Overview
The International Second Language Proficiency Ratings (ISLPR) is an Australian English test that rates a person's ability on a rating scale. It is run one-to-one with an accredited tester, and the content is chosen to suit the candidate's study or work background, which is collected on the application form. Testers at ISLPR Language Services hold a degree in TESOL or applied linguistics and have completed accreditation training. Academic, vocational and professional versions of the test exist.
Exam pattern
A full ISLPR test has two parts and covers all four skills.
| Part | Skills | Format | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interview | Speaking, listening, reading | Conversation with a tester, then listening and reading tasks on real texts such as news stories and announcements, answered aloud | 1 hour |
| Writing | Writing | Two short tasks of about 150 and 250 words, self-paced | 1 hour, with up to 15 extra minutes to check |
Part tests are also offered, covering only the skills you choose. Before booking one, check that the university, board or employer asking for your result accepts part tests. Results from tests taken on different occasions are never combined.
An online version exists. In it the interview is held by video conference and the writing is done in the ISLPR online software, and it has its own rules and terms. Whether an organisation accepts the online test is up to that organisation.
Marking and results
Results are given as a profile of ratings per skill, for example S:2, L:2+, R:2+, W:2. Your own tester usually marks the whole test, and the test is quality checked by the ISLPR Global Accreditation Company. Results are ready after 10 working days and are posted by regular mail or collected from the Brisbane office. They are never emailed or given by phone. An optional results report explains the points in your test that led to your ratings, and a recheck of a skill can be requested. ISLPR recommends waiting about four weeks before re-sitting.
Fees
As listed on the official site in 2026 for tests at ISLPR Language Services in Brisbane (the page shows dollar amounts and does not name the currency): full test 440.95, one-skill test (speaking, listening or reading) 359.50. Each test can be bought with a results report for a higher price, and a recheck costs $80 per skill. Tests held interstate or overseas where there is no permanent centre cost extra. The site says permanent centres exist in Brisbane and Melbourne, and that prices change.
How to apply
Book through the ISLPR website using the page for the test location you want. Locations listed include Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, and the company can travel interstate and overseas on request. Rescheduling or cancelling a test needs seven days' notice.
How long until I get my ISLPR result?
Results are ready after 10 working days and are posted to you, or you can collect them from the Brisbane office.
Can I sit only one skill?
Yes. Part tests and single-skill tests are offered, but check first that the organisation asking for your result accepts them.