PTE 2025: Registration, Exam Dates & Centres, Fees, Eligibility, Syllabus, Results

Each of these exams - PTE (Pearson Test of English), IELTS (International English Language Testing System), and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) - are widely accepted for studying abroad.  However, which exam will be most suitable for you depends on several conditions. Below are some parameters that you can consider to make the best decision. 

The Pearson Test of English or the PTE exam is a computer-based English language proficiency test. The exam is primarily used for:

1. Admission to universities abroad: PTE scores are accepted by over 3900+ higher education institutions abroad for the admissions to their prestigious courses. Usually non-native speakers of the English language or candidates belonging to countries where the primary medium of communication is not English are required to take thsi exam. 
2. Immigration: Some countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK accept PTE scores for visa applications.
3. Professional certification: Certain professional organisations recognise PTE scores for certification or registration purposes.

Apart from the above, the PTE exam is known for its quick result delivery (typically within 2 days of taking the test) and its use of AI and human scoring to remove chances of bias. 

The current fee in India is INR 18,000, inclusive of 18% taxes. This covers your test and score reporting. Sending digital scorecards to universities is free. Test takers can send their PTE test scores to as many universities as they like without having to pay any extra charges - a facility that is not currently available in any of the other English language proficiency exams. 

To book a PTE exam slot, click the "Book Now" button under the 'PTE Academic Exam' section on the official webpage. You will be redirected to the "Pearson Vue" page wherein you will be needed to enter "India" or your city name in the search bar to get a list of the available exam centres in that area. 

From the list, choose your preferred PTE exam centre, and a date and time slot, and pay the PTE exam fees, i.e. INR 18,000 (for Indian students).

Make sure to read the ID card policy and the cancellation policy before taking your PTE exam on the exam day. 

Abbreviated as "PTE-A", the PTE Academic exam is mostly used for sending:

• admissions applications to top universities abroad, and
• visa applications in Australia and New Zealand.  

The PTE Academic test assesses academic-level Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening skills of the test takers to ensure they are capable of studying in an international environment and can handle academic English in university settings.  

The PTE exam presents several advantages compared to other English tests, such as IELTS and TOEFL. The advantages of taking the PTE exam are listed below. 

1. The PTE test results are released typically within 2 business days from the date of taking the exam.
2. PTE test dates available throughout the year, even 24 hours before your desired exam date.
3. The PTE exam is scored both by a AI and a human examiners, reducing any chances of bias.
4. The safety and convenience of the PTE test takers is of utmost importance to the exam authorities which is why test centres do not accommodate more than 10 candidates at a time. 
5. The PTE test is accepted by over 3900+ universities worldwide with institutions including the University of Oxford, Harvard University and the Yale University. 

The total questions in the PTE-A exam are distributed among Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, as given below.

There is no designated passing score given by Pearson to the test takers. However, there is "minimum score requirements" or "PTE score cut-off" set by the abroad universities and visa offices. The basic criteria considered here is that you must have CEFR-B2 level of English profeciency to undertake a course abroad.

The PTE scores equivalent to the CEFR-B2 level range from 59-75. Hence, any PTE score within this range generally qualifies you to get admitted to universities abroad.  

There are three different types of PTE exams that are accepted for immigration purposes.

1. The PTE Academic exam is accepted for immigration to the New Zealand and Australia.
2. PTE Core is accepted by the Canadian government for the citizenship and immigration purposes. 
3. PTE Academic UKVI, an exam identical to the PTE Academic test, is accepted the UK Home Office for all types of work visas and study visas to study below-degree level courses. 
4. PTE Home B1 exam is your key to settle in the UK as the test is accepted by the UK Home Office for Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) and Citizenship applications. 

As per the age limit for the Pearson PTE exam, no test taker should be below 16 years of age. And test takers between the age group of 16 and 18 years must present the signed consent from either of their parents or guardians before appearing for the PTE exam. There is no upper age limit for the PTE test. 

Candidates planning to take the PTE exam do not need to present any proof of ID at the time of PTE registration process. However, it is advised that you fill in exactly the same information as is there on your valid ID proof or passport. 

On the day of the exam, there will be an ID verification process before the exam, where the candidate must show their ID (valid Indian passport) to the authorities. It is important to note that if there is any discrepancy or if the candidate does not bring their passport on the day of the exam, it may prevent them from appearing for their PTE Academic exam. PTE test takers can expect to receive their PTE scorecard within two working days after taking the test. 

Pearson has determined no eligibility criteria for the PTE exam based on the nationality, background, or education level of the test takers. Therefore, anyone aiming to demonstrate their English proficiency for studying abroad, immigration, or professional certification need not to abide by any set of certain eligibility criteria. 

Yes, the PTE scoring pattern has been changed for the year 2025. The exam consists of 52-64 tasks and 20 different question types. Earlier, all these questions in the PTE exam used to be scored solely machines by using strong AI algorithms.

But now, human scoring has been additionally incorporated for a double verification and fairer scoring. 

The human scoring is done in two ways for the lived test responses of the PTE Academic Test:

1. For the anomalies: This is the area where the unusual answers cannot be scored by automation and hence, human expertise is equired. 
2. Task Specific: The "Describe Image" and the "Retell Recture" tasks of the PTE test are also be scored by the human experts now. 

The PTE exam's duration has reduced from 3 hours to 2 hours. This has been done by reducing the total number of questions previously asked in each section. However, the exam body suggests that this change does not affect the efficiency of the PTE exam and it is still one of the most favoured exams by the universities abroad. 

Your PTE Academic scores remain valid for two years from the date you took the test. During this time, you can use your PTE score to apply to universities abroad without having to pay any extra fees. However, post the completion of two years of the release of your PTE scores, you will not be able to access your PTE exam result and scores. 

PTE exam is based on integrated skills testing (especially in the Speaking and Writing skills) which makes it different from the other English tests.

This means that while other tests like IELTS assess both these skills in different sections using methods (human examiners tests the speaking skills on a different day than the main exam day), the PTE exam assesses both these skills altogether in a single sitting, in 1 single section. Both these skills are assessed in integrated tasks. 

This difference in the exam pattern may lead the test takers to believe that the PTE exam is tougher than the other exams. However, the level of difficulty is subjective and depends on the preparation and current proficiency of the test taker in the English language. 

The PTE Academic exam features diverse academic and factual passages covering subjects like humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. These passages are used in five different question types: Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks, Re-order Paragraphs, Reading: Fill in the Blanks, Multiple-choice, Multiple Answers, and Multiple-choice, Single Answer. 

The PTE Academic speaking section assesses language skills through tasks like Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Re-tell Lecture, and Answer Short Question. Additionally, the Personal Introduction is a non-scored task recorded for universities to get to know the candidate.

On your PTE Academic test day, bring a valid, original, unexpired ID, preferably your passport. Some centers may accept other government IDs, so check the official website for alternatives.

The PTE Academic is valid for 2 years, but some immigration programs, like Australian PR, may accept scores up to 3 years old if they were valid when you received your visa invitation.

To schedule your PTE exam, visit the official PTE website to create an account. Choose your preferred test date, location, and time, and pay the exam fee of INR 18,000 (taxes included) online. Additionally, you can register at authorized centers for extra assistance.

If you are unable to attend your scheduled PTE exam because of an unforeseen circumstance, it is advisable to cancel it at your the earliest convenience. The PTE exam cancellation fee varies based on the number of days left for your PTE exam. The costs of cancelling your PTE exam slot, based on the days left for your exam are given below.

Candidates who plan to reschedule the test, with less than 14 calendar days, but at least 8 full calendar days before their test date will be required to pay 50% of the test fee. No refunds will be provided on rescheduling the exam less than 7 calendar days before the exam. Candidates should note that the rescheduling policy does not include your test date.

Currently, there is no late registration fee for the PTE exam. Candidates can book up to 24 hours in advance of their chosen exam slot without having to pay any extra fee. The PTE exam fee in India is INR 18,000 in 2025. 

Your PTE exam preparation depends upon how consistently you prepare for it. You need to practice daily to polish your English language skills, read articles, and immersive yourself thoroughly into the language to get a better preparation outcome before your exam.

Your total exam preparation time also depends upon your previous knowledge of the language and how good are your basics in English. Remember, good basics are the key to solving any English exam question. 

Candidates are advised to prepare for the PTE Academic exam before booking their test slot. Hence, candidates who have appeared for their PTE Academic exam before or who are well prepared for the exam can use the one month for revision and appear for the test. Others would definitely need a more substantial amount of time to be well-versed in the exam.

Log into your myPTE account on the Pearson PTE site to check your exam date and confirmation email. You can also view available slots on the website's calendar when scheduling a new test.

The choice of ID to be carried to the exam centre on the day of the PTE exam depends on the type of the PTE exam chosen and the place of taking the test.

For a PTE Academic test, if a person is taking the test from outside of his country of citizenship then, he/she will be required to present a valid passport on arriving to the test centre. Only a physical form of the passport is the accepted form of ID across all PTE test centres. 

However, if a person is taking the test within the country of their citizenship, they may carry:

• A national ID card 
• A military identification card
• A government-issued driver's license (including a photo)

Note that any form of the ID to be carried must be in its physical form and no digital ID will be accepted. 

Your overall score is calculated based on your individual scores in each of the four skill sections (Speaking, Writing, Reading, Listening). Each section is weighted equally, and your final score reflects your balanced English proficiency across all communication areas.

An automated scoring system assesses your performance in each section, assigning scores from 10 to 90 for Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening. Your overall English proficiency is the average of these scores, ensuring an unbiased evaluation.

You can share your PTE Score Report with your chosen university/college abroad by the following two ways.

1.  You can share your PTE scores directly through the my PTE portal; or
2. You can share your unique "Score Report Code" with your chosen university. Universities can use your PTE Score Report Code to look for your PTE result on the PTE score review website.  

Ideally, you must spend at least 2-3 hours daily on studying for the PTE exam for a period of 2-3 months. It is recommended that use only the official preparation materials materials such as books, sample papers, taster test and mock tests. By the medium of taking the mock tests, you can get to know about the areas for improvement and work on them in due time.

Scoring an absolute score of 90 on the PTE test may be difficult but not impossible. Test takers need to stay persistent with their practice of the PTE sample test papers.

Candidates are also often encouraged to visit and revisit their PTE Academic syllabus and understand the PTE exam pattern thoroughly to leave minimal room for difficulty in understanding the question types in the main PTE exam. A prior knowledge of the exam pattern and the question types will help you perform faster in the exam, so that you will be able to give sufficient time to the questions that require critical thinking. 

Below are a few points you must follow to ace your preparation for the PTE exam.

1. Solve as many sample and mock test papers as possible
2. Speak and record your speech, and then listen to it to learn about the key areas where you need improvement. 
3. Prepare for a self-introduction.
4. Some sections of the PTE exam may require you to take notes. Hence, practice making notes under timed conditions.
5. Get help from a teacher/trainer/coach.

You can find reliable PTE exam preparation material on the official PTE website. The "Smart Prep" section of the PTE exam contains sample questions, eBooks, practice tests, and other study guides - all in one place. You can also check several online platforms that offer online coaching for the exam. 

Here are some general timelines for the preparation of the PTE exam:

• For those with intermediate to advanced English skills: 4-6 weeks of focused study is often considered sufficient.
• For those with lower English proficiency: 2-3 months or more might be necessary.

It must be noted that many test-takers reported that studying 1-2 hours daily for about a month helped them feel prepared for the exam.

An automated scoring system assesses your performance in each section, assigning scores from 10 to 90 for Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening. Your overall English proficiency is the average of these scores, ensuring an unbiased evaluation.

To study in the UK, the minimum CEFR level required for acquiring a General Study Visa (formerly the Tier 4 visa) is B1; which is equivalent to a PTE score 43 or higher in each section. However, some universities require a higher level of profeciency, i.e. CEFR B2 level which corresponds to a PTE score of 59 or higher in each section of the exam.  

Yes, PTE is accepted in Canada. There are more than 70 universities in Canada that accept the PTE scores for international admissions. PTE exam can also help you to fast-track your university and visa applications. The PTE Core exam is also accepted by the Canadian government for visa and immigration purposes.

To achieve a score of 79 in the PTE exam, it is essential to concentrate on:

• Enhancing English communication abilities
• Engaging in intensive practice across all four test sections
• Refining pronunciation and fluency
• Acquiring effective time management techniques
• Participating in several mock tests
• Improving writing and speaking competencies
• Utilizing official PTE preparation resources
• Emphasizing grammar and vocabulary
• Cultivating listening and reading comprehension skills
• Exploring options for professional coaching or online tutorials

Students can pay the PTE exam booking fees either by using a debit card (only Visa® or Master Card®) or credit card (JCB®, Visa®, Master Card® or American Express®). Payment can also be made using a acrd registered on some other name, for example - from a parent's credit card. Payments through PayPal are not accepted. 

Yes, you can book the PTE test before 2 days of taking the exam. Not only that, the PTE exam can be booked as late as 24 hours before the chosen exam slot.  

A candidate can take the PTE exam 12 times within a period of 12 months. An extra number of attempt(s) can be granted only if your reason for requesting an extended number of attempts aligns with the Pearson PTE test's retake policy. However, candidates cannot sit for another PTE exam until the following conditions are met - 

1. They have received the results of their last PTE exam. Until you receive the result of your last PTE test, you will not be able to register for a new one on the official PTE website. 
2. They have not already booked another PTE exam date. If you have booked a PTE test date, you will not be able to book another one. This is done to ensure that all the PTE test seats are taken by test takers at all times.  

One can book another PTE test at the next convenient date after they have received the results of the previous test. In the light of above points, candidates can take their next PTE exam within a gap of 4-5 days, and this is the only criteria set by the board. They only need to wait to receive their scores before they can book their next test. Candidates should note that PTE Test Scores are made available to test takers within 2 days.

The PTE Exam is accpeted globally in major study abroad destinations like the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Russia, Poland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Egypt, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Bahrain, Cyprus (North and South), Iran, Israel and more.  

No, one of the fastest-growing English language tests, the PTE exam is accepted not just to study in Australia. The test is widely accepted by several higher education institutes around the world. 

There is no such thing as a bad PTE Academic score. Every university would have its own PTE Academic score cut-off and students are required to achieve scores equal or higher than the set grade. Candidates should note that higher PTE Academic scores would automatically increase their chances of securing a seat at the university and also make them a front runner for any scholarships being offered by the university.

The PTE Academic test scores, usually accepted for studying abroad, are accepted by several top universities in over 70 countries. The PTE Academic Test is accepted by universities in several countries, such as the countries in Australasia, Europe, teh USA, Africa, Asia and the Middle-East. 

European countries that accept the PTE Academic scores are:

Countries in the Middle East that accept the PTE scores are:

Yes, the PTE Academic score is recognised for visa applications in various countries, including:

• Australia: The Australian Department of Home Affairs accepts PTE scores on par with other tests like IELTS and TOEFL for most visa categories, including skilled migration, student visas, and partner visas. 
  
• New Zealand: New Zealand's Immigration department accepts PTE scores for various visa applications, such as the skilled migrant visas, student visas, and work visas.
  

You can find reliable PTE exam preparation material on the official PTE website. The "Smart Prep" section of the PTE exam contains sample questions, eBooks, practice tests, and other study guides - all in one place. You can also check several online platforms that offer online coaching for the exam. 

Generally, the PTE scores remain valid only for 2 years. However, only in the case of Australian PR, the scores may remain valid for 3 years. Candidates are advised to check the conditions before applying. 

If you have forgotten your My PTE account's password and username then, you can retrieve the same using the online platform.

To retrieve your username, you need to connect with the PTE Customer Support Team through the online platform. The support team may ask you a set of few security questions, make sure you answer them correctly.  

Once you get your username, you can go to the My PTE login dashboard, enter your username and then click on "forgot password". From there on, you will get complete guidance on how you can get a new password. 

Candidates planning to take the PTE exam do not need to present any proof of ID at the time of PTE registration process. However, it is advised that you fill in exactly the same information as is there on your valid ID proof or passport. 

On the day of the exam, there will be an ID verification process before the exam, where the candidate must show their ID (valid Indian passport) to the authorities. It is important to note that if there is any discrepancy or if the candidate does not bring their passport on the day of the exam, it may prevent them from appearing for their PTE Academic exam. PTE test takers can expect to receive their PTE scorecard within two working days after taking the test. 

No. Candidates should note that the exam has been designed to test the candidates’ English proficiency levels. Hence, a candidate who is well prepared would qualify for the PTE Academic exam with flying colours.