Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) - Application, Pattern, Eligibility

The Pearson Test of English Academic 2023 is an internationally recognized English language proficiency examination conducted by Pearson VUE. PTE Academic is an English language proficiency examination recognized internationally. PTE Academic scores are accepted by various universities, colleges, and even some countries for immigration purposes.  The PTE academic is not a test to understand the deep English knowledge of an individual, rather, it test the basic ability to comprehend English. PTE is a computer-based test that determines the English proficiency of non-native English speakers who want to immigrate or pursue studies overseas. The PTE Academic tests language proficiency in real-world situations. The full form of PTE exam is Pearson Test of English.

The PTE Academic score is recognized for admission to many institutions throughout the world including those in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA. Reputed institutions including Harvard, Yale, and INSEAD have begun accepting PTE Academic scores for admission. PTE Academic is also accepted by the Australian and New Zealand governments when applying for visas. In addition to being accepted as proof of English language ability by many colleges throughout the world, it is also accepted by ministries of education and employers in many countries. 

PTE Academic UKVI - Candidates applying for a study visa or work visa in UK, can to choose the PTE Academic UKVI. The difference in choosing The PTE Academic UKVI against PTE Academic is discussed below. 

Apply for PTE academic for study visa-

• If the Candidate is applying for Student Route Visa (formerly Tier 4 General student visa and planning to study below degree level.
• If the candidate wishes to study at degree level or above, but not in a Higher Education Institution.

Apply for PTE academic for a work visa

• If the candidates are applying for a Skilled worker visa, start up visa, minister of religion visa and innovator visa.

There are four sections in the PTE test:

• Speaking
• Reading
• Listening
• Writing 

The test duration is 2 hours and 15 minutes. The speaking and writing sections are conducted together.

The PTE Academic result is valid for a period of two years. During this period, candidates can send the scores to as many universities as they wish to. The conducting body does not charge any additional fees for sharing the scores with institutions.

PTE Exam Latest update 

PTE Core - A new type of PTE test for people who are willing to migrate or work in Canada. The PTE Core is very similar to the PTE Academic assessing the four(4) skills in English. Here the key difference is the PTE Core involves the concepts of real-life and non-academic focus. Candidates using PTE core can apply for Canada permanent residency. The PTE core will be launching in late 2023.

The conducting body has not prescribed any specific eligibility criteria for PTE Academic in terms of educational qualification. The full form of PTE is Pearson Test of English However, the eligibility is prescribed in terms of the age limit of the candidate and is as follows.

• The candidate must be at least 16 years of age.
• If the candidate is under 18 years of age, then he or she must submit proof of parental consent in order to be eligible to sit for the examination.
• There is no bar on the maximum age requirement.

Since there is no specific eligibility criteria to take the PTE Academic exam, students must check the eligibility requirements from the institutes they are applying to as the PTE score requirements may vary for each institution.

Mode of Application : Online

Mode of Payment : Credit Card

In order to apply for the PTE Academic  examination, a candidate must register for a Pearson VUE account on the official website through the following procedure:

• The candidate must go to the official PTE Academic website and register for a Pearson VUE account by clicking on the 'register now' link.
• Within 24 hours of registration, the candidate will receive login details to access his or her newly created Pearson VUE account. 
• Using the login details, the candidate can log into the Pearson VUE account and schedule a PTE Academic test.
• Test dates and centers will be available for selection as per the candidate's requirement. 
• The final step in the application process is payment of the test fees which can be done online via credit card.

In order to prepare properly for the PTE Academic 2023 exam, candidates must keep the following points in mind in order to score well on the PTE and ensure a high level of English language proficiency:

Preparation for PTE Academic Writing:

• Practice essay writing on various topics in a timed environment.
• Always stay within the prescribed word limit for the specific writing exercise i.e. under 100 words for the summarizing the test exercise and under 500 words for the essay.
• Avoid redundancy and use clear and unequivocal sentence structure and vocabulary. 

Preparation for PTE Academic Speaking:

• Ensure that the enunciation of words is clear and avoid hesitancy.
• Do not hurry through the speaking exercises, maintain a steady oratory pace despite the time constraints.
• Do not spend time on correcting oratory mistakes, carry on with the exercise regardless of botched words.
• Practice speaking aloud at home with various questions and exercises in a timed environment. 

Preparation for PTE Academic Reading:

• Manage time properly during reading exercises as the number of questions is greater than in other sections.
• Read and re-read each question before attempting to answer without giving in to overconfidence.
• Practice as many sample questions as possible.

Preparation for PTE Academic  Listening:

• Practice listening section questions from audio exercises in a timed environment.
• Maintain a calm composure and listen patiently to the audio being played.
• Take notes of every potential point of information in order to ensure clarity while answering questions.

PTE preparation books

You can opt for the self-study route to prepare for the PTE Academic by referring to some of the comprehensive books available. These include:

• The Official Guide to PTE Academic
• Expert PTE Academic course book B1  and B2
• Wiley's PTE advantage for the Academic Module

The PTE Academic test comprises 3 different sections or parameters upon which the candidate’s proficiency in English is evaluated. These include:

Part 1: Speaking and Writing

Part 2: Reading

Part 3: Listening

PTE Academic 2023 Exam Pattern

The result for the PTE Academic test is generally available within a week of the test day. The candidate will receive an email once the scores have been reported and he or she can view the test scores by logging on to their Pearson VUE account. The average time for availability of result is 5 days from the test day.

Candidates will receive an email with instructions to access their scores online. After viewing their scores by logging in to their Pearson account, they can share this score with colleges and universities through this account.

The validity of PTE Academic 2023 score remains for two years. During this time, aspirants can send the scores to as many universities as they wish to. Further, they need not pay any additional fees for sharing the scores with the institutions.

The candidate will also receive a mail in case there is a delay in the score report or the score is on hold.

The PTE Academic score is recognized for admission to many institutions throughout the world including those in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA. The PTE score is accepted when applying for visas by the Australian and New Zealand government.

Below is a table which projects the acceptance of PTE Academic 2023 results/scores across the government bodies: