Admission Information

Language Proficiency

English Language Proficiency

Undergraduate, postgraduate and Higher Degree by Research language proficiency requirements

If students have undertaken their previous studies in an overseas country, they may have to provide proof of proficiency in English to gain entry into a Sydney College of Divinity award.

Students do not have to provide proof of proficiency in English if they have:

• completed an accredited award in English at one AQF level below the award that they are seeking admission into; or
• have successfully completed senior secondary study in English; or
• have successfully completed at least one year of full-time university study in English in the field of Humanities.

Students must provide proof of proficiency in English if they have undertaken all their qualifications in a language other than English.

Those students who have not completed previous studies in English may demonstrate proficiency in English by completing an IELTS test (or equivalent). The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) measures the language proficiency of people who want to study or work where English is used as a language of communication. It uses a nine-band scale to clearly identify levels of proficiency, from non-user (band score 1) through to expert (band score 9).

The test results required for admission are as follows:

* An alternative English proficiency for the Diploma of Theology is a Certificate of Completion for the Advanced Level English for Theology from Australian Onsung International College.

In addition to the IELTS a prospective student may be required to attend such English language courses as prescribed by the Sydney College of Divinity.

Students awaiting an IELTS result may be admitted into a course on the basis of Special Entry. All Special Entry admissions are provisional.

International students enrolling in a Sydney College of Divinity(SCD) course in the English language must observe the below English language requirements for admission:

1. students are expected to be proficient in English;
2. assessment tasks shall be set and examined in English;
3. students who gained their qualifications for admission to any of the SCD’s awards up to the level of Master (coursework) in a language other than English, must accompany their application for admission with an IELTS (or equivalent) result normally of 6.0 or better for Diploma, 6.5 or better for Bachelor and 7.0 or better for coursework postgraduate courses;
4. students who gained their qualifications for admission to any of the SCD’s postgraduate awards from the level of research Master in a language other than English, must accompany their application for admission with an IELTS (or equivalent) result of normally not less than 7.0 in all bands of the test.

Korean Language Proficiency

At the Korean School of Theology, where Korean undergraduate and postgraduate (coursework) awards are delivered, all course materials and teaching is in the Korean language. Teaching and support staff are native Korean-language speakers. Students are expected to work in a Korean language context. It is therefore a requirement that applicants be proficient in Korean and also have satisfactory English proficiency as Australia is an English speaking country.

Korean undergraduate courses language requirements

Korean proficiency

If an applicant has satisfactorily graduated from High School in Korea at a level that would gain admission into a university, then this graduation is considered evidence of Korean language literacy sufficient to undertake an undergraduate course in the Korean language.

Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where Korean is not the language of instruction must be fluent in the Korean language and have achieved Korean proficiency equivalent to level of 5 on the 6 level Yonsei University Korean Language Test.

English proficiency

• • Satisfactory completion of at least one year study of English as a subject in high school or in an English-only language school or other training centre, or
  • Satisfactory completion of a post-school award of at least 6 months duration where teaching was in English, or
  • Satisfactory completion of a test approved by the Sydney College of Divinity that demonstrates that the candidate can speak, write and read English.

Korean postgraduate courses language requirements

Korean proficiency

If an applicant has qualified for admission to a three-year degree from an accredited university in Korea then this graduation would be considered as evidence of Korean language literacy sufficient to undertake a postgraduate course in the Korean language.

If an applicants entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where Korean is not the language of instruction then the applicant should have achieved Korean proficiency equivalent to level of 6 on the 6 level Yonsei University Korean Language Test.

English proficiency

• • Satisfactory completion of at least one year study of English as a subject in high school or in an English-only language school or other training centre, or
  • Satisfactory completion of a post-school award of at least 6 months duration where teaching was in English, or
  • Satisfactory completion of a test approved by the Sydney College of Divinity that demonstrates that the candidate can speak, write and read English.