Version - 180510

POLICY and PROCEDURE HE –

International student admission

Purpose

This policy outlines the requirements and the procedures that concern the admission of international students to
Higher Education courses at Acknowledge Education trading as Melbourne Language Centre, Stott’s College, Front
Cooking School and Acknowledge Creativity. The policy aims to ensure that international students are equipped with
the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their studies.

Application

This policy applies to all prospective international higher education students, including those who have completed
previous study in Australia.

Policy and procedures

1. General Admission Requirements

Required of all students:
To be eligible for admission into a higher education course, Acknowledge Education requires a student to:
a) successfully complete Year 12 or equivalent for a list of overseas equivalent qualification please refer to
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/vcerecognition/equiquals/equiv-yr12.aspx

b) demonstrate compliance with Acknowledge Education English proficiency requirements

c) be over the age of eighteen

2. English Proficiency Requirements (please see table 1 for IELTS equivalent tests)

Required of all students:

New students:
2.1. Subject to exemption (see 2.4), all students are required to undertake an MLC English test

2.2. To commence a course, the student must achieve the following result:
a) where the student arrives from overseas, an IELTS equivalent of at least 6.0
b) where the student arrives from another higher education or vocational institution in Australia, an IELTS
equivalent of at least 5.5

2.3. If the student arrives from another higher education or vocational institution in Australia and achieves an
IELTS equivalence of between 5.5 and 6.0 on the MLC English test, the student may commence the course
provided that they undertake Academic Business English Unit(s) 1 and 2.

HEAD OFFICE 168 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia acknowledgeeducation.edu.au ABN 15 005 596 565 CRICOS 00197D PRV 12146 RTO 4112 SCHOOL 1997

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 2.4. Failure to achieve the required proficiency:
a) All offers to study at Acknowledge Education are conditional upon students adhering to Acknowledge
Education’s English proficiency requirements. Failure to comply may result in the withdrawal of an offered
place in any course.

b) Where a student does not meet this requirement, the Director of Studies (MLC) will provide a
recommendation to the Registrar detailing the period of ELICOS study the student must undertake in order
to reach the required proficiency.

c) The student may be advised to undertake this prescribed period of ELICOS study or, alternatively, to
undertake a more suitable program.

d) Where the student satisfactorily completes the prescribed period of ELICOS study, the student will be
deemed to have achieved English proficiency and will be admitted to the course.

3. Testing procedure

3.1. MLC English Test:

a) Once completed, the MLC English test will be assessed by an examiner whose result must be reported to the
Director of Studies (MLC) within one week of the student’s test date.

b) All enrolments are conditional upon the Director of Studies (MLC) final approval of the student having
achieved the requisite IELTS equivalency.

3.2. Preliminary English Test:

a) Upon application, offshore students are required to undertake a Preliminary English test. This test provides
an indication of the student’s proficiency in English.

b) The Preliminary English test is not a substitute for the MLC English test, which the student must undertake
additionally.

c) All Preliminary English tests are to be assessed by the Director of Studies (MLC) who will provide an
indicative IELTS score for each student.

d) Where the student scores below 6.0, the Director of Studies (MLC) will provide a recommendation to the
Registrar detailing the period of ELICOS study the student must undertake in order to reach the required
proficiency.

e) Where the student satisfactorily completes the prescribed period of ELICOS study, the student will be
deemed to have achieved English proficiency and will be admitted to the course.

4. Study Skills Module:

4.1. The Study Skills Module is compulsory for all Bachelor students and is a six week online module
4.2. The module is not credited.
4.3. The module is provided to students without charge.

HEAD OFFICE 168 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia acknowledgeeducation.edu.au ABN 15 005 596 565 CRICOS 00197D PRV 12146 RTO 4112 SCHOOL 1997

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5. MLC English Test exemptions:

5.1. The following students are not required to undertake the MLC English test in order to commence study in a
course:
a) students who have attained an IELTS test score of 6.0
b) students who have attained an IELTS equivalency of 6.0 on a widely recognised test
c) students who have attained an IELTS equivalency of 6.0 on an exit test from an MLC English course
d) Students who have provided evidence of previous admission into an Australian Higher Education Provider at
Bachelor level or higher
e) Students who have graduated from an Acknowledge Education Diploma or Advanced Diploma qualification
f) Students that have completed a one year full-time Diploma or Advanced Diploma course at an Australian
education institution.
g) All other students are required to undertake the MLC English test in accordance with Acknowledge
Education’s policy outlined above

Table 1
IELTS TOEFL TOEFL IBT PTE Cambridge Cambridge Cambridge
Academic PB Academic English: English: English
Advanced Proficiency scale: CAE
(CAE) (CPE) and CPE
Pre-2015 Pre-2015 (from
2015)
5.5 506 62 46 47 - 162
6.0 534 73 54 52 - 169
6.5 565 85 61 58 45 176
7.0 592 96 68 67 51 185
7.5 615 105 76 74 56 191
8.0 635 112 79 80 60 200
8.5 651 117 84 87 - 205
9.0 664 120 88 93 96 209
English language Individual skills tests
R/L/S/W TWE R/L/S Writing Section Section Section Section
Minimum Minimum Minimum Minimum
5.5 4 14 16 46 n/a n/a 162
6.0 4.5 17 19 54 Borderline n/a 169
6.5 4.5 20 22 61 Borderline Weak 176
7.0 5 23 25 68 Good Weak 185
7.5 5.5 25 27 76 Good Weak 191
8.0 6 27 29 79 Exceptional Borderline 200
8.5 6 29 30 84 Exceptional Good 205
9.0 6 30 30 88 Exceptional Exceptional 209

HEAD OFFICE 168 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia acknowledgeeducation.edu.au ABN 15 005 596 565 CRICOS 00197D PRV 12146 RTO 4112 SCHOOL 1997

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Document approval
Endorsed by: Dean of Studies
Date endorsed: 26 June 2013
Effective date: 26 June 2013
Version number: 180510
Last amendment date/by: 10 May 2018, Compliance Manager
Review due date: 1 July 2019
Related documents: Enrolment Procedure
Enrolment Procedures, Assessment of Language Literacy and Numeracy Skills
Responsibilities: Registrar, Director of Studies, admission staff, Marketing

Document change and review log

Date Version By Notes

26/06/2013 1.0 ML Created
31/07/2015 1.1 BS Remove references to 2013
02/05/2017 1.2 BS Add 2.4(1) ‘d’ and ‘e’
170918 170918 ABennett Minor formatting changes; document name change
180110 180110 Bs Add equivalent year 12 equivalent link and IELTS
Table
180510 180510 BS Change Academic English to Study Skills and insert
Diploma exemtion

HEAD OFFICE 168 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia acknowledgeeducation.edu.au ABN 15 005 596 565 CRICOS 00197D PRV 12146 RTO 4112 SCHOOL 1997

This document is uncontrolled when saved or printed. For the latest version of this policy always check the Policy and Procedures Directory. 4