PTE Academic scores for Australian migration and points

How PTE scores are structured

PTE Academic reports four separate component scores. Each is marked out of 90 by AI-assisted assessment. Home Affairs looks at your individual component scores, not an average — you must meet the threshold in all four components to achieve a particular English level.

Competent English on PTE

Competent English is the baseline required for most skilled visas (189, 190, 491, and others). It earns zero points but is mandatory. For PTE Academic tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, Competent English requires:

• Listening: 47
• Reading: 48
• Writing: 51
• Speaking: 54

If you score, for example, Listening 50, Reading 49, Writing 55, Speaking 60, you have met Competent English because all four components are at or above the threshold. If any component falls below the threshold, you have not reached Competent English for visa purposes. Tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 used a different, flat threshold of 50 in each component, under the old score table.

Proficient and Superior English on PTE

Proficient English (10 points) and Superior English (20 points) have higher component thresholds than Competent. For PTE Academic tests taken on or after 7 August 2025:

Proficient English:

• Listening: 58
• Reading: 59
• Writing: 69
• Speaking: 76

Superior English:

• Listening: 69
• Reading: 70
• Writing: 85
• Speaking: 88

As with Competent English, all four components must meet the threshold on the same test result. Tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 used flat thresholds under the old score table — 65 in each component for Proficient, 79 in each component for Superior — and Home Affairs treats those as a separate table with its own validity rules, covered below.

What your PTE score means if you're aiming for points

If your PTE result (for a test taken on or after 7 August 2025) is, for example, Listening 72, Reading 69, Writing 68, Speaking 71, every component clears the Proficient thresholds (58/59/69/76) except Writing, which sits one point short at 68 against a requirement of 69. That result would meet Competent English (47/48/51/54) but not Proficient — Home Affairs checks each of the four components against the relevant table, not an average or a best-three-of-four.

Retaking to improve your score

All four PTE component scores must come from the same test sitting — Home Affairs does not combine components from different test dates for PTE, the same as it doesn't for any other accepted test. If one component is below the threshold you need, the option is to sit the full test again at a later date, or to consider a different accepted test (TOEFL iBT, IELTS, OET, or another) if it suits your strengths better.

Timing and test dates

According to Pearson, PTE Academic results are usually available within two days of the test, but can take up to five working days. If you're planning a visa application timeline, that turnaround is generally short enough to sit the test and check your result against the Home Affairs thresholds before lodging.

What to do if your score is borderline

If you're close to a threshold but haven't reached it, options include:

1. Retake the full test — sit PTE again at a future date.
2. Wait and resit — some applicants study for a few weeks and retake to improve their overall performance.
3. Consider another test — TOEFL iBT, IELTS, OET, or another accepted test may suit your strengths better.

I got a PTE score of 79 overall — what does that mean for Home Affairs?

PTE doesn't report an overall score for visa purposes. Home Affairs looks at your four component scores (listening, reading, writing, speaking). You would have four separate numbers, each out of 90. All four must meet the threshold (47/48/51/54 for Competent) or you don't have Competent English.

Can I combine PTE scores from different tests?

No. Home Affairs takes a single PTE test result, with all four component scores from the same test date. You cannot combine your Listening from one test date with your Reading from another.

What PTE score do I need for 10 points?

Proficient English earns 10 points. For a test taken on or after 7 August 2025, that means at least Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69 and Speaking 76 on PTE Academic — all four in the same test result.

If I don't meet Competent English on PTE, can I use another test?

Yes. You can sit IELTS, TOEFL iBT, OET, or another accepted test. Home Affairs recognises multiple tests and will accept your best result.

Do all four components have to be the same score?

No. Each component is independent. You might have Listening 62, Reading 55, Writing 58, Speaking 60 — all different — and that's fine as long as they all meet the required threshold.

How long does my PTE result stay valid?

Home Affairs generally accepts a test result as evidence for up to 3 years, depending on the visa. PTE results from a test taken on or before 6 August 2025 (against the old, flat thresholds — 50 for Competent, 65 for Proficient, 79 for Superior) can still be used as evidence until 6 August 2028 inclusive, again depending on the visa.