Everything You Need to Know About PTE

The Pearson Test of English (PTE) is a globally recognized, computer-based English language proficiency exam that evaluates the speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills of non-native English speakers.For those planning to study abroad in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Singapore—PTE serves your purpose.

This test has recently added higher educational institutes from the Netherlands and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) USA for UG admissions.
Accepted by thousands of universities, colleges, and governments worldwide, the official PTE website now also provides free and paid preparation material under the tab SmartPrep.
If you are willing to pursue a nursing degree in Canada, then getting a PTE score is a must. As per the latest development, the Canadian Nurse Regulators Collaborative (CNRC) now accepts applications of internationally-trained nurses willing to work in Canada with a valid PTE score.
To enhance the global mobility of PTE test takers from India, Pearson, the conducting body of the PTE Academic exam, has partnered with University Living (UL), a global online marketplace for student accommodation. This collaboration provides study-abroad aspirants in India with support for international accommodation, financial services, and logistics. Additionally, test takers can benefit from exclusive discounts, special offers, and assistance through this partnership.
PTE at Test Centers: Candidates can take the exam at over 62 authorized test centers across major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Test takers are advised to arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time to complete check-in procedures.
The PTE Academic exam is structured into three main parts, assessing a total of 20 different question types:
Speaking & Writing: This section of the test lasts between 54 and 67 minutes and includes seven different question types. It is the longest part of the exam, assessing your speaking and writing skills using English commonly encountered in academic settings.
Tasks include:
Read Aloud
Repeat Sentence
Describe Image
Retell Lecture
Answer Short Question
Summarize Written Text
Write Essay
Reading: This section of the test includes five different question types and lasts 29–30 minutes. As PTE Academic is an integrated skills test, the "Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks" question type also assesses writing skills. This section assesses reading comprehension through tasks such as:
Multiple-choice (single answer)Multiple-choice (multiple answers)
Re-order Paragraphs
Reading: Fill in the BlanksReading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks
Listening: Spanning for about 30 to 43 minutes, this section tests your listening and comprehension skills extensively. The audio/ video begins to play automatically and you have to fully concentrate to understand the gist of the conversation so that you can answer the questions well on time. The good point is you are allowed to take notes but you will hear the conversation only once.
This section evaluates the ability to understand spoken English through tasks like:
Summarize Spoken Text
Multiple-choice (multiple answers)
Fill in the Blanks
Highlight Correct Summary
Multiple-choice (single answer)
Select Missing Word
Highlight Incorrect Words
Write from Dictation
The entire test duration is approximately 2 hours.
PTE Academic scores range from 10 to 90, reflecting the test taker's overall English language proficiency. The score report provides:
Overall Score: An aggregate of performance across all sections.
Communicative Skills Scores: Individual scores for Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening.
As of November 4, 2024, Pearson introduced double scoring for the "Describe Image" and "Retell Lecture" tasks, incorporating both automated and human evaluations to enhance scoring accuracy.
Although PTE tests are computer-based and scored by an automated system, human expert scorers play a crucial role in training the scoring engine for speaking and writing tasks. They assess test taker responses for every speaking and writing item, setting the standards that the system then replicates.
In live test scoring, human experts perform two key tasks. First, they evaluate anomalies—responses that the machine cannot reliably score. Second, they review specific task types, such as "Describe Image" and "Retell Lecture," where content must be assessed manually before finalizing scores.
Scoring criteria vary depending on the task. Some tasks are graded solely on correctness, while others consider additional factors like formal aspects (e.g., adherence to word limits) and response quality, including fluency and pronunciation in tasks like "Retell Lecture."
PTE Academic is offered year-round, with test dates available frequently each month. In India, candidates can choose from multiple dates across various test centers. For instance, in Delhi and NCR, test dates for April 2025 include:
April 11, 16, 18, 24, 25 (Barakhamba Road)
April 4 to 30 (Kailash Colony)
April 9, 11, 25 (Sector 16A, Noida)
To register for the PTE Academic exam:
Create an Account: Visit the official PTE website and create a "My PTE" account and make sure to use your valid passport as your ID. If there is a name mismatch, your test will be cancelled and you will not be eligible for a refund.
Schedule the Test: Log in to your account, select a convenient test center and date, and proceed to payment.
Payment: The exam fee in India is ₹18,000, inclusive of 18% tax. Payments can be made using credit or debit cards.
Rescheduling: Candidates can reschedule their test up to 14 days before the exam without incurring additional fees. Rescheduling between 13 and 8 days before the test incurs a fee of 50% of the test fee. Rescheduling within 7 days of the test date requires payment of the full test fee.
Cancellation: Canceling the test more than 14 days before the exam entitles candidates to a full refund. Cancellations made between 13 and 8 days before the test date will receive a 50% refund of the test fee. However, cancellations made within 7 days of the test date are not eligible for a refund.
For further details, candidates can refer to the official.