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PTE Score Requirements for Australia (2026-27): Visa, University and Migration Points

Pratik Jain6 min readLast updated 25 October 2026

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PTE Score Requirements for Australia (2026-27): Visa, University and Migration Points

Last Updated: October 25, 2026

QUICK ANSWER: What PTE score do I need for Australia? You need to clear two separate bars: the Department of Home Affairs minimum for the student visa, and your university's own requirement, which is usually higher and often sets a minimum for each skill. Home Affairs updated its PTE score tables from 7 August 2025, after Pearson changed its scoring. For skilled migration points, each of the four skills must reach the required score, not just the overall.

PTE Academic is widely accepted in Australia. But students often confuse three different requirements: the visa minimum, the university minimum and the score needed for migration points. This guide separates them and shows how to plan your target.

Which score requirements apply to me?

Requirement	Set by	What it is for
Student visa (subclass 500)	Department of Home Affairs	The minimum English level for the visa
University admission	Each university, often per course	Getting an offer. Usually higher than the visa minimum, often with minimums per skill
Professional registration (nursing, teaching, some engineering routes)	The registration or assessing body	Practising in your profession. Often much higher, in every skill
Skilled migration points	Department of Home Affairs	Competent, Proficient or Superior English, which give 0, 10 or 20 points

Important

The visa minimum is not enough for admission. Always plan around your university's requirement for your specific course, and check whether it sets a minimum for each skill.

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What changed in August 2025?

Pearson updated how PTE Academic is scored, and Home Affairs published new PTE equivalent scores for visas from 7 August 2025. Scores from tests taken before that date are assessed against the older table. If you read a guide written before August 2025, its PTE figures may be out of date.

What PTE score gives migration points?

From 7 August 2025, Home Affairs sets a PTE score for each skill:

English level	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking	Points
Competent	47	48	51	54	0
Proficient	58	59	69	76	10
Superior	69	70	85	88	20

Every skill must meet the level. One weak skill pulls you down a whole level.

Example: Listening 62, Reading 65, Writing 66, Speaking 80. Writing is below 69, so this is Competent English, not Proficient, even though three skills are above the Proficient scores.

Check the current table on the Home Affairs English language page before you plan around it.

What do universities ask for?

University requirements vary by course. Leading universities and courses such as health, law, teaching and some engineering programmes usually ask for higher scores, with minimums in each skill. Some universities also accepted pre-August 2025 PTE scores on the old scale and have updated their figures since.

How to check: search the university's "English language requirements" page, find your course, and note both the overall score and the minimum for each skill. Write them down for every university on your list.

What if my score is too low?

Situation	Options
Below your university's requirement but close	Retake after targeted practice on the weakest skill
Well below the requirement	Ask whether the university offers a packaged English course (ELICOS) before the degree. This adds time and cost
Above the university requirement but below Proficient for migration	Fine for study. Plan a retake later if you need migration points, as scores are valid for a limited time

PTE scores are valid for 2 years for most university purposes. Home Affairs has its own rules on how recent a test must be for each visa. Check them before you apply.

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How should I prepare?

Take an official practice test and look at your four skill scores, not just the overall.
Work on your weakest skill first. For migration points, the lowest skill decides your level.
Practise the tasks that count twice, such as Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence and Write from Dictation.
Do not rely on memorised templates. Pearson has said generic answers that ignore the prompt score low on content. See our guide to how PTE is scored.
Take full timed tests in the final weeks.

Need a specific PTE score for Australia?

PTE coaching at RES costs ₹4,000 for 23 sessions, with timed practice on every task type.

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PTE or IELTS for Australia?

	PTE Academic	IELTS Academic
Fee in India	₹18,000	₹19,000 (IDP)
Results	Typically about 2 days	A few days (computer) or about 13 days (paper)
Speaking	Into a microphone	Face to face with an examiner
Accepted in Australia	Yes, for visas and most universities	Yes, for visas and universities

Both are accepted. Choose the format that suits you, and take a practice test of each if you are unsure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What PTE score do I need for an Australian student visa?

Check the current Home Affairs table: the figures were updated from 7 August 2025. Your university will usually ask for more than the visa minimum.

What PTE score gives 10 migration points?

Proficient English. From 7 August 2025 that is Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69 and Speaking 76, with every skill meeting its score.

What PTE score gives 20 migration points?

Superior English: Listening 69, Reading 70, Writing 85 and Speaking 88, with every skill meeting its score.

Does my overall PTE score matter for migration points?

No. Home Affairs looks at each of the four skills. The lowest one decides your level.

How long is a PTE score valid?

Usually 2 years for universities. Visa rules on how recent a test must be vary, so check Home Affairs.

Is PTE or IELTS better for Australia?

Both are accepted. Choose the one whose format suits you and whose scores you can reach in every skill.

Sources

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