Pearson offers two distinct tests under the PTE brand: PTE Academic and PTE Core. They are not interchangeable. Submitting the wrong test to an institution or immigration authority will result in your application being rejected — even if your score is excellent.
PTE Academic: For University and Most Visas
PTE Academic is the original PTE exam, designed to assess the English proficiency of people applying for university study abroad or immigration to Australia, the UK, New Zealand, and other countries. It tests all four skills across approximately 2 hours 15 minutes and scores you on a 10–90 scale.
Use PTE Academic if you are:
- Applying to a university or college (anywhere in the world)
- Applying for an Australian visa (student, skilled migration, partner)
- Applying for a UK visa (student or skilled worker)
- Applying for a New Zealand visa
- Applying for a professional registration (nursing, engineering) in Australia or the UK
PTE Core: For Canadian Immigration Only
PTE Core was launched in 2023 at the request of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It is the only PTE test accepted for Canadian Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Program applications. PTE Core is shorter than PTE Academic, has different task types, and reports scores differently (also 10–90 but mapped to CLB — Canadian Language Benchmark — levels).
Use PTE Core if you are:
- Applying for Canadian immigration through Express Entry or a PNP
- Applying for certain Canadian work permits that require CLB scores
Key Differences at a Glance
| PTE Academic | PTE Core | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2009 | 2023 |
| Primary purpose | University + most immigration | Canadian immigration |
| Duration | ~2h 15min | ~2h |
| Score scale | 10–90 | 10–90 (mapped to CLB) |
| Accepted in Canada | No (for immigration) | Yes |
| Accepted in Australia | Yes | No |
| Accepted in UK | Yes | No |
Which One to Prepare For
Our free AI PTE Score Predictor mirrors the PTE Academic format. If your goal is Canadian immigration, it will still give you a useful signal of your current English level and which skills need the most work — but book PTE Core, not PTE Academic, when you are ready for the real thing.
See also: What Is PTE Academic, Countries Accepting PTE for Visa, and PTE Score Requirements by Country.