PTE for Indian Students Applying to Study Abroad

One thing to know as an Indian student applying to study abroad are the English language tests that many universities require. Most universities in the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and Australia and the US and a few European universities require this test as part of their admission process.

There are many different types of English language tests such as the TOEFL, TOEIC, Cambridge English qualifications and IELTS.  Of these the Pearson Test of English is one of the many Cambridge English qualifications. 

What is the PTE?

So, what is the PTE and why do you have to take it? Just like TOEFL and IELTS, the Pearson Test of English tests your fluency in the English language. Universities and companies in countries like the UK, Australia, the USA, Canada and some European countries, where English is the main language of instruction, need the test as a way to verify that you can speak the language and perform successfully. Unlike, IELTS and TOEFL, that have both the paper-based and computer-based tests, PTE is an entirely computer based test. 

PTE is a unit of Pearson PLC Group, a British multinational publishing and education company that is headquartered in London. The PTE Academic was launched in 2009, which is endorsed by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the same organization behind the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Upon launch, it quickly got recognition from more than 6000 universities, a number which is increasing even to this day.

There are three types of PTE exams. PTE General, PTE Academic, and PTE Young Learners Test. 

As an Indian student applying to study abroad, you will need to take the PTE Academic test. 

Which countries accept PTE?

PTE is accepted in all top study abroad destinations like the UK, Canada, and Ireland. It is also accepted and can be utilized to fast track your applications to some of the top-notch institutions like Harvard and Yale universities in the US. In addition to university admissions, you can also take the PTE Academic test if you are looking to immigrate (permanent residency) to countries like Australia and New Zealand. 

Who accepts PTE Academic?

PTE Academic is accepted by thousands of universities around the world and even by immigration organizations of Australia and New Zealand. You can check which university accepts the PTE Academic test from PTE’s official website. You can either search country wise or by inputting the university name in the search bar.

Should I choose PTE, IELTS or TOEFL?

All three tests are equally valid for Indian students looking to study in the UK, US, Ireland, Wales, and Australia. However, there are some reasons why students might chose PTE over other English language tests like TOEFL and IELTS.

1. The tests are evaluated by an Artificial Intelligence algorithm and this adds up to its accuracy.
2. Unlike human scoring, the evaluation is unbiased and is based on what you say and not on your accent.
3. Compared to other tests, PTE delivers results within 5 working days.
4. PTE provides you an option to send your scores to an unlimited number of universities.
5. It is more convenient to choose an exam date for PTE as the tests are conducted throughout the year.

What about the PTE General and PTE Young Learners Test?

PTE General test is for non-native English language speakers who are looking for an internationally recognized English test which will allow them to build a portfolio of their language proficiency for further travel, education or employment. On the other hand, the PTE Young Learners test is for children aged between 7 to 10. Both these tests are not for university admission or immigration processes.

How can I take this test?

As it is an online test, you will need to register and book a test slot from their official website. Follow these easy steps to book a test slot for yourself.

Complete PTE Test Journey

1. Visit www.pearsonpte.com
2. Create an account and schedule your test slot
3. Make payment and receive a confirmation email.
4. Arrive at the test center on test day and provide identification and biometrics
5. Results will be made available within 5 working days of giving the test
6. Login to your account to share your scores with an unlimited number of universities and visa authorities.

How to create a PTE Account

Step 1: Create an account by visiting https://pearsonpte.com/book-now/ and filling in your profile details. Make sure you provide your details exactly as they appear in your ID (passport). Upon creating an account, you will receive a confirmation email with your login detail within 2 working days.

Step 2: Once you have your login details, log into https://home.pearsonvue.com/Clients/PTE-Academic.aspx and click PTE-A: Pearson Test of English – Academic to schedule your test. Choose available test centers, dates, and time to book your test slot. The available test centers are Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Nagpur, Noida, Patiala, Pune, Rajkot, Vadodara, Vijayawada.

Step 3: After filling in the details and selecting the test slot, confirm the details and make the payment. Once the payment is done, you will receive a confirmation email.

*Do make sure to read the handbook before registering and booking a slot for the PTE Academic test.

PTE exam fees

• Standard price: 13.300 INR
• Late booking price: 13,965 INR

The payment must be made in full at the time of registration. The accepted mode of payments are as below.

• Credit card: Visa MasterCard, American Express, or JCB
• Debit card: Visa or MasterCard only

Do make sure that your payment goes through completely as the appointment will not be processed and you will have to schedule your test again.

You will be charged a late payment fee if you book your slot within 48 hours of the test.

PTE Test Dates

PTE tests are conducted throughout the year, so you can book according to your convenience. However, do note that the test slots are confirmed based on a first-come-first- serve, and the availability of seats in the test centers. These seats fill up quickly during the high season. Therefore, it is recommended to book your slot as soon as possible.

Test Duration

The complete test is of 3 hours, with a 10-minute optional break after the completion of part 2 (between reading and listening sections) of the test.

PTE Test Cancellation and Reschedule

If you wish to cancel or reschedule your test, you may do say from their website or by contacting their Customer Service Team. However, do keep in mind the below timelines for canceling or rescheduling your test.

1. If you would like to get the booking canceled and avail full refund, you need to contact their customer service team at least 14 days prior to the test date. The same applies for rescheduling the test.
2. If you cancel the test with less than 14 days but more than 7 days prior to the test date, you can avail a partial refund or 50% of the test fee. The same applies for rescheduling the test.
3. No refund will be provided if you cancel or reschedule the test with less than 7 days before the test date. The cancellation and rescheduling does not apply to the test date as well.
4. If you are unable to take the test due to genuine illness, on submission of a medical certificate, a refund will be processed.

Syllabus

PTE Academic test is a 3 hour long test which is divided into three sections of writing and speaking, listening, and reading. It tests you through 20 different question formats which range from multiple choice to essay writing and information interpretation.

This test assesses you with real life scenarios. So you will be hearing excerpts from real lectures and view graphs and charts. You will also be hearing different English language accents like British English, American English, and non-native English, which you will be encountering in your day to day life.

As PTE Academic is and integrated test, you will be tested on more than one skill in the same section. So, make sure you practice to get the hang of it.

Part 1: Speaking & Writing (77-93 minutes)

Your speaking skills will be assessed based on your responses in spoken English, while your written skills are assessed based on the responses you write in academic English. That includes correct spelling and Grammar. Below is the format of questions for the Speaking & Writing sections.

• Personal introduction: You will have to record your response into your headphones in the given 30 seconds time. Although this is not scored, this recording will be sent to the universities along with your PTE Academic score.
• Read aloud: A text of 60 words length will be displayed on your screen and you will have to read it clearly within the given time. You will be able to record your response only once.   
• Repeat sentence: A recording of a sentence of 3-9 seconds long will be played and you will have to repeat it in the given time. You will get to listen to the sentence only once.
• Describe image: An image like a graph chart will be displayed on the screen and you will have 25 seconds to understand the image and 40 seconds to record your understanding by describing the image.
• Re-tell lecture: A lecture of 90 seconds long will be played and an image related to the lecture will be displayed. You will then have 40 seconds to record your understanding of the lecture.
• Answer short questions: A question will be asked through the audio and you will have to answer in one or few words.
• Summarize written text: A text of 300 words will be displayed. You will have to read through the text and write a summary of it in one sentence or within 75 words in the given time of 10 minutes.
• Essay (20 minutes): A topic will be given and you will have to write an essay of at least 200 words and no more than 300 words.

Part 2: Reading (32-40 minutes)

This section will assess you on your reading skills with items like fill in the blanks, multiple choice questions and rearranging paragraphs. You will be tested on your ability to read, write, and listen in this section.

• Reading & Writing (fill in the blanks): A text of 300 words with gaps in between will be displayed. Each gap will have options and you will have to select the right answer.
• Multiple choice (choose multiple answers): A text of up to 300 words will be displayed. You will have to read through the text and answer a question related to it. The question will have multiple answers in the options given.
• Reorder paragraphs: Several text boxes in random order are displayed. You will have to rearrange them in the right sequence.
• Reading (fill in the blanks): A text of up to 80 words with blanks in between will be displayed. Options are provided to the bottom of the text and you will have to drag the correct option and fill those blanks.
• Multiple choice (choose single answer): A text of up to 300 words and a question with multiple options related to it will be displayed. You will have to select a single option to the question.

Part 3: Listening (45-57 minutes)

In this section audio or video bits will be played and you will have to answer questions based on them.

• Summarize spoken text: A small recording of 60-90 seconds length will be played and you will be given 10 minutes to write a summary of it in 50-70 words
• Multiple choice (choose multiple answers): A recording will be played and you will have to answer the question related to it with more than one option(answer).
• Fill in the blanks: A transcript of a recording will be played. Based on it you will have to fill in the blanks with the right word.
• Highlight correct summary: A recording will be played and you will have to select the paragraph out of the options that best relates to the recording.
• Multiple choice (single answer): A recording will be played and you will have to answer a question by selecting one option.
• Choose missing word: A recording with its last word or group of words replaced with beep will be played. You will have to select the replaced word from the given options.
• Highlight incorrect words: A recording will be played and its transcript is also displayed. As the recording plays, you will have to click on the words in the transcript which are different from the recording.
• Write from dictation: A sentence will be played and you will have to type in the sentence as you heard it.

View Score Report and Assign to Universities.

After the completion of your test, in 5 business days you will receive an email which guides you on how to access your test scores and how to assign them to a university. Do note that universities will accept your score report only when sent through Pearson’s website.

1. Log into https://home.pearsonvue.com/Clients/PTE-Academic.aspx 
2. Click on “View Score Reports” link. The score report will be displayed in PDF format.
3. Click on ‘Send Scores’ next to the test you would like to send.
4. Search for the university you would like to send the score to. You can send to up to 7 universities at a time and unlimited universities over all.
5. Check the box when the university name appears and click on “Submit Order” to send the scores.

Do note that the scores will only be valid for 2 years from the date of your test, after which it will be removed from the website.

PTE Scoreing Criteria

The PTE Academic scores are measured based on the Global Scale of English (GSE), which is a global standard of measurement of one’s English language proficiency. It is a scale of 10-90 which measures the 4 skills of Speaking, Writing, Listening, and Reading.

Exam retake policy

If you are not happy with the score you achieved, you can always attempt the exam again as there are no limitations to the number of times you can take the test. However, do keep the following points in mind before retaking the exam.

1. Book the test date at least 5 days after your earlier attempt.
2. Book your next test as soon as the results for the earlier test are made available.
3. Book one test at a time.

Revaluation of scores

You can request for rescoring your test, however, do keep in mind that as it is a computer-evaluated test, there is a high probability that the scores might not change. Also, not all the questions will be rescored. Only questions with spoken and open-ended responses will be considered for it.You can only request your latest test for a rescore and in the event of a score change, the latest score will replace your earlier one.

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