English Proficiency Evidence

International General and Express applicants must provide one of the following as evidence that they are able to comprehend and communicate effectively in English in a physiotherapy setting:

Option A – Confirmation that English is your first language.

There are many types of suitable evidence for this option, you are welcome to submit whatever you feel supports your claim here. As an example, we have previously accepted passports as proof of citizenship in countries where English is the official language as evidence.

We will follow up with you if what you have provided does not suit for any reason.

Warning: You may only rely on this criterion if English is the first language that you spoke. Applications which falsely claim English as a first language will be identified by the Board and as a result are highly likely to be declined.

Option B – Evidence of a physiotherapy qualification from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada or South Africa.

Option C – A certified copy or shared access to test results from the following accepted exams that meet the listed score thresholds:

• IELTS Academic:
  • minimum score of 7 for reading, listening, and speaking; and
  • a minimum score of 6.5 for writing.
  • Note: IELTS scores may be obtained across two sittings (including One Subject Resit) in six months, provided that neither test result includes any score lower than 6.5 in any area.

• Occupational English Test
  • minimum score of 350 for reading, listening, and speaking; and
  • minimum score of 300 for writing.
  • Note: OET scores may be obtained across two sittings in six months, provided that all areas are examined in both sittings and neither test result includes a score lower than 300 in any area.

• PTE Academic:
  • minimum overall score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
  • Note: PTE scores may be obtained across two sittings in six months provided that:
    •  minimum overall score of 65 is achieved in each sitting, and
    • the applicant achieves a minimum score of 65 in each of the communicative skills across the two sittings, and
    • no score in any of the communicative skills is below 58.

• TOEFL iBT:
  • A minimum total score of 94, and the following minimum score in each section of the test:
    • 24 for listening
    • 24 for reading
    • 27 for writing, and
    • 23 for speaking.
  • Note: TOEFL iBT scores may be obtained across two sittings in a six-month period if:
    • a minimum total score of 94 is achieved in each sitting; and
    • the applicant achieves a minimum score of 24 for listening, 24 for reading, 27 for writing and 23 for speaking across the two sittings; and
    • no score in any of the sections is below:
      • 20 for listening
      • 19 for reading
      • 24 for writing, and
      • 20 for speaking

Option D – Other evidence acceptable to the Registrar that the applicant comes from an English-speaking background or can demonstrate that they can use English at the level required for practice in New Zealand. Please see our help site here for additional information.

Please also note that if we suspect that your communication with us or application content appears to be generated by Chat GPT or a similar AI system may give the Board reason to believe that you are not able to communicate in English at the required standard. Any application containing AI-generated material will be immediately referred to the Registrar and is highly likely to be declined.

How old can my exam results be?

Test results must be less than 2 years old on the date you submit your application.

Do you accept scores split across multiple attempts?

The Board does not accept composite results from multiple examinations.

What type of IELTS exam do you accept?

At this stage we only accept Academic exam results. We do not accept General exam results.