PTE Academic Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the PTE Academic, eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
$200-$250
Provider
Pearson
Validity
2 years
Available
Global
Education
Check official exam requirements
Experience
1-3 years of hands-on experience recommended
Specific Requirements
- There are no education, employment or nationality prerequisites. Anyone can book PTE Academic.
- A valid, non-expired passport is required for PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI. Pearson lists country-specific alternative identification at pearsonpte.com/acceptable-id for people without a passport.
- Candidates under 18 must have a completed Parental Consent Form approved before testing. Once approved, the form covers all tests taken until the candidate turns 18. Pearson does not publish a minimum age.
- A myPTE account with personal details entered in Roman characters and matched exactly to the identification document.
- Full payment in the currency specified for your country. Voucher payments cover the test fee only and are not refundable.
- Accommodation requests must be submitted at least six weeks before the chosen test date, with medical evidence, and must be confirmed by Pearson before you book.
Number of Questions
65 to 75 questions per test, drawn from 22 question types (Pearson, PTE Academic Test Taker Score Guide). The count varies between forms because most question types are delivered in a range rather than a fixed number.
Duration
A maximum of 2 hours 15 minutes, which is 135 minutes, and approximately 2 hours in practice. Pearson publishes three part timings of 76 to 84 minutes, 23 to 30 minutes and 31 to 39 minutes, but attaches a note to them in the Test Taker Score Guide: the part timings deliberately do not add up to the stated total, because different versions of the test are balanced for total length, and no test taker receives the maximum or the minimum times shown. Add the 30 minutes Pearson requires for check-in and security before your appointment time. There are no scheduled breaks.
Question Format
Personal Introduction (unscored, 25 seconds to prepare and 30 seconds to record), Read Aloud, 6 to 7 items, text up to 60 words, Repeat Sentence, 10 to 12 items, audio of 3 to 9 seconds, Describe Image, 5 to 6 items, 25 seconds to study and 40 seconds to speak, Retell Lecture, 2 to 3 items, audio up to 90 seconds, 10 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to speak, Answer Short Question, 5 to 6 items, 10 seconds to answer, Summarize Group Discussion, 2 to 3 items, audio up to 3 minutes, 2 minutes to speak, Respond to a Situation, 2 to 3 items, prompt up to 60 words, 40 seconds to speak, Summarize Written Text, 2 items, text up to 300 words, 10 minutes per item, one sentence of no more than 75 words, Write Essay, 1 item, 20 minutes, 200 to 300 words, Reading Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown), 5 to 6 items, Reading Multiple Choice Multiple Answers, 2 to 3 items, marks deducted for wrong options, Reorder Paragraph, 2 to 3 items, scored on correctly ordered adjacent pairs, Reading Fill in the Blanks (Drag and Drop), 4 to 5 items, Reading Multiple Choice Single Answer, 2 to 3 items, Summarize Spoken Text, 1 item, written response of 50 to 70 words, Listening Multiple Choice Multiple Answers, 2 to 3 items, marks deducted for wrong options, Listening Fill in the Blanks (Type In), 2 to 3 items, Highlight Correct Summary, 2 to 3 items, Listening Multiple Choice Single Answer, 2 to 3 items, Select Missing Word, 1 to 2 items, Highlight Incorrect Words, 2 to 3 items, marks deducted for wrong words selected, Write from Dictation, 3 to 4 items, one point per correctly spelled word
Passing Requirement
No pass mark exists. Pearson's published study guidance is 36 to 50 overall for foundation courses, 51 to 60 for undergraduate degrees and 57 to 67 for postgraduate degrees. For Australian visas the Department of Home Affairs requires at least 47 listening, 48 reading, 51 writing and 54 speaking for Competent English on tests taken on or after 7 August 2025.
How It Is Delivered
Computer-delivered at an authorized PTE test center with headphones and a built-in microphone. Pearson states PTE Academic cannot be taken at home, and the Australian Department of Home Affairs does not accept fully online, remote-proctored English tests for visa purposes.
Languages Offered
English only. Every prompt, instruction and response is in English, and Pearson accepts United States, United Kingdom, Australian and Canadian spelling conventions provided one convention is used consistently throughout a response.
Visit the official Pearson certification page
Create an account and select your exam
Choose a test center or online proctoring option
Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
Score Scale
10 to 90 overall, plus separate 10 to 90 scores for Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing, all placed on the Global Scale of English.
Score You Need
No pass mark exists. Pearson's published study guidance is 36 to 50 overall for foundation courses, 51 to 60 for undergraduate degrees and 57 to 67 for postgraduate degrees. For Australian visas the Department of Home Affairs requires at least 47 listening, 48 reading, 51 writing and 54 speaking for Competent English on tests taken on or after 7 August 2025.
How It Is Calculated
Score points are awarded per question according to its complexity, then aggregated across the whole test. Some items are scored correct or incorrect for one point; others use partial credit across traits such as Content, Form, Grammar, Vocabulary, Spelling, Pronunciation and Oral Fluency. Three question types deduct one point per wrong selection. Integrated items feed two skills at once, so the overall score is not an average of the four skills scores. Written responses are machine-scored by the Intelligent Essay Assessor using Latent Semantic Analysis; spoken responses by the Versant engine; seven types also get human Content review.
When You Get Results
No unofficial score is shown at the test center. Pearson typically releases the official Score Report within two business days and aims to release every result within five. You are notified by email, then view and download the report from the My Activity page in myPTE. If more than five working days pass with no email, Pearson asks you to check spam and then contact customer service.
In raw terms: Pearson's July 2025 concordance research, reproduced in the PTE Academic Test Taker Score Guide, maps PTE overall 24 to 30 onto IELTS 4.5, 31 to 38 onto 5.0, 39 to 46 onto 5.5, 47 to 54 onto 6.0, 55 to 62 onto 6.5, 63 to 70 onto 7.0, 71 to 78 onto 7.5, 79 to 85 onto 8.0, 86 to 89 onto 8.5 and 90 onto 9.0. Pearson attaches an explicit disclaimer that any prediction across tests carries measurement error.
- Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo)
- Appointment confirmation email
- For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet
What are the prerequisites for the PTE Academic?
There are no education, employment or nationality prerequisites. Anyone can book PTE Academic.. A valid, non-expired passport is required for PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI. Pearson lists country-specific alternative identification at pearsonpte.com/acceptable-id for people without a passport.. Candidates under 18 must have a completed Parental Consent Form approved before testing. Once approved, the form covers all tests taken until the candidate turns 18. Pearson does not publish a minimum age.. A myPTE account with personal details entered in Roman characters and matched exactly to the identification document.. Full payment in the currency specified for your country. Voucher payments cover the test fee only and are not refundable.. Accommodation requests must be submitted at least six weeks before the chosen test date, with medical evidence, and must be confirmed by Pearson before you book..
How much does the PTE Academic cost?
The PTE Academic exam costs $200-$250. This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the PTE Academic?
Visit the official Pearson certification page → Create an account and select your exam → Choose a test center or online proctoring option → Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
What should I bring to the PTE Academic?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation email. For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet.
Ready to prepare for PTE Academic?
Get the complete exam guide with study plan, tips, and practice questions.
View PTE Academic Guide