The PTE Academic is a computer-based English proficiency test accepted by thousands of universities in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand. It is scored entirely by artificial intelligence, not a human examiner, and results typically arrive within five business days of the test. That speed makes it a practical choice for students working against application deadlines.
What the test covers
The PTE Academic takes about three hours and tests four English skills: speaking, writing, reading, and listening. What makes it different from some other exams is that many tasks combine two or more skills in a single question. In the speaking section, for example, students may retell a lecture they have just heard. In the writing section, one task asks them to summarise a spoken recording. Students who practise each skill separately often find these combined tasks the most challenging part of the exam.
Understanding PTE scores
Scores range from 10 to 90. Most universities in Australia and the UK ask for an overall score between 50 and 65 for standard degree entry. Some competitive programs — nursing, law, and certain engineering courses — set higher thresholds, sometimes 79 or above on individual skill sections. A score of 65 on the PTE is roughly equivalent to a 6.5 on the IELTS Academic. The right target for your child depends on the specific programs they are applying to, so it is worth checking each institution's English language requirements as early as possible.
How SSELC prepares students
SSELC's PTE preparation course is built around the actual question types that appear on the test. Students practise tasks such as “describe image,” “repeat sentence,” “summarise written text,” and “re-order paragraphs.” Teachers focus on the areas where students most often lose marks: pronunciation and fluency in the speaking section, and time management across the reading and listening sections. Rather than drilling grammar rules in isolation, the course builds the integrated skills the test rewards.
When to start preparing
October is a natural time to begin planning. University application deadlines for 2026 and 2027 entry often fall in the first half of the year, which means students need their scores confirmed well before then. Most students require three to six months of focused preparation to reach their target score, though those with a stronger existing English base may need less time. Taking an official practice test at the start of the preparation period gives students and teachers a clear picture of where to focus effort.
If you would like to understand whether PTE is the right exam for your child, what score to aim for, and how to build a realistic study timeline, SSELC's exam preparation team is available to help. You can find details about the course and get in touch on our English classes page.