Score conversion · 2026
PTE to IELTS score conversion
Have a PTE Academic score and need the IELTS equivalent? Here it is, using Pearson's official concordance refreshed in July 2025. As a quick guide, PTE 79 is about IELTS 8.0, PTE 65 is about IELTS 7.0, and PTE 58 is about IELTS 6.5. Full table with CEFR levels below.
Quick answer
PTE Academic and IELTS are different tests, so the conversion is a statistical mapping, not an exact swap. On Pearson's July 2025 concordance, PTE 79 ≈ IELTS 8.0, PTE 65 ≈ IELTS 7.0, and PTE 58 ≈ IELTS 6.5. Always use the exact PTE score your university or visa office publishes.
Full concordance
PTE to IELTS to CEFR table
Find your PTE Academic score in the left column to read across to its IELTS band and CEFR level. Based on Pearson's July 2025 concordance — the same source as our IELTS to PTE page.
| PTE Academic | IELTS Academic | CEFR |
|---|---|---|
| 90 | 9.0 | C2 |
| 86–89 | 8.5 | C2 |
| 79–85 | 8.0 | C2–C1 |
| 71–78 | 7.5 | C1–B2 |
| 63–70 | 7.0 | B2 |
| 55–62 | 6.5 | B2–B1 |
| 47–54 | 6.0 | B1 |
| 39–46 | 5.5 | B1–A2 |
| 31–38 | 5.0 | A2 |
A concordance shows how two tests compare on average; it is not a score requirement. Confirm the exact PTE number your institution asks for. Need Canada's PTE Core to CLB mapping instead? See PTE for Canada.
What it means
What each PTE score actually unlocks
A conversion number only matters if you know what it lets you do. Here is what each PTE band — and its IELTS equivalent — typically opens up for study and migration. Always confirm the exact number your course or visa requires.
| PTE | IELTS | What it typically unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| 79+ | 8.0+ | Top universities, Superior English (max PR points in Australia), most professional registration bodies. |
| 65–78 | 7.0–7.5 | Proficient English for Australian PR points, most postgraduate courses, and many skilled-visa routes. |
| 58–64 | 6.5 | The common study and general-migration threshold — most undergraduate courses and competent-English visa levels. |
| 50–57 | 6.0 | Many diploma and foundation courses, and the baseline for several work and partner visa streams. |
| 36–49 | 5.0–5.5 | Vocational and pathway programs, and some functional-English visa requirements. |
For exact per-country and per-university numbers, see Australia PR, Canada, New Zealand, and university requirements.
The third column
PTE bands and CEFR levels explained
Both PTE and IELTS map to the CEFR (Common European Framework) via the Global Scale of English. When a university asks for "B2 level English," this is what they mean in PTE terms.
Mastery — near-native command. Rarely required; a very high bar.
Advanced — comfortable in academic and professional settings. Maps to IELTS 7.0–8.0.
Upper-intermediate — the level most universities and skilled visas ask for. IELTS 6.0–7.0.
Intermediate — sufficient for many vocational courses and functional-English visas. IELTS 4.5–5.5.
Read this before you rely on a number
Three things to remember about the conversion
1. It's an average, not a rule
A concordance shows how the two tests line up across thousands of test takers. Your own result can sit a little either side of the mapping, and no university or visa office is bound by it. Treat the table as a planning guide, then verify against the exact requirement you need to meet.
2. Convert every skill, not just the overall
Most requirements set a minimum in each skill as well as an overall. A strong overall can hide a weak skill that fails the per-skill bar. Convert Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing individually, and make sure your lowest skill still clears the target. A scored mock shows this breakdown at a glance.
3. Use the official number, not a converted one
If an institution publishes a PTE requirement, use that directly — don't convert from its IELTS number yourself, because its internal mapping may differ from the national concordance. When only an IELTS number is published, this table is your best estimate of the PTE equivalent.
FAQ
PTE to IELTS questions, answered
Deciding between the two tests? Read PTE vs IELTS. Converting the other way? Use IELTS to PTE.
PTE Academic 79 maps to about IELTS 8.0 on Pearson's official July 2025 concordance (the 79–85 PTE band corresponds to IELTS 8.0). PTE 79 is also the score that clears the old flat "Superior English" bar used for Australian skilled migration. It is a statistical equivalence, not a requirement — always use the exact score your university or visa office asks for.
PTE Academic 65 sits in the 63–70 band, which maps to about IELTS 7.0. Many institutions that ask for IELTS 7.0 publish PTE 65 as the equivalent, so 65 is a common target for study and migration.
PTE Academic 58 falls in the 55–62 band, which maps to roughly IELTS 6.5. If you need IELTS 6.5, a PTE score in the high 50s to low 60s is the usual equivalent — confirm the exact number on your course or visa page.
IELTS 7.0 corresponds to a PTE Academic score of about 63–70 (Pearson's single point is 63). If your target is IELTS 7.0, aim for PTE 65+ to sit comfortably inside the band across all four skills.
IELTS 6.5 corresponds to a PTE Academic score of about 55–62 (Pearson's single point is 55). This is the most common study and general-migration threshold — aim for PTE 58–60 to clear it in every skill.
It is a statistical concordance published by Pearson (updated July 2025), not a guarantee. The two tests use different formats and scoring, so treat the mapping as a guide. Universities and immigration authorities set their own PTE thresholds — always use the institution's published PTE number to check if you qualify.
Neither is objectively easier — they test the same four skills in different formats. PTE Academic is fully computer-delivered and AI-scored, which removes examiner variability from Speaking and Writing, so candidates who find the IELTS face-to-face Speaking interview stressful often prefer PTE. See our PTE vs IELTS comparison for a full breakdown.
Use our IELTS to PTE conversion page for the other direction (IELTS band → PTE score), with the same official concordance and an interactive converter.
PTE Academic 90 is the maximum score and maps to IELTS 9.0 — the top band on both tests. Very few applications require it; even elite universities and the highest visa bars usually top out at IELTS 8.0 / PTE 79. If you are aiming for 90, you are aiming above almost every published requirement.
Yes, in points terms. For Australia's skilled-migration points test, PTE 79 across all four skills and IELTS 8.0 across all four both count as "Superior English" and award the maximum 20 English points. PTE 65 / IELTS 7.0 counts as "Proficient English" (10 points). See our PTE for Australia PR guide for the full points breakdown.
Because a concordance is a national statistical average, but each institution sets its own policy. One university may map IELTS 6.5 to PTE 58, another to PTE 64 — both are defensible. Always use the specific PTE number on your course or program page rather than converting from an IELTS requirement yourself.
The overall concordance is the headline, but PTE reports each skill (Listening, Reading, Speaking, Writing) on the 10–90 scale, while IELTS reports each in 0.5 bands. Many visas and courses check a minimum in every skill, not just the overall — so convert per skill too, and make sure your weakest skill still clears the target. A scored mock shows your per-skill breakdown.
Where this comes from
Sources
- Pearson PTE Academic — IELTS concordance, updated July 2025. The statistical mapping between PTE Academic scores and IELTS Academic bands, based on a study of test takers on the current PTE format.
- Global Scale of English (GSE). The CEFR level for each PTE band (B2 = 59–75, C1 = 76–84, C2 = 85–90).
Page published 2026-07-25. Concordances can be revised — if Pearson updates the mapping we re-cite the newer edition. Spot a discrepancy? Tell us at hello@ptemocks.com.
Know the number you need? Now hit it.
Take a full-length AI-scored PTE mock and see your predicted band across all four skills — so you know you're at your target before test day. Take on the PTE like a champion.