- IELTS is moving to computer delivery worldwide from mid-2026 and will no longer be offered as a paper-based test
- Pearson published a new PTE Academic to IELTS Academic concordance study in July 2025 covering the enhanced PTE Academic test
- IDP IELTS India lists the 2026 IELTS Academic and General Training fee at INR 19,000
- The UK Home Office approves both IELTS for UKVI and PTE Academic UKVI as Secure English Language Tests.
What Is the Difference Between PTE and IELTS?
The main difference is delivery and scoring. PTE Academic is computer-delivered only and machine-scored on a 10 to 90 scale. IELTS uses band scores from 1 to 9, is marked by certified examiners, and moves fully to computer delivery from mid-2026 across all markets worldwide.
PTE Academic is the Pearson Test of English Academic. It is taken entirely on a computer at an authorised test centre, and every response is scored automatically against the Global Scale of English. IELTS, the International English Language Testing System, is owned and delivered jointly by the British Council, IDP Education and Cambridge, and its Speaking section is a live interview with a trained examiner.
A common myth is that IELTS is the only test the UK accepts for visas. It is not. The Home Office list of approved Secure English Language Tests includes IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Life Skills from the IELTS SELT Consortium, and PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Home from Pearson, alongside Trinity College London, LANGUAGECERT and PSI Skills for English.
Pearson currently offers PTE Academic for university study and Australian and New Zealand visas, PTE Academic UKVI for UK routes, PTE Home A1, A2 and B1 for UK migration and family visas, and PTE Core, which the Canadian government recognises for immigration. IELTS is offered as IELTS Academic, IELTS General Training, IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Life Skills.
| Comparison Point 2026 | PTE Academic | IELTS Academic |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery mode | Computer only, at authorised test centres | Computer delivered; paper-based ends mid-2026 |
| Score scale | 10 to 90 | Band 1.0 to 9.0 |
| Test length | Three parts of 76-84, 22-30 and 31-39 minutes | 2 hours 45 minutes |
| Speaking | Recorded at a computer and machine scored | Face-to-face interview of 11 to 14 minutes |
| Marking | Automated scoring | Certified human examiners |
| Retake one section | Not offered; you retake the full test | One Skill Retake within 60 days, once per test |
| UK visa versions | PTE Academic UKVI, PTE Home A1/A2/B1 | IELTS for UKVI, IELTS Life Skills |
| Acceptance | 4,000+ universities and colleges (Pearson) | 12,500+ organisations (IELTS) |
| Score validity | Two years from the test date | Recommended two-year period |
What Does Each Test Format Look Like in 2026?
PTE Academic runs as one computer session in three parts: Speaking and Writing takes 76 to 84 minutes, Reading 22 to 30 minutes, and Listening 31 to 39 minutes. IELTS Academic lasts 2 hours 45 minutes across Listening, Reading, Writing and a separate face to face Speaking interview.
How is PTE Academic structured?
Pearson enhanced PTE Academic in July 2025. No question types were removed, but two extended speaking tasks were added, Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation, along with upgraded scoring procedures. Many questions are integrated, so a single task can test two skills at once, such as listening and writing.
- Part 1, Speaking and Writing: 76 to 84 minutes, with question types including Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Retell Lecture, Answer Short Question, Summarize Group Discussion, Respond to a Situation, Summarize Written Text and Write Essay
- Part 2, Reading: 22 to 30 minutes, covering fill in the blanks, reorder paragraph and multiple choice question types
- Part 3, Listening: 31 to 39 minutes, covering Summarize Spoken Text, Highlight Correct Summary, Select Missing Word, Highlight Incorrect Words and Write from Dictation
- Results are usually available within two days and can take up to five working days
How is IELTS Academic structured?
IELTS Academic keeps four separately timed sections. From mid-2026 every IELTS test is delivered on computer, and in selected markets a Writing on Paper option lets you handwrite the Writing answers while the rest of the test stays digital. IELTS confirms scores are comparable across formats, both overall and within each band.
- Listening: approximately 30 minutes
- Reading: 60 minutes, including transfer time
- Writing: 60 minutes across two tasks
- Speaking: an 11 to 14 minute interview with a certified examiner
- One Skill Retake lets you resit a single section within 60 days of the full test, once per original test, with results in three to five days
How Do PTE and IELTS Scores Compare?
Pearson's July 2025 concordance study maps PTE Academic 47 to 54 onto IELTS band 6.0, 55 to 62 onto 6.5, 63 to 70 onto 7.0 and 71 to 78 onto 7.5. Scores cannot be converted officially, so always check the requirement each university publishes.
Pearson ran a concordance study in 2024 with 1,522 participants who sat both the enhanced PTE Academic and IELTS Academic within 90 days. The results, published in July 2025, use equipercentile linking and give separate concordance ranges for the overall score and for each of the four skills. Pearson notes the concordance is most reliable between IELTS 6.0 and 9.0.
| IELTS Band 2026 | PTE Overall | PTE Listening | PTE Reading | PTE Speaking | PTE Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | 90 | 81-90 | 81-90 | Not reported | Not reported |
| 8.5 | 86-89 | 75-80 | 75-80 | 90 | 90 |
| 8.0 | 79-85 | 69-74 | 70-74 | 88-89 | 85-89 |
| 7.5 | 71-78 | 64-68 | 65-69 | 83-87 | 77-84 |
| 7.0 | 63-70 | 58-63 | 59-64 | 76-82 | 69-76 |
| 6.5 | 55-62 | 53-57 | 54-58 | 66-75 | 60-68 |
| 6.0 | 47-54 | 47-52 | 48-53 | 54-65 | 51-59 |
| 5.5 | 39-46 | 40-46 | 42-47 | 39-53 | 41-50 |
| 5.0 | 31-38 | 33-39 | 36-41 | 24-38 | 29-40 |
| 4.5 | 24-30 | 26-32 | 29-35 | 14-23 | 17-28 |
Universities set their own thresholds rather than converting scores themselves. UCL, for example, asks for IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each component at its Standard level and PTE Academic 75 overall with 67 in each communicative skill, and raises this to IELTS 7.5 with 7.0 in each component, or PTE 80 with 76 in each skill, at Advanced level.
Best universities accepting IELTS scoresRead →Which Test Is Easier, PTE or IELTS?
Neither test is objectively easier. PTE Academic suits candidates comfortable with fast, integrated computer tasks and automated marking. IELTS suits candidates who prefer a human Speaking interview and longer reading passages. Difficulty depends on your own strengths, not on the test, so try a free practice test of each.
Independent researchers at the University of Bedfordshire compared the two constructs for Pearson and found that PTE Academic meets or exceeds the standards expected of high-stakes academic language tests. They also noted real differences: PTE Academic has a shorter Reading section built from more but shorter question types, while IELTS Academic offers greater variety within its Reading question types.
- Choose PTE if you type quickly, are comfortable speaking to a microphone, and want results in as little as two days
- Choose IELTS if you prefer speaking to a person, want the option of handwriting your Writing answers in selected markets, or need One Skill Retake
- PTE marks every response automatically, so there is no examiner in the room during Speaking
- IELTS lets you resit a single weak section instead of the whole test, which PTE does not offer
- Both tests cover the same CEFR range and are used for the same high-stakes admission and visa decisions
How Much Do PTE and IELTS Cost in India in 2026?
IDP IELTS India lists the IELTS Academic and General Training fee at INR 19,000 in 2026, IELTS for UKVI at INR 19,250, IELTS Life Skills at INR 18,000 and One Skill Retake at INR 12,650. PTE Academic in India costs roughly INR 18,900 following a March 2026 revision.
| Test 2026 | Fee in India (INR) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic or General Training | 19,000 | IDP IELTS India |
| IELTS for UKVI (computer) | 19,250 | IDP IELTS India |
| IELTS Life Skills (A1 and B1) | 18,000 | IDP IELTS India |
| IELTS One Skill Retake | 12,650 | IDP IELTS India |
| PTE Academic, PTE Academic UKVI or PTE Core | About 18,900 from 16 March 2026 | Pearson price finder, widely reported |
The IELTS fee is the same whether you book the computer or the paper format, and it is identical across Indian cities. Pearson does not publish a static India price page; it shows the current fee through the price finder tool on its test centres and fees page, so confirm the exact amount at the moment you book.
Which Test Should You Choose for 2026?
Choose the test your destination accepts and your university lists. The UK Home Office approves both IELTS for UKVI and PTE Academic UKVI as Secure English Language Tests. More than 12,500 organisations accept IELTS, while Pearson states over 4,000 universities and colleges accept PTE Academic.
- United Kingdom: both IELTS for UKVI and PTE Academic UKVI appear on the Home Office approved SELT list, inside and outside the UK
- Australia and New Zealand: PTE Academic is approved by both governments for work and migration visas, and IELTS is also accepted
- Canada: Pearson offers PTE Core, which the Canadian government recognises for immigration and citizenship applications
- United States: PTE Academic is accepted by US state Boards of Nursing and the Health Resources and Services Administration, and IELTS is widely accepted for university admission
- Always confirm the exact score and per-skill minimum on the university's own admissions page before you book
If you are still undecided, work backwards from the requirement. Note the overall score and the per-skill minimum your target course lists, then map it through the Pearson concordance table above to see what the equivalent looks like in the other test. Book whichever version you can sit soonest at a centre near you, since both scores stay valid for two years.