ILSC Language Schools Australia, Pearson, and Refugee Education Australia (REA) have partnered to deliver the Language & Exam Access Program for Health (LEAP for Health), helping refugees and migrants overcome English language testing barriers on the path to careers in Australia's healthcare sector.
REA’s LEAP for Health program is open to refugees and migrants who are planning to study, are currently studying, or have completed an Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)-regulated health program and require an approved English language test result to begin their studies, register, or practise. All 15 AHPRA-regulated health professions are included in areas like medicine, nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, physiotherapy, psychology, occupational therapy, dental, and more.
Highlighting the importance of the program, not only to participants, but Australia as a whole, Sally Baker, CEO of Refugee Education Australia, shared, “Australia is facing a healthcare workforce crisis – Health Workforce Australia projects a shortage of 123,000 nurses by 2030. At the same time, we have thousands of people with health training, clinical experience, and a genuine vocation to serve who are being kept out of the workforce by a language testing requirement that isn't keeping pace with the complexity of their situations.”
Language test providers can play a significant role in addressing the needs of future refugee and migrant health practitioners in Australia. According to Sue Rowlands, PTE Stakeholder Relations Manager ANZ, “Access to trusted English language assessment is a critical pathway to education, professional recognition and employment for refugees in Australia.” She added that partnerships like this help refugees “take an important step towards further realising the life they imagine through learning while also providing meaningful participation in the Australian workforce.
To bridge this gap, the LEAP for Health program, designed and coordinated by REA, combines targeted English language test preparation with subsidised Pearson Test of English (PTE) testing. Under the partnership:
Throughout the program, students also have the opportunity to connect and share insights, knowledge, and experience with a community of peers who have overcome similar challenges on their resettlement journeys in Australia.
“What particularly resonated with us is ILSC's experience supporting students into higher education and professional pathways,” said Baker, “This isn't about teaching English for its own sake – it's about getting people across a very specific threshold so they can enter the profession they've trained for, and ILSC understands that distinction.” Alison McDonnell, ILSC Education Group’s National Academic Director, ELICOS & Pathways agreed, adding, “For students who require a recognised English language test, success really depends on highly targeted preparation that reflects the specific format and expectations of each test. In healthcare professions, where language, communication, and professional terminology directly affect patient outcomes, that specialised preparation becomes even more important. Equally important is the opportunity to be immersed in English and engage regularly with others working towards similar professional goals. Through structured preparation programs, students gain meaningful exposure to the language, build confidence through practice and feedback, and learn alongside peers who share their commitment to a healthcare career in Australia. These experiences help strengthen both language proficiency and the communication skills needed for professional success.”
For ILSC Language Schools Australia, this new program aligns closely with the school’s mission and expands its existing support for refugees – since 2023, ILSC's Australian schools have offered a Humanitarian Scholarship providing general English study to humanitarian visa holders.
Reflecting on the new LEAP for Health initiative, Catherine Hamilton, National Manager of Student and Community Engagement at ILSC Education Group, shared why she feels the program is so important, saying, “On a day-to-day basis at our schools, we see the growth, connection, confidence, and Australian cultural integration that our international students develop as they interact with one another both inside and beyond the classroom. We know those experiences help shape student success. I believe refugees and migrants in Australia deserve the same types of opportunities to help them achieve their health career and settlement goals, while preparing them to contribute to society in meaningful ways in their new home.”
ABOUT REFUGEE EDUCATION AUSTRALIA
Refugee Education Australia (REA) is a national charity that works to enhance educational opportunities and outcomes for students with lived experience of forced migration. Established in 2024, REA is a Public Benevolent Institution and not-for-profit public company limited by guarantee.
Vision: Our vision is an education system that is inclusive and promotes refugee students to thrive and achieve their potential.
Purpose: The aim of REA is to work with refugee communities, government department, settlement agencies, and education providers to support people with lived experience of forced migration to access, participate, and succeed in education, from early childhood to higher education.
To this end, REA’s mission is:
ABOUT PEARSON
Pearson is one of the world's leading lifelong learning companies, providing educational content, assessments, qualifications and digital learning solutions in more than 200 countries and territories. Pearson's PTE Academic is an English language proficiency test accepted by thousands of institutions worldwide.
ABOUT ILSC Education Group
Learn more about ILSC Language Schools.