PTE Passing Score 2026: Student Visa & University Minimums

Is there a PTE passing score?

No. PTE Academic has no pass mark. Pearson reports an overall score from 10 to 90, with 90 the highest, plus scores for Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. Each university or government sets its own minimum from that scale. So the "PTE passing score" people search for is really the minimum required by one visa or course, and it changes by country, visa type and test date.

The two numbers that matter most for most applicants are the Australia student visa minimum and the university minimum for your course. Both are set out below.

PTE score required for an Australia student visa

For the Australia student visa (Subclass 500), Home Affairs sets a minimum overall PTE Academic score. The figure depends on the test date and on whether your course includes English preparation.

Test taken	Standard minimum	With 10+ weeks ELICOS, Foundation or eligible Pathway	With 20+ weeks ELICOS
On or after 7 August 2025	47	39	31
On or before 6 August 2025	50	42	36

For the full visa walk-through, see PTE score for an Australia student visa and the wider Australia requirements.

Three points to keep in mind:

The minimum is the overall score on the table, not each skill separately for this visa.
The student visa test must be completed within 2 years before you lodge the application (Regular evidence level), or within 2 years before a decision if you are Streamlined evidence level and asked for evidence.
Home Affairs also publishes a separate general "Competent English" level, used for other visas. Its per-skill minimums for PTE Academic taken on or after 7 August 2025 are 47 (Listening), 48 (Reading), 51 (Writing) and 54 (Speaking). Do not mix these up with the student visa table.

PTE Academic minimum scores for universities

Pearson's own guidance says institutions set their own requirements and gives typical overall bands. Always confirm the figure on your university's course page.

Course level	Typical overall minimum
Foundation courses	36 to 50
Undergraduate degrees	51 to 60
Postgraduate degrees	57 to 67

Some institutions also set a separate minimum for individual skills. Read the full entry requirement, not only the overall figure.

Which minimum applies to you?

Your goal	Where the number comes from	Read next
Australia student visa	Home Affairs Subclass 500 table (above)	Student visa score guide
Australia PR or skilled visa	Home Affairs English level for the visa (Competent, Proficient or Superior)	PTE for Australia PR
University admission	The course page of the university	Masters in Australia
UK, Canada, New Zealand	The government rules for the specific route	Country pages below

PTE score for the UK, Canada and New Zealand

The rules differ by country and visa route, so check the country page for the route you need:

PTE score for UK visas. UK applications use PTE Academic UKVI. The Score Report includes a SELT URN, and you enter that URN on your UK visa application so the UK Government can securely access your result.
PTE score for Canada. Check the current Canadian study permit rules for the language proof you need.
PTE score for New Zealand. Check the current Immigration New Zealand requirement for your visa.
Countries that accept PTE. A full list of places where PTE is used for admission or migration.

How long is a PTE score valid?

Pearson's help centre says a PTE Academic Score Report is valid for two years from the date you took the test. After that you cannot access the result, and scores should be assigned to an institution or government within two years of the test.

Your visa may have its own deadline. For the Australian student visa, the test must be completed within 2 years before you lodge (Regular evidence level), or within 2 years before a decision is made if you are Streamlined evidence level and Home Affairs asks for evidence. Other visas have their own rules. If you plan to apply later, book the test so the result is still valid on the day you lodge.

What the score scale means

Overall score (10 to 90): based on your whole test. It is not an average of the four skill scores.
Skill scores (10 to 90 each): Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. Some questions count towards two skills at once.
IELTS equivalent: Pearson's July 2025 concordance places an overall score of 47 in the IELTS 6.0 range (47-54). Use our PTE to IELTS converter for skill-by-skill equivalents, or the PTE score chart for a full band guide.

Chart of the PTE overall score scale from 10 to 90 with the range for each IELTS band from 4.5 (PTE 24 to 30) up to 9.0 (PTE 90), from Pearson's July 2025 concordance. — PTE Academic overall scores and the IELTS Academic bands Pearson aligns them to (the same table our PTE to IELTS converter uses). Source: Pearson PTE Academic and IELTS Academic concordance summary (July 2025); Pearson PTE Academic Score Guide. Checked 10 Oct 2026.

Quick checklist before you apply

Find the exact minimum in the current official table for your visa or the course page of your university.
Check the test date on your Score Report, because the older and newer Australia figures are different.
Check whether the skill minimums apply in addition to the overall score.
Confirm your score is still within its validity period on the day you lodge.
Send scores through the official route your institution or government names. Pearson says institutions do not accept paper or PDF copies of a PTE Academic Score Report, so share scores through your myPTE account.

If you are still preparing, our PTE exam pattern guide explains what each part of the test measures, and the PTE mock test helps you check your level before you book.