08 July 2011
Pearson has today announced that the UK Border Agency (UKBA) has published new, lower minimum score requirements for student visa applicants taking PTE Academic.
Following feedback from institutions, Pearson recently held discussions with the UKBA to further examine the level of English proficiency that students must demonstrate to meet Tier 4 visa requirements.
From 8 July 2011, the new minimum PTE Academic scores which fulfil the UKBA’s criteria for a student visa are as follows:
To meet the UKBA requirement of a B1 level, a student must achieve a minimum PTE Academic score of
36 across all four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. To meet the UKBA requirement of a B2 level, students should achieve a minimum PTE Academic score of
51 across all four skills. These scores predict that a student will perform successfully on the easiest tasks at these levels.
The UKBA will accept PTE Academic scores which meet the new criteria, irrespective of when the test was taken. This includes test scores received before Friday 8 July 2011, provided that the score report is still valid. PTE Academic scores are valid for two years. For more information on how to submit a score received before Friday 8 July, please see our website
www.pearsonpte.com/ukbascores
Higher education institutions who would like advice on resetting their PTE Academic Scores for their admissions criteria should contact the PTE Academic Team on PLTsupport@pearson.com