Everything You Need to Know About PTE Academic Test

PTE stands for the Pearson's Test of English and is an English language proficiency test conducted by the Pearson PLC Group, which is accepted as a requirement by many academic institutions worldwide for admissions into their programs. The test is designed for students, particularly those from non-native English speaking countries, looking to study at a foreign university or college in a native-English speaking country.

The PTE Academic test is a 3-hour long, computer-based test designed to test the English language competency of students. The focus of the test is on simple English spoken on a day-to-day basis, as opposed to high-level English. The test has a multi-level grading system that ensures a student's proficiency in spoken English.

The PTE Academic test is quite different from other English language proficiency tests like IELTS and TOEFL based on many factors. The most distinguishing feature of the PTE Academic tests from its counterparts is scoring pattern and result. Students usually get their PTE Academic test scores within two business days of attempting the test. This aspect makes the PTE Academic test particularly interesting to those looking to migrate in a hurry.

Table of Contents

• Recent Covid-19 Updates
• Why PTE is the test for you?
• Eligibility Criteria
• Who accepts the PTE Academic Test Scores?
• Fees
• Types of PTE Tests
• How to Register?
• PTE Academic Exam Pattern
• Preparation Tips
• Exam Centres

Recent Covid-19 Updates

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, all the PTE testing centers in India have suspended all PTE Academic tests until further notice. The reason for this is the fact that PTE Academic does not have the option for students to attempt the exam from the confines of their homes (or remotely).

Students that have already booked their slots have the option of canceling the exam for a full refund, while those that want to reschedule the dates of their exam can do so for no extra cost. In any case, interested candidates must keep a lookout for these dates to stay ahead of the latest developments regarding the same.

Why PTE is the test for you?

The PTE Academic test is a computer-based, English language proficiency test designed to assess students' English language speaking skills from non-native English speaking countries who want to study in countries where English is spoken as the official language.

PTE Academic tests the reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills of the student. Each question in the exam tests two skills together, for example, speaking and writing, listening and speaking, or speaking and writing.

Eligibility Criteria

There is no such eligibility requirement for students to appear for the PTE Academic test, as per the conducting body, Pearson PLC group. However, those appearing for the test must be at least 16 years of age on the day of the exam, and those below the age of 18 need to get written consent from their parents or guardians to appear for the test. The consent form is available for download on the official website of the PTE Academic test.

Regarding eligibility criteria, no such standards have been prescribed as a requirement by the conducting authority.

Who accepts the PTE Academic Test Scores?

The PTE Academic test is universally recognized, and most universities, colleges, and academic institutions abroad accept these scores as an admission requirement. In addition, PTE Academic test scores are accepted in 74 countries around the world. Some prominent countries accepting PTE Academic scores are Australia, New Zealand, the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Ireland, and Singapore.

The USA has the most universities accepting PTE scores as a requirement, and the number gets smaller as we go through universities in other countries. Below are details of the most prominent countries accepting PTE scores and the list of the top universities in each country accepting the same.

USA

The USA currently has over 1,200 institutions accepting PTE scores, including some of the top echelon names like Harvard, Stanford, Yale, and Columbia, to name a few. PTE has also tied up with several nursing boards in the USA. Below is the list of top universities in the USA accepting PTE scores in the USA:

• Harvard University
• Stanford University
• Yale University
• Columbia University
• University of Pennsylvania
• George Mason University
• University of Southern California
• Colorado State University
• University of Illinois, Chicago

UK

In the UK, nearly 450 universities accept PTE scores, including prominent names like Warwick, Oxford, and London Business School. The number of institutions accepting PTE scores in the UK may not be as comprehensive a list as that of the USA, but some of the most prominent universities accept PTE scores, and the list of PTE affiliate institutions in the UK only seems to be growing. The list below contains the top universities in the UK accepting PTE scores:

• University of Oxford
• University of Warwick
• University of Glasgow
• London Business School
• University of South Hampton
• University of Bath

Canada

Around 194 institutions accept PTE scores in Canada, and around 90% of public colleges in Canada accept the same. PTE scores are the best chance for students to get their acceptance letters from universities in Canada. Below is the list of universities in Canada accepting PTE scores:

• University of British Columbia
• University of Ontario
• University of Calgary
• Dalhousie University
• University of Waterloo
• University of Saskatchewan
• York University

Australia

Australia has around 400 universities accepting PTE scores. The Chartered Accountancy Institute is a PTE affiliate in Australia and New Zealand, which only undermines the credibility of the PTE test. The list below contains the names of the top universities in Australia accepting PTE scores:

• University of Melbourne
• University of Sydney
• Deakin University
• Monash University
• University of Queensland
• University of Adelaide
• Australian National University

Germany

Germany has only about 40 institutions accepting PTE scores. Moreover, some of the more popular institutions like the TU's do not accept PTE scores. The list below contains the names of some prominent universities accepting PTE scores:

• European Business School
• Frankfurt School of Finance & Management
• University of Passau
• University of Applied Sciences Frankfurt
• Hertie School of Governance, Berlin

Fees

The standard fee for the PTE Academic test is INR 13,300. However, if the student books their slot at the last minute, i.e. within 48 hours of the test date, they will be required to pay a late fee of INR 665, and the PTE Academic fees will amount to INR 13,965.

Cancellation and Rescheduling

If a student chooses not to appear for the PTE Academic test, they should do so within 14 days of the test date. The conducting authority will give a full refund to students who cancel their test within 14 days but not 7 days of the test date. Students who cancel the exam within 7 days of the test date will be given a partial or 50% refund.

If a student wants to reschedule their test date, they may do so within 14 days of the test date. Again, they should reschedule their test date within 14 days but not 7 days of the test date to reschedule the test without any cost. However, if a student reschedules their test within 7 days of the test date, they will have to pay 50% of the test fee to appear for the exam.

Types of PTE Tests

The Pearson Language Tests is the conducting body of the PTE tests. The conducting authorities have two formats for the English language test: PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI. There is no difference in the contents of the two tests, but the registration processes for both are different.

PTE Academic Test

The PTE Academic test is conducted throughout the year, specifically for non-native English speaking students who wish to study at university or college. The scores of the PTE Academic test are valid for 2 years.

PTE Academic UKVI

PTE Academic UKVI is a secure English language test or SELT, approved by the home office of the UK for all UK visas requiring a 4-skill language test. The PTE Academic UKVI is fast and convenient for people seeking work or study in the UK.

How to Register?

Registrations for the PTE Academic test can be done online at the official PTE Academic website. Students need a valid ID with a photograph to register for the PTE Academic test - usually, a passport. Students must also produce the same ID on the test day, failing which they will not be allowed to sit for the test. Students will have to create a Pearson account on the official PTE Academic website to book their slots and receive and follow updates. The following are the steps to follow for PTE registrations:

• Visit the official website of PTE Academic
• Create a Pearson account by furnishing personal details
• Upon creating an account, a mail will be sent within 48 hours containing the login information
• Select a suitable test center
• Pick a convenient date and time slot
• Confirm all the entered details and proceed to checkout
• Pay the required fees and confirm the booking

Candidates can also register for the PTE Academic test via phone call. For students in India, they can register for the test by dialing 00080 0440 2020. Students should note that they can register for the test between Monday and Friday, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

PTE Academic Exam Pattern

The PTE Academic test's exam pattern consists of 4 sections, which are speaking, writing, reading, and listening. For convenience's sake, speaking and writing are clubbed together as one section, which has the maximum duration and weightage. The following is a breakdown of the exam pattern of the PTE Academic test:

Speaking & Writing

The speaking and writing section is for a duration of 77 to 93 minutes. The following are the contents of the speaking and writing section of the PTE Academic test:

• Personal introduction
• Read aloud
• Repeat sentence
• Describe image
• Retell lecture
• Answer short questions
• Summarize written text
• Essay

Reading

The reading section will be for a duration of 32 to 40 minutes and has the following content:

• Reading and writing: Fill in the blanks
• Multiple choice: Multiple answers
• Reorder paragraphs
• Reading: Fill in the blanks
• Multiple choice: Single answer

Listening

The listening section will be for a duration of 45 to 57 minutes and will have the following content:

• Summarize spoken text
• Multiple choice: Multiple answers
• Fill in the blanks
• Highlight correct summary
• Multiple choice: Single answer
• Select missing word
• Highlight incorrect word
• Write from dictation

Preparation Tips

Many people end up going to coaching centers in preparation for their PTE Academic test. A thing that people must understand about language proficiency tests is that they need a methodological approach. One thing remains constant with language tests and otherwise - and that is consistency. Students scheduled to appear for the test must make sure that they remain consistent in their preparation and nurture the drive to score well in the exam. Tips and tricks for preparation are compliments to the whole process and must be treated as such with a grain of salt. Below are some tips and tricks to tackle the different sections of the PTE Academic test.

Speaking and Writing: Preparation Tips

The following is just a guide on how to approach the various questions in the speaking and writing section of the PTE Academic test:

Type of Question	Clip Duration (in seconds)	Action Required	Skills Assessed
Read aloud	Varies depending on the length of the text	Read aloud the text provided	Reading and spoken
Repeat sentence	15	Listen to a recording, repeat the sentence	Listening and spoken
Describe image	40	Describe the details of the image provided	Spoken
Retell lecture	40	Listen to the lecture, retell it in your own words	Listening and spoken
Answer short question	10	Listen to the question and answer it in one word	Listening and spoken
Summarize written text	10	Read a text, summarize the text in one sentence	Reading and written
Essay	20	Write a 200 to 300-word essay on the topic provided	Written

Reading: Preparation Tips

The following is a guide on how to approach the reading section of the PTE Academic test:

Type of Question	Word Count	Action Required	Skills Assessed
Reading and writing: Fill in the blanks	Upto 100 words	Fill each gap in the sentence provided from a drop-down list of responses	Reading
Multiple choice: Multiple answers	Upto 300 words	Read the text, and answer a multiple-choice question with multiple answers	Reading
Reorder paragraphs	Upto 150 words	Random assortment of words to be arranged in the correct format	Reading
Reading: Fill in the blanks	Upto 80 words	Drag the correct word from the box to fill the gap in the sentence provided	Reading
Multiple choice: Single answer	Upto 300 words	Read the text, and answer a multiple-choice question with a single answer	Reading and written

Listening: Preparation Tips

The following table is a guide on how to approach the listening section of the PTE Academic test:

Type of Question	Clip Duration (in seconds)	Action Required	Skills Assessed
Summarize spoken text	60 - 90	Listen to the recording and write a summary of 50 to 70 words	Listening and written
Multiple choice: Multiple answers	40 - 90	Listen to the recording and answer a multiple-choice question with multiple answers	Listening
Fill in the blanks	30 - 60	Watch the text or listen to the recording and fill in each of the gaps in the sentence	Listening and written
Highlight correct summary	30 - 90	Listen to the recording and select the paragraph with the most accurate summary	Listening and reading
Multiple choice: Single answer	30 - 60	Listen to the recording and answer a multiple-choice question with a single answer	Listening
Select missing word	20 - 70	Listen to the recording and select the missing word from a list of options	Listening
Highlight incorrect words	15 - 50	Watch the text on the screen and listen to the recording. Identify the differences between the two	Listening and reading
Write from dictation	3 - 5	Listen to the recording and type the sentence	Listening and written

Exam Centres

Most major cities in India have PTE Academic test centers. There are 19 centers spread across cities of the same number in India. The table below contains the list of PTE test centers and their respective cities:

City	PTE Test Centre
Ahmedabad	Take Off Academy
Bengaluru	Pearson Professional Centre
Chandigarh	Target Consultancy
Delhi	Pearson Professional Centre
Cochin	Santa Monica Study Abroad Pvt Ltd
Coimbatore	Edwise International LLP
Chennai	Edwise International LLP
Hyderabad	Pearson Professional Centre
Jalandhar	Pearson Professional Centre
Kolkata	Global Reach
Ludhiana	Pearson Professional Centre
Mumbai	Pearson Professional Centre
Nagpur	Global Reach
Noida	Pearson Professional Centre
Patiala	Sophiya Institute
Pune	Pearson Professional Centre
Rajkot	Trans Globe Education
Vadodara	Shree Education Services
Vijayawada	KL University