXcelerate advising them to enrol in an English course
Confirmation – Sufficient English proficiency levels:
Students who achieve the required ACSF level and pass the speaking test are advised through the SIC – English proficiency – Complete template in aXcelerate.
LLN Robot Mapping Levels
ACSF Levels - Courses
Course | Australian Core Skills Framework | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Learning | Reading | Writing | Oral Comm | Speaking | Numeracy | |
Diploma of Business | Exit Lvl 2 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 |
Diploma of Leadership and Management | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 |
Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 |
Diploma of Nursing | Exit Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 3 |
Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 |
Certificate III in Individual Support | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 |
Diploma of Community Service | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 1 Working Lvl 2 |
Certificate III in Supply Chain Operations | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 |
Certificate III in Food Processing | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 |
Certificate III in Hospitality | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 | Exit Lvl 2 Working Lvl 3 |
Information Sources and References
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This table lists all the references and sources of information accessed to develop this policy.
Review Date | Source | Link | Information |
|---|---|---|---|
18/09/2019 | Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business | https://www.employment.gov.au/language-literacy-and-numeracy-lln-assessment-tool-information | LLN standards VET Student Loans |
20/09/2019 | Migration (IMMI 18/015: English Language Tests and Evidence Exemptions for Subclass 500 (Student) Visa) Instrument 2018 | https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018C00474/Download | Accepted ELPL |
20/09/2019 | Department of Education – The ESOS legislative Framework | https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/esos_regulations_2019_overview.pdf | Overview of ESOS Regulations 2019 |
20/09/2019 | Department of Home Affairs | https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500#About | Student visa (subclass 500) |
20/09/2019 | Department of Home Affairs | https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500#Eligibility | Meet English Language Requirements & English Language Exemptions |
20/09/2019 | Australian Qualifications framework | Â | |
20/09/2019 | Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business | https://www.employment.gov.au/australian-core-skills-framework | Australian Core Skills Framework |
20/09/2019 | Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) | CRICOS/ELICOS compliance | |
20/09/2019 | The Learning Resources Group | ACSF v IELTS |
Definitions
Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
ELICOS | English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students |
CRICOS | Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students |
GTE | Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement |
ACSF | The Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) is a tool which assists both specialist and non-specialist English language, literacy and numeracy practitioners describe an individual’s performance in the five core skills of learning, reading, writing, oral communication and numeracy. |
AQF | The Australian Qualifications Framework is the national policy for regulated qualifications in Australian education and training. It incorporates the qualifications from each education and training sector into a single comprehensive national qualifications framework. The AQF was introduced in 1995 to underpin the national system of qualifications in Australia encompassing higher education, vocational education and training and schools. |
ELP | English Language Proficiency is an admission requirement for all Vocational Education and Training course with a Registered Training Organisation. |
ELPL | English Language Proficiency Assessment. The students level of ELP as tested by an approved method/organisation. |
ELPA | English Language Proficiency Assessment. Assessment of students ELP via Strategix designed program. |
TOEFL iBT | Test of English as a Foreign Language paper-based test |
CSPA - Core Skills Profile for Adults | The CSPA is a tool designed to indicate reading, writing and numeracy/maths skills. |
BKSB – Basic Key Skills Builder | BKSB is a tool designed to indicate reading, writing and numeracy/maths levels |
AASES – Acceptance Advice Secondary Exchange Student | An International Secondary Student Exchange (ISSE) offers a cultural and educational experience for Queensland school high students. |
Authority |
| See Funding |
|---|---|---|
Regulatory Documents |
| List the Contract, audit evidence requirements, standards etc. and the applicable section or clause from each document |
Approved By | Name here | Details / Decisions: |
International Enrolment Procedure
International Student Prospectus
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