Australian Courses

English language courses in Australia

ELICOS means English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students. Many students study English first, then start their main course. There are 1,078 English courses registered, from 428 schools.

Registered courses1,078
Usual length34 weeks4–280 weeks available
Usual feeA$11,000whole course
Average per weekA$363
CheapestA$1,080

Three reasons students study English here

  1. You need English to meet a course requirement. The school gives you a conditional offer. You study English until you reach the level they need. Then you start your main course. This is the most common path. The two courses are usually arranged together in one offer, on one visa. This is called a packaged offer.
  2. You want to study English only. You can get a student visa for an English course by itself. Since 1 July 2026, English and non-award students pay a lower visa charge of A$2,050, not the standard A$2,500.
  3. You have the English level but want preparation. Academic English courses teach essay writing, referencing and class discussion. General English teaches everyday language. They are different products. Check which one a course is before you compare prices.

How the levels work

Most schools use the same order: Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate, Advanced, then academic or exam preparation. Each level usually takes 10 to 12 weeks.

You take a test when you arrive. That test decides your level, not the level you booked.

This matters more than students expect. If the test places you lower than you planned, you study English for longer. Your main course start date moves. Your costs go up. Ask the school these questions before you pay:

Ask for the answers in writing.

How this affects your budget

English courses are priced per week. So the length matters more than the total price. The average is about A$363 per week. Ten extra weeks of English is a large amount of money on top of your other costs.

Your visa must cover the English course and the main course together. Your health insurance must also cover both.

Add this to your total cost

Foundation programs are different

66 courses on the register are marked as foundation studies. These are bridging courses. They help students who do not meet the academic requirements for a degree. They are about academic preparation, not language. If your problem is your past qualifications and not your English, ask your school about these.

All registered English courses

1,078 coursesSort by cheapestprice per yearshortestA–ZLevel allVETbachelormasters & aboveschool
  1. General English Program (Beginner to Advanced)
    Non AQF Award · Orange College · Melbourne,Port Melbourne
    A$18,0001.4 yr · A$13,000/yr
  2. General English (Beginner to Advanced)
    Non AQF Award · Frontier Leadership · Brisbane City,Cairns,Hobart,Spring Hill
    A$18,0001.5 yr · A$12,000/yr
  3. General English
    Non AQF Award · Mastery Institute Australia · Brisbane
    A$18,0001.2 yr · A$15,600/yr
  4. General English
    Non AQF Award · York Business Institute Pty. Ltd. · Forest Lodge,Sydney
    A$18,0001.3 yr · A$14,400/yr
  5. General English (Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate)
    Non AQF Award · Hawk Institute · Melbourne
    A$18,0001.2 yr · A$15,600/yr
  6. English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
    Non AQF Award · Harbourside Institute of Australia Pty Ltd · Pyrmont,Ultimo
    A$18,0009 mo · A$23,400/yr
  7. General English
    Non AQF Award · Sea English Academy International Pty Ltd, Australian Ins… · Adelaide,Melbourne,Norwest,Wollongong
    A$18,0001.3 yr · A$13,371/yr
  8. English for Academic Purposes
    Non AQF Award · Sydney English House Pty Ltd · Haymarket,Ultimo
    A$18,0008 mo · A$26,000/yr
  9. General English Starter to Advanced
    Non AQF Award · Insight Academy of Australia Pty Ltd · Melbourne
    A$18,0001.5 yr · A$12,316/yr
  10. General English Levels 1-6
    Non AQF Award · Australian Polytechnic College · Broadmeadows,Burwood,Melbourne,Summer Hill
    A$18,0001.3 yr · A$13,371/yr
  11. General English
    Non AQF Award · TrEd College · Adelaide,Launceston,North Sydney
    A$18,0001.3 yr · A$13,371/yr
  12. General English
    Non AQF Award · N/A · Homebush,Melbourne
    A$18,0001.5 yr · A$12,316/yr
  13. General English- Beginner, Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced
    Non AQF Award · The English Language School, The Business School · Campsie
    A$18,0001.5 yr · A$12,000/yr
  14. General English (Proficiency Levels: Beginner, Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate, and Advanced)
    Non AQF Award · Page Institute · Eight Mile Plains
    A$18,0001.4 yr · A$13,000/yr
  15. General English
    Non AQF Award · Sydney Metropolitan English Institute · Sydney
    A$18,0001.2 yr · A$15,600/yr
  16. General English
    Non AQF Award · Opulence College Pty Ltd · Canberra,Melbourne,Sydney
    A$18,0001.2 yr · A$15,097/yr
  17. General English
    Non AQF Award · Prime Education Group Pty Ltd · Carlton,Melbourne
    A$18,0001.3 yr · A$13,371/yr
  18. General English
    Non AQF Award · Australian Sovereign College · Abbotsford,Broadmeadows,Melbourne
    A$18,0001.3 yr · A$13,371/yr
  19. General English
    Non AQF Award · ILLOURA COLLEGE · Cannington
    A$18,0001.4 yr · A$12,649/yr
  20. GENERAL ENGLISH (3 Separate Levels: Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate and Upper-Intermediate)
    Non AQF Award · PIONEER EDUCATION INSTITUTE PTY LTD · East Perth
    A$18,0001 yr · A$18,000/yr
  21. General English (6 levels)
    Non AQF Award · Australian Prime Education and Training Pty Ltd · Sydney
    A$18,0001.2 yr · A$15,600/yr
  22. General English - Elementary to Advanced
    Non AQF Award · Innovative College Pty Ltd · Parramatta
    A$18,0001.3 yr · A$13,765/yr
  23. General English
    Non AQF Award · IVY LINK COLLEGE · Brisbane City,Spring Hill
    A$18,0001.2 yr · A$15,097/yr
  24. General English Levels 1 - 6
    Non AQF Award · Norton Institute · Leichhardt
    A$18,0001.3 yr · A$13,371/yr
  25. ELICOS General English
    Non AQF Award · Australian Management College Pty Ltd · Brisbane
    A$18,0001.2 yr · A$15,097/yr
  26. General English Levels 1-6
    Non AQF Award · Western Star Academy Pty Ltd · North Sydney
    A$18,0001.5 yr · A$12,000/yr
  27. General English Levels 1 - 6
    Non AQF Award · N/A · Surry Hills
    A$18,0001.3 yr · A$13,371/yr
  28. General English Levels 1 4
    Non AQF Award · GREENFIELD COLLEGE PTY LTD · Shepparton
    A$18,00011 mo · A$19,500/yr
  29. English for Academic Purposes
    Non AQF Award · Australian Business Skills College Pty Ltd · Burwood,Mascot
    A$18,05011 mo · A$19,554/yr
  30. Academic English
    Non AQF Award · International College of Management, Sydney; Aspire Engli… · Manly,Sydney
    A$18,0807 mo · A$29,380/yr
  31. General English 1-4
    Non AQF Award · Cambridge College Australia; TradeTech Australia · Fortitude Valley
    A$18,2002 yr · A$9,100/yr
  32. General English - Beginner to Advanced (5-50 weeks)
    Non AQF Award · AAPoly, AMI Education · Melbourne
    A$18,2001 yr · A$18,928/yr
  33. English for Academic Purposes 2 (Advanced)
    Non AQF Award · AAPoly, AMI Education · Melbourne
    A$18,20010 wk
  34. The Callan Method of Accelerated English Language Learning (Beginner to Advanced) (2 to 52 weeks)
    Non AQF Award · MIT Institute Pty Ltd · Sydney
    A$18,2001 yr · A$18,200/yr
  35. English for Academic Purposes
    Non AQF Award · Platform English College · Camellia
    A$18,2005 mo
  36. IELTS Preparation
    Non AQF Award · Platform English College · Camellia
    A$18,2005 mo
  37. General English
    Non AQF Award · OAK LEAF EDUCATION · Richmond
    A$18,2001.2 yr · A$15,265/yr
  38. Preparation Course for the Cambridge English Examinations (Pre-Intermediate to Advance) (2 to 48 weeks)
    Non AQF Award · ECA College · Adelaide,Fortitude Valley,Parramatta,Sydney
    A$18,24011 mo · A$19,760/yr
  39. General ELICOS
    Non AQF Award · South Australian College of English Pty Ltd · Adelaide,Melbourne
    A$18,48911 mo · A$20,030/yr
  40. General English (Starter to Advanced)
    Non AQF Award · King's Institute of Managment and Technology · Brisbane
    A$18,5001.3 yr · A$14,800/yr
  41. General English
    Non AQF Award · Melbourne College of Business and Technology · Box Hill,Melbourne
    A$18,5001.2 yr · A$16,033/yr
  42. IELTS Preparation
    Non AQF Award · TAFE Queensland · South Brisbane,Southport
    A$18,5501 yr · A$19,292/yr
  43. General English
    Non AQF Award · Nortwest Pty Ltd · Adelaide,Melbourne,Sydney
    A$18,5601.1 yr · A$16,640/yr
  44. General English
    Non AQF Award · Protea College · Melbourne
    A$18,5608 mo · A$28,386/yr
  45. General English
    Non AQF Award · Bentley College · Melbourne,Springwood
    A$18,5601.1 yr · A$16,640/yr
  46. General English
    Non AQF Award · Datum College; Fluent Education · Footscray,Ultimo,West Melbourne
    A$18,5601.1 yr · A$16,640/yr
  47. General English
    Non AQF Award · Britts College Pty Ltd · Bondi Junction,Melbourne,Sydney
    A$18,5601.1 yr · A$16,640/yr
  48. General English
    Non AQF Award · Auscanus Institute of Australia · Melbourne
    A$18,5601.1 yr · A$16,640/yr
  49. General English
    Non AQF Award · Edinburgh Institute Pty Ltd · Melbourne
    A$18,5601.1 yr · A$16,640/yr
  50. General English Course
    Non AQF Award · Australian Health and Science Institute Pty Ltd · Blacktown,Lithgow,Surey Hills
    A$18,6001.2 yr · A$16,120/yr

What this page cannot tell you. The CRICOS register records that a course exists, how long it runs, and what it costs. It does not record entry requirements. It does not record the English level you need to start. It does not record the level you must reach to move into your main course. Each school sets these rules. They are not published in any central register.

Before you enrol, ask the school: What level will I start at? What level do I need to reach to start my main course? How long does that usually take? What happens if my test result is lower than expected? Get the answers in writing.