My cousin is applying for an MS in CS in Australia. His IELTS score just meets the minimum requirement (Overall 7.0, but Reading is 6.0). His profile is otherwise strong.
Should he retake the exam to get a higher score, or is meeting the minimum sufficient for admission?
If he has cleared the minimum, his energy is better spent elsewhere. Australian unis are primarily focused on academics and GPA for CS. A higher IELTS won’t give him a big edge, but a strong SOP and LORs will. Tell him to focus there. No need to retake.
hey @Rituraj4256Goswami If his score already matches the minimum band requirement for the uni, then he doesn’t really need to retake it just for admission most Aussie unis only care that you hit the cutoff. A higher IELTS won’t suddenly make his application stronger since they look more at academics, projects, and experience. The only reason he might consider retaking is if he’s aiming for scholarships or thinking about PR later, since some of those need higher bands. Otherwise, meeting the minimum is good enough to move forward.
That 6.0 in Reading is right at the borderline. While it might not affect his admission, it could later impact his visa processing if the case officer is stringent. For peace of mind and to avoid any tiny risk, a quick retake to push Reading to 6.5 could be worth it. Otherwise, he’s probably fine.
Thanks, everyone! That makes sense. So the consensus is that admission-wise, he’s likely safe. But to eliminate any visa risk, a retake could be a prudent step. I’ll advise him to focus on his applications but consider one more attempt if it’s not too stressful.
@Rituraj4256Goswami In Australia, as long as your cousin’s IELTS meets the minimum requirement set by the university, admissions committees usually don’t penalize him for not scoring higher so an overall 7.0 with a 6.0 in Reading is generally sufficient if that matches the program’s cutoff. However, he should double-check the specific band requirements of each university, since some top CS programs ask for 6.5 in each band (not just overall). If his target schools require that, retaking makes sense; if not, his strong profile will carry more weight, and meeting the minimum is enough.