Help with English

There are many sources of English language training or other help with English for family members who may be migrating to Australia.

The Department of Education, Science and Technology provides a list of agencies who offer English language courses for migrants, or who provide information for their local community through their Education Portal.

People with very limited English skills may qualify for the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and be eligible for free English lessons. The program teaches basic English to migrants to help them settle in Australia. Tuition is available to adult migrants (18 years old or over) for whom English is not the first language, and who have been assessed as not having functional English language skills.

Adult English lessons are also available from many local secondary and community colleges, as well as colleges of Technical and Further Education (TAFE). Links to some of these colleges and TAFEs can be found on the Education Portal. A list of higher education institutions can be found there also.

The Commonwealth Register of Institutions & Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) is a valuable search tool for English language courses around Australia.

Local migrant resource centres may also offer assistance in this area, including volunteers with whom you can practice your English-speaking skills.

If a family member has difficulty communicating in English, the National Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) provides assistance directly over the telephone. The service can be reached by phone from anywhere in Australia on 131450 for the cost of a local call.

To obtain more information about one of the many English language learning programs available in Australia, you should contact one of the State or Territory multicultural affairs offices.

More information on Australian English can be found on DoctorConnect.