What PTE score equals IELTS 6.5?

Roughly PTE 58–64 corresponds to IELTS 6.5, and PTE 65–72 to IELTS 7.0. Universities publish their own equivalences, so always check the specific requirement.

How is the PTE essay scored?

Automatically, against measurable traits: content coverage, form (word count 200–300), development and coherence, grammar, vocabulary range and spelling. BandVisa’s practice grading mirrors these traits so you can see exactly where marks are lost.

Which countries accept PTE Core?

PTE Core is designed for Canada — IRCC accepts it for work visas and permanent residence. For study routes, use PTE Academic.

Test guide›PTE

PTE — Pearson Test of English

The fast, fully computer-based test — results typically within 48 hours.

AI practice liveAcademic · Academic UKVI · Core

Practise PTE writing free

The score scale50–58 for most universities · 65+ for competitive courses and migration points

1030507090

PTE is a fully computer-based English test scored by AI, which makes it fast: the test takes about two hours in a single sitting and results typically arrive within 48 hours. It is accepted for Australian and New Zealand visas, UK visas (PTE Academic UKVI), thousands of universities worldwide, and Canadian immigration through PTE Core.

Scores are reported on the Global Scale of English from 10 to 90. Because the whole test is machine-scored, many candidates find PTE more predictable than examiner-marked tests — if you understand the scoring algorithm, you can train for it directly.

PTE’s writing items — Summarize Written Text and Write Essay — are scored on precise, mechanical criteria (content, form, grammar, vocabulary, spelling). Practising against the same criteria is the fastest way to raise your score, and that is what BandVisa’s AI examiner does.

PTE at a glance

Score scale10–90 (Global Scale of English)

SectionsSpeaking & Writing, Reading, Listening — one sitting

LengthAbout 2 hours

FormatFully computer-based at a test centre; AI-scored

ResultsTypically within 48 hours

Typical requirement50–58 for most universities; 65+ for competitive courses and migration points

Types of PTE

PTE Academic

The main test for study and work visas — accepted in Australia, NZ, UK, Canada and by 3,500+ universities.

PTE Academic UKVI

The same test approved for UK visa applications (SELT).

PTE Core

For Canadian work visas and permanent residence — general (non-academic) content.

Who should choose PTE

Australia — the most popular test for student and skilled visas
Candidates who want results in days, not weeks
Canada PR through PTE Core
Test-takers more comfortable typing than handwriting

How BandVisa scores your PTE practice

BandVisa gives you AI-scored PTE writing practice today: timed Summarize Written Text and Write Essay tasks scored on the 10–90 scale against PTE’s own criteria — content, form, grammar, vocabulary and spelling — with corrections and a high-scoring model answer for every prompt. Free to start.

Every official criterion

Your writing is matched to the public band descriptors for PTE, criterion by criterion — not one vague score.

Line-by-line corrections

Real prompts under exam timing, then your sentence, the rule, the fix, and a model answer.

Feedback in under a minute

Submit and get your band and corrections while the task is still fresh in your mind.

Two human examiners can differ by half a band, so use your BandVisa score as a consistent estimate to improve against — not an official result.

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PTE — common questions

Neither is officially easier, but they suit different people. PTE is fully typed and machine-scored, so it rewards consistent technique. IELTS Speaking is with a human examiner, which some candidates prefer. If you type fast and like clear scoring rules, PTE is often the better fit.

Compare with other tests

IELTS guide Duolingo guide TOEFL guide Oxford ToE guide LanguageCert guide

Independent AI practice tool · scores are estimates, not official test results.