PTE Score for UK 2026: Student and Work Visa Levels

There is no single PTE score for the UK. The UK government sets a level on the CEFR scale. For a student visa course at degree level or above, the level is B2. For a course below degree level, it is B1. For a Skilled Worker visa, it is B2 for new applications and most switches. Pearson converts these levels to PTE: B2 means 59 or higher in each of the four skills, and B1 means 43 or higher in each skill. Use PTE Academic UKVI for most visa routes, because it includes the Unique Reference Number (URN) the visa form asks for.

UK PTE score requirements at a glance

Pearson's visa table calls these minimums "in each of the four sections," which means each skill must meet the figure, not just the overall score. Check Pearson's UK visa table and the gov.uk pages for Student and Skilled Worker visas before you book, because visa routes change.

CEFR levels and PTE score bands

Pearson publishes these bands on its 10-90 scale. Use them to read your PTE result against the UK levels.

Source: Pearson's score guide. Your score is judged skill by skill for UK visas, so a 65 overall with a 55 in speaking does not meet the B2 per-skill minimum.

UK student visa: degree, below degree and after Class 12

The UK sets the level by the course, not by the student. Check your course level first.

• Degree level and above (bachelor's, masters, PhD): B2. Pearson lists 59 or higher in each skill.
• Below degree level (foundation, pathway, pre-sessional English): B1. Pearson lists 43 or higher in each skill, on PTE Academic UKVI.
• Institution assessment: if the university is a higher education provider, it can assess your English itself. It must still reach B2 for degree courses, and it may ask for a different test.

For students after Class 12: a bachelor's degree is degree level, so you need B2 (59+ in each skill). If your course starts with a foundation or pathway year, the visa level for that year is B1 (43+ in each skill). Ask the university which level your first year is set at, because the answer changes which score to aim for.

UK masters and bachelor's: visa minimum and university minimum

The visa level is a floor. Each university sets its own entry score, and it can be higher than the visa level, or ask for a minimum in each skill.

1. Find the course on the university website and open the English requirements section.
2. Check whether the university asks for PTE Academic or PTE Academic UKVI, the overall score, and any per-skill minimums.
3. Compare that with the visa level for your course type (B2 for degree level, B1 below degree).
4. Book the test that matches both.

We do not list university-by-university PTE scores on this page. Those figures change each intake, and older tables online often mix undergraduate and postgraduate rows. Use the university's own page.

UK work visa: Skilled Worker and related routes

• New Skilled Worker application and most switches: B2, which Pearson lists as 59 or higher in each skill on PTE Academic UKVI.
• Extension or update: if you held the visa before 8 January 2026 and apply to extend or update it, gov.uk asks for B1, and says you do not need to prove your English again. Pearson's table says a new test is not required if already proven. If you switch from a different visa, the level is B2, except that gov.uk says people switching from a Health and Care Worker visa do not need to provide proof again.
• Innovator Founder and Minister of Religion: Pearson lists B2 and PTE Academic UKVI.
• Representative of an Overseas Business and sportsperson routes: Pearson lists A1 with speaking and listening, on PTE Home A1.

Some routes also require a job code or sector check, so confirm the visa route on gov.uk as well.

PTE Academic, PTE Academic UKVI or PTE Home: which one to book

Pearson says PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI have the same test content and scoring. The difference is the URN. Pearson says to book PTE Academic UKVI if you need a URN for your visa application. For a degree-level student visa, ask your university which of the two it needs before you book. The Academic vs Core vs UKVI guide compares the three in more detail.

Text version of this diagram

• Is it a UK visa route that requires a Secure English Language Test (SELT)? Yes: take PTE Academic UKVI (GOV.UK lists it as an approved SELT; its report carries a SELT URN). No: next question.
• Is it Canada Express Entry? Yes: take PTE Core (IRCC says you must take the PTE Core option). No: next question.
• Is it an Australian visa application? Yes: take PTE Academic (listed by Australia's Department of Home Affairs). No: next step.
• Anything else: take the exact test your university or visa page names; Academic, UKVI and Core are different tests.

Validity, results and booking

• Validity: Pearson says a PTE Academic UKVI score is valid for two years from the test date. Plan your visa application so your result is still in date when you submit it.
• Results: Pearson's PTE Academic UKVI page says results usually arrive in about 2 days (its page header says typically 48 hours), and its scores page says typically within 48 hours. Pearson's Help Centre says results can take up to five working days, so do not plan around one exact day.
• Where to take it: PTE Academic UKVI is taken at a test centre on a computer. It cannot be taken at home.
• Sharing: your scores can be sent to institutions from your myPTE account. The UKVI score report includes the URN.

For test centres and fees in India, see PTE exam centres in India and PTE exam fee.

Do you need a PTE test at all?

Not always. Per gov.uk, you can prove your English without a test if you have a degree-level qualification awarded by a UK institution, even if you studied outside the UK. If your degree was taught in English but not awarded by a UK institution (for example, an Indian degree taught in English), you can apply to Ecctis for an assessment that confirms it is equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or higher and taught in English. Without one of these, you need an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT). Read the gov.uk SELT guidance and the Knowledge of English page for your visa.

PTE vs IELTS for UK visas

Both PTE and IELTS can be used for UK visas, and both report results on the CEFR scale. The level you need is the same: B2 for degree and Skilled Worker, B1 below degree. The scores are different, so do not use a PTE number as if it were an IELTS band. Read the PTE or IELTS for the UK guide, use the PTE vs IELTS comparison to compare formats, and the PTE to IELTS converter for an estimate only. Pearson's concordance is a research estimate, not a UK visa rule.

How to check your PTE score is enough

1. Find your course level (degree or below degree) or your visa route.
2. Look up the CEFR level for that route in the table above.
3. Check your PTE result for each skill, not just the overall score.
4. Compare each skill with the 59 or 43 band, and check the university's own minimum.
5. Use the PTE score calculator for a practice estimate. It is not an official score.

If you need a higher score, the PTE passing score guide explains how scores are read, and the PTE Academic vs Core vs UKVI guide explains which test to pick.

Practise and read more

• Route detail: UK student visa PTE requirement and UK Skilled Worker visa PTE requirement.
• Practise each skill, since UK visas check every one: speaking practice, writing practice, reading practice and listening practice. Their scores are estimates only.
• Follow your results on the progress page, see the bands on the PTE score chart and try a PTE mock test.

Related reading

• PTE accepted in Germany and other European countries
• Full list of PTE accepted countries