Scores, not pass or fail
The Score Report gives an overall score and Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing scores, all on a 10–90 scale. The overall score reflects performance across the whole test and is not an average of the four skills (Score Guide). PTE Home, the UK family and settlement test, is the exception: it reports pass or fail (Pearson).
Typical minimum scores
Pearson's Score Guide gives these typical ranges and tells you to check the actual requirement on each institution's or government's website (Score Guide).
| Course level | Typical PTE Academic minimum |
|---|---|
| Foundation courses | 36–50 |
| Undergraduate degrees | 51–60 |
| Postgraduate degrees | 57–67 |
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Overall and skill minimums
Institutions decide how to use the scores. Pearson lists three common patterns: a minimum overall score only; a minimum overall plus a higher minimum in one skill that matters for the course; or a minimum overall with a lower minimum in a less important skill. Read both numbers in any requirement.
For migration, use the official visa pages; for example see PTE vs IELTS for Australia PR.
What PTE scores mean in IELTS terms
Pearson's current alignment, updated with research released in July 2025, links PTE Academic overall scores to IELTS Academic bands. Pearson notes that any prediction from one test to another carries measurement error (Score Guide). Our PTE to IELTS converter also covers the skill scores.
| IELTS band | PTE Academic overall |
|---|---|
| 5.0 | 31–38 |
| 5.5 | 39–46 |
| 6.0 | 47–54 |
| 6.5 | 55–62 |
| 7.0 | 63–70 |
| 7.5 | 71–78 |
| 8.0 | 79–85 |
| 8.5 | 86–89 |
| 9.0 | 90 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the passing score for PTE Academic?+
There isn't one. Each university, employer or visa authority sets its own minimum on the 10–90 scale.
Is 50 a good PTE score?+
Pearson lists 36–50 as a typical foundation-course minimum and 51–60 for undergraduate degrees, so 50 is at the lower end for degree study.
What PTE score do I need for a master's degree?+
Pearson's Score Guide says postgraduate degrees typically ask for 57–67. Check your course.
Is the PTE overall score the average of the four skills?+
No. Pearson says the overall score reflects performance on the whole test and is not an average of the skill scores.
Which PTE test has pass or fail?+
PTE Home (A1, A2, B1), the speaking and listening test for UK family and settlement visas.
Keep reading
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