- PTE Academic is a single two-hour computer-based test with three parts, Speaking and Writing at 76 to 84 minutes, Reading at 23 to 30 minutes and Listening at 31 to 39 minutes
- Two speaking tasks, Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation, were added in 2025
- Scores run from 10 to 90 on the Global Scale of English, usually arrive in two days and stay valid for two years.
PTE Academic is short for the Pearson Test of English Academic. It is a computer-based English language test used for university admission and for visa and migration applications, and Pearson reports that more than 4,000 universities and colleges worldwide accept it. This guide covers the 2026 test format, the scoring scale, the visa scores set by governments, booking rules and how the Pearson test family fits together.
What Is PTE Academic and Who Accepts It?
PTE Academic is Pearson's computer-based English test for study and migration. It measures speaking, writing, reading and listening in a single two-hour sitting and reports one score between 10 and 90. Pearson states that over 4,000 universities and colleges accept it, and the UK, Australian and New Zealand governments recognise it for visas.
Every question on the test typically combines two skills, so a task such as Read Aloud feeds both your reading and your speaking score. Responses are marked by artificial intelligence, and since the 2025 update seven of the 22 scored question types are also double-marked by human experts for content. Pronunciation and oral fluency continue to be scored by artificial intelligence alone.
Acceptance is easy to check on the admitting side. University College London, for example, publishes PTE Academic thresholds next to its IELTS thresholds, asking for an overall 75 with 67 in each communicative skill at its Level 1 requirement and an overall 80 with 76 in each skill at its Level 4 requirement.
How Is the PTE Academic Exam Structured in 2026?
The test has three parts taken in one sitting. Speaking and Writing runs 76 to 84 minutes with 10 task types, Reading runs 23 to 30 minutes with five task types, and Listening runs 31 to 39 minutes with eight task types. Pearson describes the whole thing as a single two-hour test.
The format is identical whether you sit PTE Academic or PTE Academic UKVI. There is no separate speaking interview and no paper option, because everything is delivered at a computer in a secure Pearson test centre.
| Test Part 2026 | Time Allowed | Question Types | Skills Scored |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking and Writing | 76 to 84 minutes | 10 | Speaking, writing, and listening on integrated tasks |
| Reading | 23 to 30 minutes | 5 | Reading, plus writing on integrated tasks |
| Listening | 31 to 39 minutes | 8 | Listening, plus writing, reading and speaking on integrated tasks |
Speaking and Writing Tasks
- Personal Introduction
- Read Aloud
- Repeat Sentence
- Describe Image
- Retell Lecture
- Answer Short Question
- Summarize Group Discussion
- Respond to a Situation
- Summarize Written Text
- Write Essay
Reading Tasks
- Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown)
- Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
- Reorder Paragraph
- Fill in the Blanks (Drag and Drop)
- Multiple Choice, Single Answer
Listening Tasks
- Summarize Spoken Text
- Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
- Fill in the Blanks (Type In)
- Highlight Correct Summary
- Multiple Choice, Single Answer
- Select Missing Word
- Highlight Incorrect Words
- Write from Dictation
Which Question Types Were Added to PTE in 2025?
Pearson added two speaking tasks in 2025. Summarize Group Discussion asks you to listen to three people debating an academic topic and then summarise it aloud. Respond to a Situation asks you to reply naturally to an everyday scenario. The other 20 question types kept their existing format, timings and expected responses.
Pearson confirmed that the average test still runs at around two hours despite the two additions, and that score reports, pricing, identification requirements, result turnaround and institutional acceptance were not affected. The 2025 changes apply only to PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI, so PTE Core and PTE Home candidates sit an unchanged test.
If you are working from older preparation books, check the publication date. Any material printed before mid-2025 will be missing both new speaking tasks, and older guides also quote the retired timings of 54 to 67 minutes for Speaking and Writing.
How Is PTE Academic Scored on the 10 to 90 Scale?
PTE Academic reports an overall score from 10 to 90 on the Global Scale of English, together with scores for the individual communicative skills. Pearson maps the overall score to the Common European Framework of Reference, where 85 to 90 is C2 and 43 to 58 is B1, so you can compare bands across tests.
Because the scale is continuous rather than banded in half points, a one-point difference can matter when a university or a visa rule sets an exact cut-off. Always read the requirement as an overall score plus any per-skill minimum, since many institutions set both.
| PTE Academic Score 2026 | CEFR Level | What the Level Indicates |
|---|---|---|
| 85 to 90 | C2 | Mastery, the highest level Pearson reports |
| 76 to 84 | C1 | Effective operational proficiency |
| 59 to 75 | B2 | Independent user, the usual undergraduate range |
| 43 to 58 | B1 | Threshold user |
| 30 to 42 | A2 | Basic user |
| 10 to 29 | A1 | Beginner |
What PTE Score Do You Need for a Student or Skilled Visa?
Australia sets an overall 47 for the subclass 500 student visa, with concessions of 39 and 31 for packaged English courses. New Zealand asks for 58 on skilled residence applications. The United Kingdom does not publish one number, because each immigration route sets its own CEFR level and minimum grade.
Australian student visa scores come from the Migration (English Language Tests and Evidence Exemptions for Subclass 500 (Student) Visas) Instrument 2025, known as LIN 25/090, which commenced on 7 August 2025. Skilled migration uses a separate instrument, LIN 25/016, which sets PTE Academic thresholds per component rather than overall.
| Requirement 2026 | Minimum PTE Academic Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia student visa, subclass 500 | 47 overall | 39 with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS, a foundation or a pathway program; 31 with at least 20 weeks of ELICOS |
| Australia Vocational English | 36 in each component | Used across several migration provisions |
| Australia Competent English | 50 in each component | The common baseline for skilled visas |
| Australia Proficient English | 65 in each component | Attracts more points on skilled visas |
| Australia Superior English | 79 in each component | The highest migration band |
| New Zealand skilled residence | 58 overall | Partner or dependent child needs 36; result must be under two years old |
| United Kingdom visa routes needing a SELT | Set by the route | Must be PTE Academic UKVI or PTE Home, not standard PTE Academic |
New Zealand also insists that the test is sat in person at a test centre, so at-home or remotely proctored results are not accepted. Australia requires the test to have been taken within the two years before the application is made or decided.
How Do You Book, Reschedule or Cancel a PTE Test?
You book through your myPTE account on the Pearson website, choosing your country, city and test centre. Pearson lets you reschedule free of charge up to 14 days before your test date. Inside that window you must cancel and rebook, and fees apply, so lock in your date early.
Pearson publishes the refund position in plain terms, and it is worth reading before you pay rather than after. The older claim that a late booking fee applies within 48 hours of the test date is not part of the current policy.
- Cancel 14 or more days before the test: full refund
- Cancel between 13 and 8 days before: 50 percent refund
- Cancel fewer than 7 days before: no refund
- Reschedule free of charge up to 14 days before the test date
- Inside 14 days, the reschedule option is withdrawn and you must cancel and rebook
Test centres operate in cities across India and in many other countries, but Pearson does not publish a static list with prices attached. The live list of centres, dates and seats appears once you sign in and search by country, which is also the only place the exact fee for your centre is shown.
Step-by-Step PTE Registration and Booking GuideRead →How Much Does PTE Academic Cost and When Do Results Arrive?
Pearson states that the fee varies by the country where you take the test and shows the exact amount in its booking price finder rather than on a published price list. Results usually arrive in about two days, though Pearson notes they can take up to five business days, and a score stays valid for two years.
Because Pearson does not publish a fixed India price on its website, treat any figure quoted on a coaching or aggregator site as indicative only. Old articles still quote 14,700 rupees, which no longer reflects what the booking system charges. Check the price in your own booking session before you plan a budget.
Results are released to your Pearson account, and you send them to institutions from there. Score reports are sent electronically to as many institutions as you choose, and there is no limit that forces you to pick a small number at the time of booking.
Which Pearson English Test Should You Take?
Pearson now runs four separate tests, and choosing the wrong one wastes both the fee and the wait. PTE Academic covers university admission, PTE Academic UKVI covers United Kingdom visa routes that need a Secure English Language Test, PTE Core covers Canadian economic immigration, and PTE Home covers lower level United Kingdom visas.
| Pearson Test 2026 | Best Used For | Key Point |
|---|---|---|
| PTE Academic | Admission to universities and colleges worldwide | Accepted by more than 4,000 institutions |
| PTE Academic UKVI | UK work and below-degree study visas needing a SELT | Same test as PTE Academic plus a Unique Reference Number |
| PTE Core | Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry | Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada names PTE Core, not PTE Academic |
| PTE Home | UK family, settlement and citizenship routes | Offered at CEFR levels A1, A2 and B1 |
The distinction matters most for Canada. For Express Entry, the approved English tests are CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core, so a PTE Academic result will not be accepted for the immigration application even though Canadian universities accept it for admission. For UK visas, Pearson is an approved provider both inside and outside the United Kingdom.
IELTS vs TOEFL vs PTE: How to DecideRead →How Should You Prepare for PTE Academic?
Build your preparation around the 22 scored question types rather than around the four skills, because most tasks are integrated. Use Pearson's own scored practice tests to calibrate, drill the two new speaking tasks separately, and practise typing, since every written response is produced on a keyboard under time pressure.
- Take a scored practice test first so you know your starting band on the 10 to 90 scale
- Work through each question type until you know its timing and what the marker rewards
- Practise Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation, which older books do not cover
- Record yourself for Read Aloud and Retell Lecture to check fluency and pronunciation
- Rehearse Write from Dictation daily, since it feeds both listening and writing scores
- Sit a full timed test in one session so two hours at a screen feels familiar
Check the requirement published by your target university or immigration route before you book, then work backwards to the score you need. Requirements are updated more often than preparation material is, so the official page always outranks a summary.