Tracing success: a sector snapshot of ELICOS Direct Entry Program tracer studies in Australian Higher Education August 2025

ELICOS Direct Entry (DE) programs support international students to develop academic English language skills and increase preparedness to study in Australian universities (English Australia, 2017). To ensure that DE programs are fit-for-purpose and offer students the best chance for success, providers are required to evidence parity of outcomes with comparable admission criteria for degree programs (national ELICOS Standards, 2018). Tracer studies enable providers to track DE students’ academic performance in their degree studies against students entering via other admission pathways such as high-stakes English language tests or Foundation Programs.

In 2024, University English Centres Australia (UECA) initiated a national research project to document current approaches to tracer studies at UECA member centres. The project employs a case study approachanddraws on survey andinterview data. This report outlines findings from the research project and makes recommendations for good practice in conducting tracer studies of Direct Entry students in higher education.