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The Australian Department for Home Affairs (DHA) recently updated their score requirements for all accepted tests of language proficiency. The new score requirements take effect from 7 August 2025.
From 7 August, anyone who takes the test for DHA visa purposes will need to meet updated score requirements.
The table below shows the old and new score requirements for each score.
We have also created a more accessible version of this table at the end of this article.
Not necessarily. It is important to remember that the category a test taker can achieve is based on all of their scores. Some requirements have increased but most have decreased. Pearson carried out research as part of the enhancements to PTE Academic, including a score concordance study of 1,522 participants. Almost 90% of the participants in the study would be classified in the exact same category or higher by the new visa requirements.
Following the recent updates to the PTE Academic test, a number of official preparation resources have also been created or updated to help you achieve the best score. These range from free test tips documents providing guidance on the two new question types to fully scored practice tests that reflect the updated test.
Yes. If you took the test before 7 August, the previous DHA score requirements still apply. This is the case even if you submit your application after 7 August.
The previous score requirements are shown below:
Remember that if you took the test before 7 August, the old requirements still apply.
If you are taking the test after 7 August, our standard Reschedule Policy allows you to change the date of your test for free if you have more than 14 days to go.
If your test is taking place between 7 August and 21 August and you feel you have not had enough time to prepare for the updated score requirements, please contact our Customer Services team to discuss your options.
Like other governments and institutions, the DHA independently decides the score requirements for their visa programs based on the research data we share with them. PTE does not influence the DHA's decision.
To find out official information about the DHA score requirements, please visit the DHA website. This page will also show the previous score requirements that are applicable for tests taken before 7 August.
We always encourage you to get the most up-to-date information from the institution or government’s own website.
This version of the table displays the updated DHA score requirements in a more accessible format.
| Category | Old Each Skill | New Overall | New Listening | New Reading | New Speaking | New Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Functional | 30 | 24 | - | - | - | - |
| Vocational | 36 | - | 33 | 36 | 24 | 29 |
| Competent | 50 | - | 47 | 48 | 54 | 51 |
| Proficient | 65 | - | 58 | 59 | 76 | 69 |
| Superior | 79 | - | 69 | 70 | 88 | 85 |
PTE Academic is completed on a computer, including the speaking part of the test.
So make sure you are prepared by familiarizing yourself with the equipment you will use during your test. Reading these test tips and you will be fully prepared.
There are many ways you can improve your chances of gaining points in Part 2: Reading during PTE Academic.
To improve your reading skills, practice increasing your reading speed and comprehension at the same time. In turn, you will improve your writing, grammar and vocabulary skills.
To do well in this part of the test, you need to be able to read quickly, using effective reading strategies, as there is a limited time to answer all questions.
Speed reading tasks will help improve your reading speed. Practice speed reading every day and:
Aim to be reading at least 220 words per minute
Reading short articles of around 300 words
Read often for short periods of time
You can also try this as a challenge with your friends to help keep motivated. Once you are happy with your comprehension and speed, focus on chunks (groups of words) rather than individual words.
When your reading skills reach a level you are happy with, you will feel more confident to answer the questions.
In the Multiple-Choice, Single Answer question type, some test takers make the mistake of scan reading and matching the words in the text to the words in the answer. Generally, the words in the text are not used in the correct answer, therefore it is important to learn how to use synonyms and paraphrasing as it will be used in the test.
Learn how to improve your grammar in our Reading: Core Skills part 1 article.
In this question type, you will need more time than in the Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer question type, as you need to intensively read the stem (the part before the options) as well as the options, then scan read the text on the screen until you find the part of the text that contains information that was in the stem.
Read the options very carefully and match the meaning of the option with the text. Do not match the words – this is something test takers may make errors with.
You should also make sure not to choose all the options since you lose one point for each incorrect choice. However, you cannot score below zero.
To do well in the Re-order Paragraphs questions, you will need to have a strong understanding of cohesive devices and how they work. You will also need to understand how articles work, as well as the logical and chronological order of information.
In this question type, skim-read the text to get the ideas of the topic of the text. From there, you should read all the sentences carefully.
For both Fill in the Blanks and Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks question types, you will need to understand a range of vocabulary, collocations, grammar, pronouns, and cohesive devices, as well as being able to identify when plural nouns are needed.
You will also need to be able to skim read to get an idea of the meaning of the text, then read intensively before and after each blank. If unsure, you should guess based on the context.
Make sure you do not leave any spaces blank. You do not need to correctly fill in all spaces to get points.
To go back and review the question types within the reading test, we suggest learning more about the reading questions.
Explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.
Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test
It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account
Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.
Ready to get started?
Do you have your heart set on studying in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland? The UK is a wonderful place to live and learn, but you’ll most likely need to get a UK study visa before you start packing your bags.
This comprehensive guide covers who needs a UK student visa, the requirements for getting one, how to apply, how much it costs, and how long it takes.
If you’re an international student hoping to study in the UK, you’ll most likely need a student visa. The only exceptions are nationals of Switzerland and countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), who don’t need a visa to enter the UK. *
* Please note: The outcome of Brexit may alter this after 2020. Check the UK government’s website for up-to-date information about this.
There are several UK study visa requirements you’ll need to meet to successfully apply. These include:
You’ve been offered a place in a full-time course from an eligible university (i.e. the school must be a licensed Student route visa*Tier 4 sponsors)
You can understand English (both written and spoken)
You have enough funds to support yourself and any dependants, while also paying for the course.
These requirements apply to students from all over the world. This means the UK student visa requirements for Indian students and American students are exactly the same for Chinese students and Australian students (and so on).
