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FAQ - General Test Information 

How can I find out more information about Pearson Test of English Academic?
To find out more about Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), browse the pages of our website. Pearson will also be hosting a variety of information-sharing events for institutions throughout the year.
How long is PTE Academic?
The complete test will normally be delivered in one three-hour session, for a more convenient test experience.
How many times and how often may a test taker re-test?
Test takers may take the test as often as they wish, but may only schedule one test at a time. Subsequent tests may be scheduled when notification has been received that scores are ready to be viewed and provided that a minimum of five days has passed since the previous appointment.
What will PTE Academic measure?
The new test will measure overall English language competency, in addition to providing feedback on Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking skills. The PTE Academic Score Report will include the availability of Communicative Skills and Enabling Skills.
Who is developing PTE Academic?
Pearson Language Tests (PLT) is a division of Pearson which is responsible for the development of PTE Academic. The test is being developed by test development professionals in several countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States of America. Test items are also internationally cross-validated to ensure that the test is a true representative of, and is measuring international academic English.
Why is Pearson developing PTE Academic?
The British Council estimates that almost two billion people will learn English as a second or foreign language over the next 20 years. Responding to feedback from universities and higher education institutions, Pearson is developing PTE Academic to fulfil the need for an English language proficiency test that will more accurately measure the communication skills of international students in an academic environment. The score reporting services that will be provided by Pearson in conjunction with the test will enhance the admissions process and assist institutions in making more informed admissions decisions.
How do you measure academic English?
We are interested in how well the test predicts how a person will read, listen, speak and write in academic settings. We test academic English by carefully examining where the language will be used, situations in academic settings. We defined a list of skills or abilities which are important in university academic settings and defined reading and listening texts that students are likely to encounter in academic settings. When selecting texts, item writers always select texts that students from the target population would be likely to read or hear. The international character is ensured by selecting texts and settings encountered in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US.
What form does the test content take?

Texts used for PTE Academic are taken from real-life situations as students will encounter in an academic environment. In academic settings, students have to understand a wide variety of listening texts across different situations. Reading texts appropriate for PTE Academic include study texts of academic interest and texts related to all aspects of student life. Test materials are extracted from published sources such as textbooks or websites containing useful information for university level students. Study texts of academic interest include historical biographies and narratives, academic articles, book reviews, commentaries, editorials, critical essays, articles and reports, science reports or summaries, scientific articles written for a general academic public, and journal articles. Reading texts related to student life include instructions, course outlines, grant applications, notices and timetables.


Students also need to follow different types of lectures (for example audio, video, audio-visual) delivered with different accents and at varying delivery speed. Listening texts appropriate for PTE Academic include lectures, study texts of academic interest and texts related to all aspects of student life. Listening texts are extracted from sources such as websites containing useful information for students, or based on actual speech samples collected from universities and colleges.

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