PTE Score Requirements by Country 2026: Which Test to Take

Sponsored feature: this article was produced in partnership with PTE Nepal. Score requirements are taken from official government and Pearson sources.

Students used to ask one question about PTE: what score do I need? In 2026 there is an earlier one. Which PTE do I need? PTE score requirements by country now depend on the test version as much as the number. Pearson runs separate versions for different governments, so a PTE Core result that works for Canada does not count in Australia. Australia and the UK have each changed their English rules since mid-2025, and Canada has required a language test for the PGWP since November 2024. Book the wrong version, or plan around an old table, and you can lose months.

This guide sets out what to take for a student visa or permanent residence in Australia, Canada, the UK and New Zealand, with the minimum scores for each. Every score comes from Pearson or a government page linked in the text. Check that page before you book, and take your own visa case to a registered adviser (MARA in Australia, RCIC in Canada, OISC in the UK).

How English testing is changing for students worldwide

• Each government uses a different version of the test. PTE Academic is the test for Australia and New Zealand. PTE Academic UKVI is for UK visas, sat at an approved location. PTE Core is what Canada accepts for Express Entry and the Post-Graduation Work Permit. Pearson says PTE is recognised by the UK, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand governments and by over 4,000 institutions.
• Score tables were rewritten. On 7 August 2025 Australia replaced its flat scores (50, 65 and 79 in every skill) with separate targets for each skill. On 8 January 2026 the UK raised new Skilled Worker applications from B1 to B2. Canada has required a language test for the PGWP since 1 November 2024.
• Test conditions count. Australia refuses remote-proctored and at-home tests, and New Zealand does not accept them for skilled residence. PTE Academic cannot be taken at home anyway.

PTE is scored by computer (with human review of some speaking content on PTE Academic since August 2025), and Pearson says most results arrive within 2 business days (some take up to 5). Free "AI scoring" practice apps are not Pearson's scoring, so treat their numbers as estimates.

PTE score requirements by country: summary table

Country	Test accepted for visas	Student visa	PR / skilled
Australia	PTE Academic	Subclass 500: 47 overall (tests on or after 7 Aug 2025), no per-skill minimum	Competent: L47 R48 W51 S54 (0 points). Proficient: 10 points. Superior: 20 points
Canada	PTE Core (not PTE Academic)	Admission score set by your school. PGWP after study: CLB 7 (university) or CLB 5 (college)	Federal Skilled Worker: CLB 7 in all four skills, which is PTE Core L60 R60 S68 W69
United Kingdom	PTE Academic UKVI (PTE Home for family routes)	Degree level: B2, at least 59 in each skill. Below degree: B1, 43 in each. No overall score	Skilled Worker: B2, 59 in each skill (new applications from 8 Jan 2026)
New Zealand	PTE Academic	No INZ threshold; the education provider sets it	Skilled residence: 58 overall (principal), 36 (partner or dependent child aged 16 or over)

Australia: the new PTE bands from August 2025

Student visa (subclass 500)

For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, the student visa minimum is PTE Academic 47 overall, with no per-skill minimum. Pearson places 47 next to IELTS 6.0. Before that date it was 50. Packaged English study has lower floors: 39 for a 10-week-plus ELICOS, foundation or pathway program (was 42), and 31 for a 20-week-plus ELICOS (was 36).

Universities often ask for 58 to 65, so plan for the offer letter, not the visa floor.

Skilled visas and PR points in short

For skilled and PR visas, Home Affairs now sets a separate score for each skill in three bands: Competent (0 points), Proficient (10 points) and Superior (20 points). These apply to tests taken on or after 7 August 2025 (Pearson, checked against Home Affairs).

The difficulty has moved. Superior used to mean 79 in every skill. Now listening and reading sit lower, while writing needs 85 and speaking 88. Writing and speaking decide most 20-point attempts.

Two rules catch people. All four scores must be on one score report, and for points-tested visas the test must fall within the 3 years before you are invited to apply. Tests from before 7 August 2025 are judged on the old flat scores and can be used until 6 August 2028, depending on the visa.

The full band table, skill by skill, is in PTE Nepal's guide to English requirements for Australia PR. For the 20-point band task by task, see its Superior English PTE guide.

Canada: PTE Core for Express Entry and the PGWP

Canada does not accept PTE Academic for Express Entry. IRCC accepts three English tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core. The result must be under 2 years old both when you submit your profile and when you apply for PR.

IRCC converts each skill to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level on its own, so one weak skill pulls your points down even when the other three are high. The Federal Skilled Worker Program needs CLB 7 in all four skills, which is PTE Core listening 60, reading 60, speaking 68 and writing 69. Higher levels earn more points under the Comprehensive Ranking System.

To turn your own four scores into CLB levels, use PTE Nepal's PTE Core to CLB score calculator. Its PTE Core guide for Canada covers the full conversion table and how PTE Core compares with CELPIP.

Study permit and Post-Graduation Work Permit

Your college or university sets the English score for admission. The PGWP catches students later: since 1 November 2024 it needs CLB 7 for university programs or CLB 5 for college programs, from CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core, under 2 years old. PTE Academic does not count, so a student admitted with PTE Academic will need a second test before applying.

UK: PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Home

Most UK visa routes need a Secure English Language Test. For degree-level study your university can assess your English itself (still at B2), so ask it before booking; below degree level and for Skilled Worker you need a SELT. Pearson's only SELTs are PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Home. Standard PTE Academic is not one. The result must be from the 2 years before you apply, taken at an approved location.

• Student visa, degree level: B2, at least 59 in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking.
• Student visa, below degree: B1, at least 43 in each skill.
• Skilled Worker: B2 (59 in each skill) for new applications from 8 January 2026, up from B1. People who held the visa before then and extend on the same route stay at B1.

There is no overall PTE score for UK visas. Universities set their own entry scores, which may be higher, so ask yours which test version it wants.

Do I need PTE Academic UKVI or PTE Home?

Skilled Worker applicants, and students who need a SELT, take PTE Academic UKVI. PTE Home covers family routes: A1 for a partner's first visa, A2 for the extension and B1 for settlement. Settlement rises to B2 for applications made on or after 26 March 2027 (HC 1691); check the gov.uk approved-SELT list for which Pearson test covers that before booking. PTE Nepal has a separate PTE Academic UKVI guide.

New Zealand and other countries

For New Zealand skilled residence, the principal applicant needs PTE Academic 58 overall and a partner or dependent child aged 16 or over needs 36. Results must be under 2 years old (5 years if you hold a recognised occupational registration, from 24 August 2026) and taken in person. For a student visa, Immigration New Zealand publishes no PTE threshold; your provider sets it.

For Ireland, Germany, the Gulf and elsewhere, acceptance depends on the institution or employer, so get it in writing before you book.

Which PTE to take for each country

1. Australia (student, skilled or PR): PTE Academic at a test centre.
2. Canada (Express Entry or PGWP): PTE Core.
3. UK student or work visa: PTE Academic UKVI. Family routes use PTE Home.
4. New Zealand: PTE Academic.
5. Two countries on your list: you may need two tests. PTE Core does not count for Australia, and PTE Academic does not count for Express Entry.

Pearson lists PTE Academic in Nepal at USD 248.60, the same as UKVI and Core; in Australia it is AUD 499. A Pearson score report is valid for 2 years, but each visa sets its own limit, so work to the shorter one. If you are weighing PTE against IELTS, Pearson's score comparison puts PTE 55 next to IELTS 6.5, 63 next to 7.0 and 79 next to 8.0. That is a guide, not a promise an institution will accept the swap.

Expert preparation guidance: a six-week plan

A suggested plan from the teaching side, not an official rule, for about six weeks.

1. Week 1: sit a full timed mock and write your four scores next to the target table for your visa. The biggest gap gets most of your time. A Pearson scored practice test gives a score from Pearson's own engine.
2. Weeks 2 and 3: speaking and writing. Record your Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence and Describe Image answers and play them back. Drill one essay structure until layout needs no thought.
3. Week 4: listening and reading. Write from Dictation and Fill in the Blanks reward spelling and word pairs ("make a decision", "pay attention"), which suit short daily drills.
4. Week 5: two full mocks under test conditions, with headphones and no pausing. Review every task where you dropped marks.
5. Week 6: light practice and logistics. Check that your ID matches your booking name exactly.

In speaking, Pearson warns that if you repeat ideas, correct yourself or hesitate, you use up time and lose score points.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Booking PTE Academic for Express Entry.
• Reading only the overall score when Australia and Canada judge each skill.
• Planning to combine two score reports for Australia.
• Trusting a free app's score.
• Testing so early that the result expires before the PR application.

Tips for Nepali students and applicants across Asia

The test is the same everywhere; the logistics are not. Centre availability varies by city, so check dates in Kathmandu, Delhi, Dhaka or Manila before fixing a visa timeline.

PTE Nepal: a female-led Nepali startup coaching students worldwide

PTE Nepal is run by the female-led team of Smriti Simkhada, from Chitwan, Nepal. Its line is "From the Himalayas to the world": a Nepali business whose students live in other countries.

The format is narrow on purpose. PTE Nepal offers private 1-on-1 online PTE coaching only. There are no batch classes. Each session is taught live on Google Meet, one student and one teacher, and sessions are not recorded. Students choose a 7-day, 17-day or one-month plan.

The team teaches students of any nationality, with class times set around Sydney, Melbourne, Toronto, London and Doha shifts. Time zones help here. Nepal is UTC+5:45, India UTC+5:30, Bangladesh UTC+6 and the Philippines UTC+8, so a student in Manila would be only 2 hours 15 minutes ahead of a teacher in Chitwan.

For Nepali business it is a useful example: a small Chitwan team selling a specialist service abroad, with no Kathmandu office or foreign branch. If you are preparing for PTE Academic, PTE Core or PTE Academic UKVI, its free PTE score assessment is a sensible first step.

On scope: PTE Nepal prepares students for the exam only. It does not handle visas or documents. Take visa questions to a registered adviser: MARA in Australia, RCIC in Canada or OISC in the UK.

Frequently asked questions

Which English test do I need for each country?

PTE Academic for Australia and New Zealand, PTE Core for Canada's Express Entry and PGWP, and PTE Academic UKVI for UK student and Skilled Worker visas. UK family routes use PTE Home.

Is PTE accepted for student visas in Australia, Canada, the UK and New Zealand?

Yes, but the version differs. Australia's subclass 500 visa takes PTE Academic, 47 overall. In Canada your school sets the admission score, and the PGWP later needs PTE Core, not PTE Academic. The UK needs PTE Academic UKVI, unless a university assesses you itself at degree level. In New Zealand the provider sets the threshold.

How long is a PTE score valid?

A Pearson score report is valid for 2 years, but each visa sets its own limit. Canada and the UK want a result under 2 years old. New Zealand skilled residence allows 2 years, or 5 with a recognised occupational registration from 24 August 2026. Australia's points-tested visas need a test from the 3 years before your invitation.

How long does it take to prepare for PTE?

It depends on the gap between your mock score and your visa target. The plan above assumes about six weeks. PTE Nepal's 1-on-1 coaching runs on 7-day, 17-day or one-month plans, so start with a timed mock and pick the length from the gap.

Can I use a PTE test taken at home for a visa?

Not for Australia, which refuses remote-proctored and at-home tests, or for New Zealand skilled residence. PTE Academic cannot be taken at home anyway. PTE Home is a separate test for UK family routes only.

Conclusion: before you book

Pick the version first, then the score. Australia uses PTE Academic and scores each skill. Canada uses PTE Core and reads your CLB level skill by skill. The UK uses PTE Academic UKVI with no overall score, and New Zealand uses PTE Academic. Check each number on the linked official page on the day you book. If you want a teacher to measure your level against these tables, start with PTE Nepal's free score assessment.