PTE Help Center: PTE Core FAQs

PTE Core can be taken by anyone aged 16 or over.

PTE Core does not replace PTE Academic. It is a new general English test that is initially only suitable for work and migration visa routes to Canada. You should choose PTE Academic if:

• You plan to study in Canada or any other part of the world. PTE Academic continues to be accepted by all the same universities and professional institutions as before.

• You plan to work in or migrate to Australia, New Zealand or the UK.

You should choose PTE Core if:

• You plan to apply for permanent residency or citizenship in Canada.

Yes. PTE Academic is still the only PTE test that is suitable for studying in Canada.

PTE Academic and PTE Core are designed for different purposes and this is reflected in the test content. PTE Core is accepted for Canadian permanent residency and citizenship applications, while PTE Academic is accepted for global university study, visa applications to Australia and New Zealand, and professional registration.

PTE Academic focuses on testing your English skills in academic settings, while the content of PTE Core focuses on everyday situations.

For example, in PTE Core you may be asked to read a magazine article or write an email. You will not be asked to consider lecture materials or academic articles. Otherwise, the two tests share many of the same features. Like PTE Academic, PTE Core is a two-hour test taken at a test center, and it covers the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing.

PTE Core is available to take in PTE test centers around the world. 

No. PTE Core is only be available to take in PTE test centers.

For up-to-date pricing in your country, visit our Test centers and fees page.

To process your booking, we must receive full payment in the specified currency. We accept a range of credit and debit cards, and digital payment methods such as Google and Apple Pay.

Please refer to our payment policy for more information.

Please let us know if you require any test accommodations when creating your PTE account. Once you have completed your profile, you will be asked to fill out a form with details of your request, including evidence of any medical conditions.

Learn more about acommodations and the evidence we require.

No, the preparation materials for PTE Academic/PTE Academic UKVI are based on academic English content, whereas PTE Core is based on everyday English content.

PTE tests are taken in highly secure test centers, so it’s very important that we verify the identity of all of our test takers.

When you arrive to take your test, you must provide an acceptable identification document (ID) that matches the details on your test booking. In most cases, this ID will usually be your passport. Check the PTE Core ID policy.

Your Score Report includes a Skills Profile, which shows you how well you did in the following eight language skill areas:

• Open response speaking and writing

• Reproducing spoken and written language

• Extended writing

• Short writing

• Extended speaking

• Short speaking

• Multiple-skills comprehension

• Single-skill comprehension

Each skill area shows you your personalized recommendations, to help you identify where you can improve your language skills. This section is especially useful if you didn't get the score you wanted on your first test and you wish to improve on your test score.

The Skills Profile recommendations come from the Global Scale of English (GSE) learning objectives, which have been developed by language teachers to provide useful ways of practicing and improving specific areas of your English language proficiency.

All PTE tests are scored using our automated technology, which is trusted by governments and institutions around the world. Our unique combination of AI scoring and human expertise reduces the risk of bias to deliver fast, fair and accurate results.

Our automated system is specifically designed to assess integrated skills: this means we can accurately measure your ability to communicate in authentic, everyday written and spoken English.

The PTE Core test is scored on a scale of 10 to 90, with 90 being the maximum score. Test takers will receive a personalized Score Report that shows the overall test score plus the score breakdown for each of the four English skills (Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking).

For a detailed understanding of how we score your test, download the PTE Core Score Guide on the PTE Core scoring page.

The scores you will need for your Canadian visa application will depend on the type of visa you apply for. You will typically be asked to provide a Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) level for one or more skill. You can use the PTE Core to CLB conversion table to calculate your PTE score requirements. Please note that the IRCC only requires individual skill scores: your overall PTE score will not be required and cannot be converted into CLB.

For all visa requirements, we recommend you check the IRCC visa information pages on their website. The website also shows the PTE Core to CLB conversion table.

You can share your score with the IRCC using the unique Score Report Code (SRC), which is on your Score Report. This will enable the IRCC to securely verify your results.

Your PTE Core Score Report is valid for two years from the test date.