Which test is for what
Pearson's PTE Core FAQ says Core is recognised by the Canadian government for all economic immigration applications and suits anyone applying for permanent residence or citizenship. It also says Core does not replace Academic and is, for now, only suitable for work and migration routes to Canada. If you plan to study anywhere, including in Canada, or to work in or migrate to Australia, New Zealand or the UK, Pearson tells you to take PTE Academic.
Content is the other difference. Academic questions draw on lectures and academic articles; Core uses everyday situations such as a magazine article or an email. Both cover all four skills in one sitting at a test centre, and Core cannot be taken online or at home. Facts below are from the PTE Academic and PTE Core pages.
| PTE Academic | PTE Core | |
|---|---|---|
| Main use | University study worldwide; Australia and NZ visas; professional registration (UKVI version for UK visas) | Canada: IRCC economic immigration, PR and citizenship |
| Content | Academic English | Everyday, general English |
| Parts (Pearson timings) | Speaking & Writing 76–84 min; Reading 23–30 min; Listening 31–39 min | Speaking & Writing 50–65 min; Reading 27–37 min; Listening 22–37 min |
| Scale | 10–90 overall and per skill | 10–90 overall and per skill, converted to CLB by IRCC |
| Results | Typically 2 days, up to 5 business days | Typically 2 days, up to 5 business days |
| Validity | 2 years from the test date | 2 years from the test date |
| Fee, India / UK / Canada (4 Oct 2026) | ₹18,900 / £230 / CA$360 | ₹18,900 / £230 / CA$360 |
How the tasks differ
Speaking and Writing: Academic has nine question types: Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Retell Lecture, Answer Short Question, Summarize Group Discussion, Respond to a Situation, Summarize Written Text and Write Essay (Pearson). Core has seven: Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Respond to a Situation, Answer Short Question, Summarize Written Text and Write Email (Pearson). So Core has no lecture retell and no group-discussion summary, and it has an email where Academic has an essay.
Reading: both have the same five types of fill-in-the-blanks, multiple-choice and re-order tasks (Academic, Core). Listening: Academic has eight types and Core seven, because Core drops Highlight Correct Summary. Summarize Spoken Text is shorter in Core: a 20–30 word summary in 8 minutes, against 50–70 words in 10 minutes in Academic (Academic, Core).
The August 2025 update, which added two speaking tasks and extra human review, applied only to PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI. Pearson states that Core and Home were not affected (Pearson).
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Take a free scored PTE mock →Fees: the same price for both
Pearson publishes prices only through its price finder. On 4 October 2026 it showed PTE Academic, PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Core at the same price in each country we checked: ₹18,900 in India (57 test centres), £230 in the UK (33 centres) and CA$360 in Canada (32 centres). Whether those figures include local tax is not stated by Pearson on that page.
Which one should you book?
Book PTE Core only if the score is for an IRCC economic immigration, PR or citizenship application; it is not accepted for study, even in Canada. Book PTE Academic for university admission anywhere and for Australian or New Zealand visas, and PTE Academic UKVI for a UK visa that needs a four-skill SELT. If you might need both Canada PR and university study, one result cannot cover both: you would need two tests.
For Canada, IRCC reads each skill separately against CLB levels. Our PTE Core to CLB calculator converts the four scores, and the IELTS General vs PTE Core guide compares the alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is PTE Core easier than PTE Academic?+
Pearson does not say either is easier. Core uses everyday rather than academic material and has fewer question types, but it serves a different purpose, so you cannot swap one for the other.
Can I use PTE Core for Australia, New Zealand or the UK?+
No. Pearson tells candidates for those countries to take PTE Academic (or PTE Academic UKVI for the UK). PTE Core is for Canadian immigration.
Can I use PTE Core to study in Canada?+
No. Pearson says PTE Academic is still the only PTE test suitable for studying in Canada.
Can PTE Core be taken online?+
No. Pearson says PTE Core is only available at PTE test centres.
Do PTE Academic and PTE Core cost the same?+
In India, the UK and Canada, Pearson's price finder showed the same fee for both on 4 October 2026: ₹18,900, £230 and CA$360.
Keep reading
Related
- Free PTE Core practice test
- PTE Core to CLB calculator
- IELTS General vs PTE Core for Canada
- Free PTE Academic mock test
- All 711 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 4 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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