Pearson Advances English Language Assessment with Enhanced PTE Test

Partnership enables universities and immigration agencies to verify scores in a ‘one-stop shop’ with no extra costs or additional steps for students.

Wednesday, 26th May (AM) London: Pearson, the world’s learning company, has today announced a partnership with the international student recruitment platform, ApplyBoard to use its stand-alone document verification platform – ApplyProof.

This new partnership will ensure that students taking PTE to study in Canada will have greater transparency and portability of their test results than ever before. ApplyProof will enable verifiers to access digital PTE results as needed, efficiently, and at no additional cost.

Immigration officials, government agencies, schools, and others can require students to provide proof of English language proficiency. The ApplyProof technology affords a secure and decentralized solution to the challenge of verification. These stakeholders will be able to verify the validity of PTE test scores in seconds.

In partnership with schools, colleges, and universities across Canada, ApplyProof already enables secure, efficient verification of official student documents such as Proof of Acceptance. The partnership with Pearson adds Proof of English Language Proficiency, a giant step toward ApplyProof serving as one place to verify international student documentation.

Assia Hamdane, Pearson’s Director of PTE in Canada, said: “We are always looking for ways to make PTE an ever more beneficial, seamless, and effective experience for our test takers.

“We believe our partnership with ApplyProof will help us do this by enabling students and verifiers to share and access PTE scores more quickly and easily than before.

“More widely we look forward to the benefits of our innovative partnership having a positive impact on international student migration into Canada.”

“We believe that partnering with Pearson will bring a new level of clarity, certainty, and ease-of-use to the processes for students, immigration officials, and institutions,” says ApplyProof Head, Iman Hassani.

“ApplyProof and Pearson’s commitment to interoperability makes access and verification of results transparent and efficient. For students and users, ApplyProof makes their results truly portable.

“ApplyProof enables admission and immigration stakeholders to trust the information submitted to them. All of that in a secure environment, accomplished in a matter of seconds.”

PTE Academic is accepted by over 90% of Canadian Universities and colleges as proof of English language ability – 199 Canadian institutions and still growing.

About ApplyProof

ApplyProof, a stand-alone platform developed by ApplyBoard, transforms the way official student documents are verified and shared with students, government, and education stakeholders. Driven by the need for trust in international student documents and mitigating fraud, ApplyProof enables government stakeholders to verify the authenticity of a document by viewing the digital original held securely on ApplyProof servers using unique identifier passcodes. For more information visit https://www.applyproof.com/about

About Pearson

Learning is the most powerful force for change in the world. More than 20,000 Pearson employees deliver our products and services in nearly 200 countries, all working towards a common purpose – to help everyone achieve their potential through learning. We do that by providing high-quality, digital content and learning experiences, as well as assessments and qualifications that help people build their skills and grow with the world around them. We are the world’s leading learning company.

Learn more at pearsonplc.com.

Find out more about PTE – the leading English Language Proficiency test trusted by universities, colleges, and governments around the world.

The centers will provide better choice and accessibility to study abroad aspirants. 

London and Turkey, June 23, 2021: Pearson, the world’s learning company, today announced that two PTE Centers in Turkey, namely, at Dokuz Eylul University (Izmir) and British Side English Language School (Ankara) will now offer PTE Secure English Language Testing (SELTs) to cater to the demand of study abroad aspirants. These tests have been approved by the UK Home Office and are used for UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) purposes. 

These centers are fully equipped with state-of-the-art facility security measures and will increase accessibility for a fast, flexible, secure and unbiased exam for test-takers to ascertain their English language skills to work, settle or study abroad.

These centers are in addition to two existing PTE UKVI locations in Istanbul.

The language tests will be delivered through Pearson VUE’s test center network. Pearson VUE has implemented a number of proactive health and safety measures including, but not limited to, adhering to local social distancing requirements, readily available hand sanitiser, increased sanitisation in high touch areas, and the regular disinfection of testing workstations (completed between each test taker). These measures support the safety of both testing candidates and staff. Face masks are required at all Pearson VUE-owned test centers. 

Senior Vice President for PTE at Pearson, Freya Thomas Monk, says these tests offer a fast, fair and convenient choice for anyone who wishes to work, study or come to live in the UK. Thomas Monk is excited about expanding PTE’s UKVI service in the country and believes that it will help many learners broaden their horizons and apply for opportunities in the UK. “The process is simple and brilliantly designed, interactive and a true reflection of someone’s language ability. We look forward to offering more choices and opportunities for students in Turkey.”

Commenting on the launch of UKVI at the centers, Ipek Aydin, Head of PTE for the Middle East & North Africa said: “The number of students in Turkey aspiring to study abroad is increasing and an English language proficiency exam plays a crucial role in providing a pathway to enable them to do so.

“The establishment of more UKVI test centers in the country supports Pearson’s aim to increase the reach of our centers across Turkey to offer easy, local access to a globally recognized, fast and reliable English language proficiency test for immigration and study abroad opportunities. We are committed to delivering a world-class experience to our test takers and will continue to build a robust network of test centers across the country.” 

Pearson’s SELT tests are as follows:

• PTE Academic (UKVI) – a four-skills language test accepted for work and study visas. It tests Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening skills.

• PTE Home – a two-skills language test accepted for family, settlement, citizenship applications as well as Sportsperson and Representative of an Overseas Business applications. It tests speaking and listening skills.

There are now more than 190 UKVI approved PTE centers across the globe. Keep up to date on the latest approved locations.

Canada has become the fastest-growing destination for international study and Indian students are right at the top of this trend, accounting for more than a third of all Canadian study permits issued in 2019. 

Marlene Olsavsky, Managing Director for Pearson Canada, explains how PTE can help these increasing numbers of Indian students achieve their Canadian dream. 

Marlene said: “Indian students can take advantage of the fact PTE Academic is one of the mandatory English language tests accepted by Canada for its regular study permit application stream, also known as non-Study Direct Stream (non-SDS)."

“Test takers have a choice of more than 30 PTE centers currently open in India, including in Punjab, Gujarat and Hyderabad, all with required health and safety measures in place. 

“PTE is a seamless experience for students from start to finish, from being able to book a test slot online and year-round, through to only having to wait up to 48 hours on average to receive results. 

“Once they get their PTE score, students are then able to send it to any number of universities they are interested in, unlike other English tests which limit the amount of institutions where a score can be sent.” 

Learn more about applying to study in Canada or check available PTE test dates near you.