PTE Academic reports scores from 10 to 90. For a quick benchmark, the current Pearson concordance places PTE 47 at approximately IELTS 6.0, PTE 55 at IELTS 6.5, PTE 63 at IELTS 7.0, PTE 71 at IELTS 7.5, and PTE 79 at IELTS 8.0.
Those figures changed after Pearson published updated concordance research in July 2025. This guide uses the current table and also reflects the two speaking tasks added to PTE Academic in August 2025.
A concordance is an estimate, not a guarantee that the same person will receive exactly equivalent results on two different tests. Universities and immigration authorities can set their own requirements.
Updated PTE to IELTS score chart
| IELTS Academic band | PTE Academic overall score |
|---|---|
| 9.0 | 90 |
| 8.5 | 86–89 |
| 8.0 | 79–85 |
| 7.5 | 71–78 |
| 7.0 | 63–70 |
| 6.5 | 55–62 |
| 6.0 | 47–54 |
| 5.5 | 39–46 |
| 5.0 | 31–38 |
| 4.5 | 24–30 |
Source: Pearson's current PTE Academic score guidance, based on the concordance research published in July 2025.
The table shows overall-score alignment. Pearson also publishes separate listening, reading, speaking, and writing ranges because two people with the same overall score may have different skill profiles.
PTE score bands and CEFR levels
| PTE Academic score | Broad CEFR level | Practical interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 85–90 | C2 | Extremely comfortable with complex academic and professional English |
| 76–84 | C1 | Very high proficiency for demanding study and work contexts |
| 59–75 | B2 | Can understand complex texts and communicate with useful fluency |
| 43–58 | B1 | Can manage familiar study, work, travel, and everyday situations |
| 30–42 | A2 | Can communicate in simple, routine situations |
| 10–29 | A1 | Can use and understand basic everyday expressions |
CEFR levels describe broad ability bands. An institution may still require a specific overall score and minimum scores in individual skills.
What is a good PTE score in 2026?
There is no single good score for every applicant. The right target depends on the institution, program, visa route, and whether minimum component scores apply.
- PTE 47–54: aligns approximately with IELTS 6.0.
- PTE 55–62: aligns approximately with IELTS 6.5 and falls within the range commonly considered for many degree programs.
- PTE 63–70: aligns approximately with IELTS 7.0 and is a strong target for more selective programs.
- PTE 71–78: aligns approximately with IELTS 7.5.
- PTE 79–85: aligns approximately with IELTS 8.0.
Pearson says institutions commonly set their own minimums. Its general guidance places many undergraduate requirements around 51–60 and postgraduate requirements around 57–67, but applicants must check the exact current requirement on the institution's official page.
The current PTE Academic format
PTE Academic remains a computer-based test of speaking, writing, reading, and listening. It takes approximately two hours and includes 22 question types.
Tests taken after 7 August 2025 include two additional speaking tasks:
- Summarize Group Discussion: listen to a discussion among three people and give a spoken summary in your own words.
- Respond to a Situation: listen to and read a short situation, then give an appropriate extended spoken response.
The Speaking and Writing section now includes nine task types:
- Read Aloud
- Repeat Sentence
- Describe Image
- Retell Lecture
- Answer Short Question
- Summarize Group Discussion
- Respond to a Situation
- Summarize Written Text
- Write Essay
Pearson still uses automated scoring. For seven extended-response task types, a human expert also reviews content before the final task score is confirmed. Pronunciation and oral fluency continue to be machine scored.
How PTE scoring works
Your score report contains:
- an overall score from 10 to 90;
- individual Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing scores;
- a Skills Profile with more detailed performance information and recommendations.
The overall score is not a simple average of the four communicative-skill scores. Different task types contribute evidence to one or more skills, and Pearson combines that evidence through its scoring model.
Do not rely on a single unofficial list of "high-value tasks." The test specification changed in 2025, and balanced preparation is safer than ignoring complete sections. Use Pearson's current task descriptions and scored practice tests to identify personal weaknesses.
PTE Academic for university and visas
University admission
Universities decide their own minimum scores. Check all three of these requirements:
- the minimum overall PTE score;
- any minimum score for Listening, Reading, Speaking, or Writing;
- whether the program requires PTE Academic, PTE Academic UKVI, or another test.
Requirements may differ between undergraduate, postgraduate, healthcare, teaching, and professional-registration programs.
Australia and New Zealand
PTE Academic is accepted for relevant Australian and New Zealand visa and migration applications, but required scores depend on the visa category and can change. Use the immigration authority's official eligibility page rather than treating a general score chart as legal advice.
United Kingdom
PTE Academic UKVI is the secure English-language-test version used for applicable UK visa routes. The required CEFR level and component scores depend on the specific route.
Canada
Canadian Express Entry accepts PTE Core, not PTE Academic. PTE Academic may still be accepted by Canadian educational institutions for admission, but that is a separate use case. Express Entry applicants should use the current IRCC language-test table for PTE Core and Canadian Language Benchmark conversion.
How to choose your target score
Work backward from the official requirement:
- Find the latest requirement on the institution, professional regulator, or immigration authority website.
- Record the overall and component minimums.
- Add a small safety margin rather than targeting the exact cutoff.
- Take a current Pearson scored practice test that includes the post-August-2025 format.
- Build your study plan around the weakest required component.
For example, an applicant targeting a program that requires an overall score of 63 with no component below 59 should not focus only on raising the overall result. A single weak component could still make the application ineligible.
Preparation priorities by score range
Targeting PTE 47–54
- Learn every task format and timing rule.
- Build reliable sentence-level grammar and vocabulary.
- Practise speaking without long pauses or repeated restarts.
- Review spelling and note-taking for listening tasks.
Targeting PTE 55–70
- Improve consistency across all four communicative skills.
- Practise summarising ideas rather than memorising templates.
- Record and review spoken responses for clarity, phrasing, and pace.
- Complete full timed practice tests and analyse errors by task type.
Targeting PTE 71+
- Refine precision, organisation, and vocabulary range.
- Practise extended, original responses for the seven tasks that receive content review.
- Reduce small spelling, grammar, and pronunciation errors.
- Train under realistic timing and microphone conditions.
Common PTE score-chart mistakes
Using an old IELTS conversion table
Many pages still show the pre-2025 concordance. Check that the chart uses PTE 47 for IELTS 6.0, 55 for 6.5, 63 for 7.0, 71 for 7.5, and 79 for 8.0.
Treating concordance as an admission guarantee
An estimated IELTS equivalent does not override an institution's published PTE requirement.
Confusing PTE Academic with PTE Core
PTE Academic is widely used for study and selected visa routes. PTE Core is the Pearson test accepted for Canadian Express Entry.
Ignoring component scores
An overall score may look sufficient while one required skill remains below the program or visa threshold.
Preparing for the pre-August-2025 test
Current tests include Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation. Preparation materials should cover both.
Frequently asked questions
What PTE score equals IELTS 6.5?
The current Pearson concordance places IELTS 6.5 at a PTE Academic overall score of approximately 55–62.
What PTE score equals IELTS 7.0?
IELTS 7.0 aligns approximately with PTE Academic 63–70.
Is PTE 65 a good score?
PTE 65 falls within Pearson's approximate IELTS 7.0 range and the B2 proficiency band. Whether it is sufficient depends on the exact institution, visa, and component-score requirements.
Is PTE Academic accepted for Canadian Express Entry?
No. Express Entry accepts PTE Core. Canadian colleges and universities may independently accept PTE Academic for admission.
Did the PTE Academic test change?
Yes. Tests taken after 7 August 2025 include Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation. The test has 22 question types and still takes approximately two hours.
Final checklist
- Use the July 2025 Pearson concordance rather than an older table.
- Confirm whether you need PTE Academic, PTE Academic UKVI, or PTE Core.
- Check overall and component requirements on the official destination website.
- Practise the two speaking tasks added in August 2025.
- Treat score conversions as estimates and leave a safety margin above the cutoff.
The most reliable target is not a generic "good PTE score." It is the current official requirement for your exact goal, plus enough margin to absorb normal test variation.
Official references for editorial verification
- Pearson PTE — Understand your score: https://www.pearsonpte.com/pte-academic/scoring/
- Pearson PTE — 2025 test updates: https://www.pearsonpte.com/pte-updates-2025/
- Pearson PTE — Speaking and Writing format: https://www.pearsonpte.com/pte-academic/test-format/speaking-writing/
- Government of Canada — Express Entry language tests: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html