PTE score chart 2026: overall PTE to IELTS
This is the overall score concordance Pearson publishes on its scoring page, taken from a 2024 study of the updated PTE Academic. Each PTE range lines up with one IELTS Academic overall band. The first number in each range is the minimum PTE score for that band.
| IELTS band | PTE overall |
|---|---|
| 4.5 | 24 to 30 |
| 5.0 | 31 to 38 |
| 5.5 | 39 to 46 |
| 6.0 | 47 to 54 |
| 6.5 | 55 to 62 |
| 7.0 | 63 to 70 |
| 7.5 | 71 to 78 |
| 8.0 | 79 to 85 |
| 8.5 | 86 to 89 |
| 9.0 | 90 |
Pearson reports that the overall figures barely moved from its earlier studies in 2011 and 2020, so the relationship between the two tests looks stable after the August 2025 update. As of 23 October 2026 this is the latest chart. No newer PTE score chart for 2026 has been published.
The chart compares the two tests and nothing more. It is not a list of accepted tests or required scores. Universities and governments set their own minimums, and those are what you have to meet.
PTE to IELTS conversion for each skill
The July 2025 study summary (PDF) was the first to publish a separate conversion for Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. Use it when a requirement sets a minimum for each skill, which most visa and many university requirements do.
| IELTS band | Overall | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5 | 24 to 30 | 26 to 32 | 29 to 35 | 17 to 28 | 14 to 23 |
| 5.0 | 31 to 38 | 33 to 39 | 36 to 41 | 29 to 40 | 24 to 38 |
| 5.5 | 39 to 46 | 40 to 46 | 42 to 47 | 41 to 50 | 39 to 53 |
| 6.0 | 47 to 54 | 47 to 52 | 48 to 53 | 51 to 59 | 54 to 65 |
| 6.5 | 55 to 62 | 53 to 57 | 54 to 58 | 60 to 68 | 66 to 75 |
| 7.0 | 63 to 70 | 58 to 63 | 59 to 64 | 69 to 76 | 76 to 82 |
| 7.5 | 71 to 78 | 64 to 68 | 65 to 69 | 77 to 84 | 83 to 87 |
| 8.0 | 79 to 85 | 69 to 74 | 70 to 74 | 85 to 89 | 88 to 89 |
| 8.5 | 86 to 89 | 75 to 80 | 75 to 80 | 90 | 90 |
| 9.0 | 90 | 81 to 90 | 81 to 90 | Not set | Not set |
The study did not align any PTE Writing or Speaking score with IELTS 9.0. A PTE 90 in either skill lines up with IELTS 8.5.
Why Speaking and Writing need higher PTE scores
Pearson built the chart by matching scores that a similar share of test takers reached on each test. Very few people get IELTS 8 or 9 in Speaking and Writing, but many more get high bands in Listening and Reading. So the same IELTS band sits higher on the PTE scale for the productive skills. IELTS 7.0 corresponds to Listening 58 and Reading 59, but to Writing 69 and Speaking 76.
In practice, an even PTE result, such as 65 in every skill, does not convert to an even set of IELTS bands. The worked examples below show how much the four conversions can differ.
How the chart matches Australian visa scores
For PTE Academic taken on or after 7 August 2025, the Australian Government's PTE thresholds match the minimums in Pearson's 2025 chart. Each English level uses the lowest PTE score in each skill for the matching IELTS band.
| English level | IELTS in each skill | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competent | 6 | 47 | 48 | 51 | 54 |
| Proficient | 7 | 58 | 59 | 69 | 76 |
| Superior | 8 | 69 | 70 | 85 | 88 |
Sources: Home Affairs Competent, Proficient and Superior English pages. Student visa overall thresholds follow the same pattern. PTE 47, 39 and 31 are the lowest overall scores Pearson pairs with IELTS 6.0, 5.5 and 5.0.
Tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 are checked against the earlier thresholds of 50, 65 and 79 in each skill. For the full rules, including Student visa course options and how long a result stays valid, see the PTE score requirements for Australia.
Worked examples: what your PTE scores convert to
Each skill is converted separately. The IELTS figures below are approximate equivalents from Pearson's chart, not scores you would be awarded.
| PTE result | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Australian level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 in every skill | 7.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.0 | Competent |
| 79 in every skill | 8.5 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 7.0 | Proficient |
| L60, R62, W70, S78 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | Proficient |
- 65 each is about IELTS 7.0 overall, but Writing and Speaking convert to 6.5 and 6.0. It meets Competent English, not Proficient, because Proficient needs Writing 69 and Speaking 76. Our PTE 65 each guide covers this case in detail.
- 79 each was enough for Superior English under the earlier rules. On the current chart, Writing 79 and Speaking 79 line up with IELTS 7.5 and 7.0, so the result reaches Proficient but not Superior.
- An uneven result can convert evenly. Listening 60, Reading 62, Writing 70 and Speaking 78 all sit in the IELTS 7.0 row, which meets every Proficient minimum.
PTE scores and CEFR levels
Pearson also aligns PTE Academic with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Pearson says this alignment did not change with the 2025 update.
| CEFR level | PTE Academic score |
|---|---|
| C2 | 85 to 90 |
| C1 | 76 to 84 |
| B2 | 59 to 75 |
| B1 | 43 to 58 |
| A2 | 30 to 42 |
The CEFR bands and the IELTS rows do not line up. A score of 55 to 62 corresponds to IELTS 6.5 but crosses from B1 into B2 at 59. Use whichever scale your requirement is written in. The PTE score calculator shows the CEFR level for any score.
When to use the chart, and when not to
- Use it to set a target when you know an IELTS requirement but have chosen PTE. Take the bottom of the PTE range for each skill, then add a few points as a safety margin.
- Use the published PTE requirement first if the university or visa page gives one. Pearson itself says concordance is approximate, and an institution's stated PTE minimum overrides any conversion.
- Do not convert overall scores for per-skill requirements. A requirement of IELTS 7 in each skill is not met by PTE 63 overall.
- Practice scores are not official. MocksPTE's mock test estimates help you track progress but are not Pearson scores. Read how our estimates work before comparing them with this chart.
For a wider comparison of the two tests, including format, speaking style and results, see PTE vs IELTS.