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We’ve made a few updates to the PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI tests. To make sure you’ve got the facts, we’ve created a short video that walks you through everything you need to know.
Hosted by Jarrad, one of our product managers, this video covers what’s being updated, what’s staying the same, and how it all benefits you as a test taker.
The original 20 question types are still in the test.
We are adding two new speaking question types to give you even more chance to demonstrate your skills.
Tips on how to prepare for the new speaking question types.
There are no changes to pricing, ID requirements, or score delivery time.
There are no changes to the way the test is taken (including the Speaking section).
Play
For more information on the test enhancements, explore our test updates page.
Here are some key questions and answers which are also covered in the video:
The updated PTE Academic test is almost exactly the same:
It still has the original 20 questions that you're familiar with.
The format of the questions has not changed.
There are, however, two new speaking question types, and there are some minor scoring enhancements.
Well, first of all, tests should change from time to time. It means they're evolving, are staying up to date with technology and society, and our understanding of how language is used. So these latest test updates will allow you to show off your English skills better than ever.
No, the changes are designed for test takers to showcase a broader range of English skills. But this doesn't mean the test is more difficult. It simply means that with a broader range of question types, you have even more opportunity to showcase your English skills.
We know how important fast results are for you. You'll still get your scores back within two days in almost all cases. In rare instances it may take slightly longer, but we'll keep you updated every step of the way.
Yes. There are no changes here. The same institutions still accept PTE. To find an up-to-date list, visit our Who accepts PTE? page.
No. The price stays the same. We do occasionally change our test prices, so for up-to-date prices by country, please visit our test centers and fees page.
The changes only affect PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI. PTE Core and PTE Home are not affected.
Institutions do review their score requirements from time to time, so we recommend checking with your chosen institution before taking the test.
Yes, there are no changes whatsoever to the ID requirements that you'll need. And if you need to apply for an ID exception, please visit our ID policy page.
Yes, the retake limits stay the same. Please visit our retake policy page for full information.
No, the booking process for PTE tests hasn't changed. You can still book a test online or by contacting our customer support team over the phone.
The original 20 question types – that is, the tasks themselves, the format, the timings, and the types of responses expected – are exactly the same.
There are two new question types:
Respond to a Situation, and
Summarize Group Discussion
They're both speaking tasks, and you can find out more information about them on our updates page.
The average test duration will still be around two hours. While we have added two new questions and have increased the number of some existing tasks, it's typical for many test takers to take less than two hours to complete their test.
You can still prepare for PTE Academic in the same way that you've always prepared, but we recommend that you pay close attention to the two new speaking question types and prepare specifically for how to answer these questions. Visit our PTE Academic preparation page for more information on the preparation resources we offer.
We have created two full length videos on the two new question types:
There is also a test tip document which will help you to prepare properly for the two new question types.
No, the PTE Academic Score Report will still show your Overall , Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing scores on a scale of 10-90.
By using the best of AI combined with the best of human expertise, you get the most accurate score. As long as you continue to provide genuine responses to all the questions, you won't notice a difference.
No. Double marking – that is, human and AI scoring for content – is used for seven of the 22 PTE Academic question types.
That question types which use double marking are:
Describe Image
Retell Lecture
Summarize Written Text
Write Essay
Summarize Spoken Text
Summarize Group Discussion
Respond to a Situation
Yes, absolutely. PTE Academic is still a primarily AI-scored test taken at a computer in a test center.
A human marker will never mark your pronunciation or fluency, as these aspects continue to be marked by a machine. For these reasons, you can be sure that your accent or appearance will not be judged.
The human experts always use the exact same rating scales as the AI. These rating scales are published in the Score Guide.
The human expert will only see your response. They will not see your photograph, and they will not know your name or where you're from or anything about you. In fact, your test is likely to be marked by multiple human experts because all the responses that require human input get distributed to different markers. It's only your English language skills that are being judged, nothing else.
All PTE Academic human scoring is done by highly qualified expert raters who are managed by Pearson.
The PTE Academic responses that require human double marking are distributed anonymously and scored at response level, so your test is likely to be marked by multiple people.
For any response where a machine and a human score differ, a second human makes a final judgement.
No, the human expert will never score your pronunciation or oral fluency. These traits will continue to be scored only by the AI. You can rest assured that your accent will not affect your score.
PTE Academic still uses an AI-first approach to scoring. Every response gets an AI score. The AI understands different accents and doesn't see what you look like.
The human review is a small part of the process and is only used to validate the AI score on some aspects.
If the human score differs from the AI score, a second human expert will make the final score decision to ensure the fairest, most accurate result.
Your existing booking remains unchanged, so if you want to change the date of your test, you can reschedule it. For more information, you can read our reschedule and cancellation policy.
The PTE Academic changes are designed to assess a broader range of real-world academic skills for study and in the workplace, making the test more relevant and authentic.
The test continues to be trusted by governments and institutions worldwide, so you can continue to use it to reach your goals.
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).
