PTE 78 in IELTS Band

Where PTE 78 sits

Losing 8 points (to PTE 70) drops the overall conversion to IELTS 7.0; gaining 1 point (to PTE 79) lifts it to IELTS 8.0.

What is special about exactly 78

• Australia Superior English, test before 7 Aug 2025 needs 79 (L 79, R 79, W 79, S 79), so 78 is 1 point short.
• UNSW: Bachelor of Education and Master of Teaching needs 79 (overall 73; L 79, R 65, W 65, S 79), so 78 is 1 point short.
• University of Waikato: Initial Teacher Education needs 79 (overall 69; L 61, R 62, W 73, S 79), so 78 is 1 point short.

PTE 78 as an IELTS band in each skill

Each skill has its own Pearson table. Speaking converts lowest at IELTS 7.0, and Listening and Reading convert highest at 8.5, a spread of 3 half-bands. Listening (8.5), Reading (8.5) and Speaking (7.0) differ from the overall conversion of 7.5.

This is the PTE Academic scale only. PTE Core has its own requirements; see the PTE Core guide.

Australian English levels at PTE 78

Each skill has its own minimum, and a strong skill cannot cover a weak one. With 78 in every skill the highest level is Proficient English (test from 7 August 2025) or Proficient English (earlier test). 78 lands on the same level whichever test version you sat. Next up is Superior English: short in Speaking (needs 88, +10) and Writing (needs 85, +7); already clear Listening (69) and Reading (70).

Home Affairs levels, checked 9 Oct 2026. Detail: Australia PTE score guide, PR guide and student visa guide.

UK, New Zealand and Canada at PTE 78

Pearson maps PTE 78 to CEFR C1 (PTE 76–84). C2 starts at 85, 7 points higher.

UK figures apply to each skill, so read them as 78 in every skill. New Zealand: 78 is above all three overall thresholds, the highest being 58 by 20. Canada's tables convert PTE Core, not Academic, so none is applied: Canada guide. New Zealand guide and UK guide.

Sources: Pearson CEFR bands, Pearson UK visa table, GOV.UK student visa and Immigration New Zealand (checked 10 Oct 2026).

University examples near PTE 78

Three universities' published rows closest to 78; each university sets its own rule.

Sources: University of Waikato, UNSW and Victoria University (checked 10 Oct 2026). Masters in Australia guide.

What it takes to move up from PTE 78

The nearest sourced thresholds above 78, in order. The first is 1 point away.

1. PTE 79 (+1): IELTS 8.0 overall (Pearson concordance).
2. PTE 79 (+1): Australia Superior English, test before 7 Aug 2025 (L 79, R 79, W 79, S 79).
3. PTE 79 (+1): UNSW: Bachelor of Education and Master of Teaching (overall 73; L 79, R 65, W 65, S 79).
4. PTE 79 (+1): University of Waikato: Initial Teacher Education (overall 69; L 61, R 62, W 73, S 79).
5. PTE 85 (+7): Pearson CEFR C2.

Scores around 78

Worked example: how four skills turn into one IELTS band

IELTS averages four section bands and rounds to the nearest half band. Here is that arithmetic for two profiles built around 78. The second makes Speaking strong (86) and Listening weak (70), each 8 points from 78.

• Even profile (L 78, R 78, S 78, W 78): 8.5 + 8.5 + 7.0 + 7.5 = 31.5, divided by four is 7.875, which IELTS rounds to 8.0. The direct overall conversion of PTE 78 gives 7.5, so the two routes differ by 0.5: Pearson converts the overall and each skill with separate tables.
• Uneven profile (L 70, R 78, S 86, W 78): 8.0 + 8.5 + 7.5 + 7.5 = 31.5, divided by four is 7.875, which IELTS rounds to 8.0. Same overall as the even profile: the strong and weak skills offset.

Illustration of the IELTS rounding rule only. Pearson works out your PTE overall score itself and prints it on your score report; this page does not model that calculation. Rounding rule: IELTS scoring guide.

A four-line plan from PTE 78

1. Target Superior English: Speaking 88, 10 above 78. Moderate gap: take task types one at a time.
2. Start with Speaking: Retell Lecture and Respond to a Situation. All speaking practice.
3. Then Writing (85, +7): Write Essay and Summarize Written Text. Keep Listening and Reading warm.
4. Check progress with the free mock test and the score calculator: estimates only, so confirm each threshold on the official page.