PTE is fast becoming a very popular English proficiency test globally for study abroad purposes and permanent residency needs in Australia. More often than not, candidates are confused about the difference between PTE Academic and General.
The PTE Academic is utilized for study abroad and migration to Australia, whilst the PTE General is more of an English skill assessment test that candidates take to evaluate their language abilities and is not used for visa processing.
It is easy for candidates to confuse the Academic and General for PTE to the IELTS Academic and General exams, where the former is taken for study purposes and the latter for migration needs. However, this is not the case for PTE, as PTE Academic is used for both study visas and migration equally.
Observe the following table for a basic idea about the PTE exam:
| Exam | Pearson’s test of English |
| Conducting body | Pearson Inc. |
| Types | PTE Academic: 16 years of age and above PTE General: No age restrictions |
| Eligibility criteria | PTE Academic : 16 years of age and above PTE General: No age restrictions |
| Fee | INR 15900 for PTE Academic INR 5000 to INR 1000 for PTE General |
| Mode | PTE Academic: OnlinePTE General: Offline |
Now let us observe the differences between the PTE Academic and General exam based of the exam parameters:
| PTE Academic | PTE General | |
|---|---|---|
| Exam pattern | Divided into three parts for testing the communicative skills in Listening, reading, writing and speaking. | PTE General is accepted by various institutions, ministries of education and employers as a proof of English proficiency. It is mostly used for academic and work purposes in English speaking Non-European countries such as Iceland, Switzerland, Croatia and so on. |
| Exam parts | The 3 parts of the exam are taken in a single go. | The exam can be completed in a single two-hour window. |
| Score validity | The PTE Academic scores are valid for 2 years like all English proficiency tests. | The PTE General score does not expire as it is more of a credential with respect to your English proficiency levels. |
| Exam purpose and accreditation | The PTE Academic is used for study purposes and is accepted by thousands of renowned institutions worldwide including Cambridge university and Oxford university in UK and Harvard and Yale in the US. It is also accepted for permanent residency purposes by Australia. | PTE General is accepted by various institutions, ministries of education and employers as a proof of English proficiency. It is mostly used for academic and work purposes in English-speaking Non-European countries such as Iceland, Switzerland, Croatia and so on. |
| Availability of test dates | PTE Academic test dates are offered about 360 days a year, and there are over 380 exam locations located in 115 countries. Thus, even if you apply three or four days before a test date, you may be able to secure an exam spot in your nation. | The PTE General can only be taken thrice in a year, in the months of May, June and August. The exam slots have to be booked well in advance too. |
| Duration | The exam can be completed in a single two hour window. | The duration of the examination depends upon the level attempted by the candidate. It can typically range from 90 minutes to 180 minutes. |
| Scoring parameters | The exam can be completed in a single two-hour window. | The PTE General is aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) as below: CEFR Level A1 : PTE foundation level[ writing 75 min and speaking 3.5 minutes] CEFR Level A2 : PTE level 1[ writing 95 min and speaking 3.5 minutes] CEFR Level B1 : PTE level 2[ writing 95 min and speaking 5.5 minutes] CEFR Level B2 :PTE level 3[ writing 120min and speaking 5.5 minutes] CEFR Level C1 :PTE level 4[ writing 150 min and speaking 6 minutes] CEFR Level C2 :PTE level 5[ writing 170 min and speaking 6 minutes] |
| Visa applications | Accepted for visa applications ONLY in Australia | Not accepted for visa applications |
| Mode | Completely online | The examination is conducted in an offline format. |
| Fees | INR 15,900 | The test fees are set by the concerned test centre. The higher-level tests are more expensive than the lower-level ones. The payment can range between £50 ( 5000 INR) for level A1 and £100 ( 10,000 INR) for level 5. |
The PTE General exam is divided into two parts: a written paper and a spoken test. The written paper assesses listening ability, reading comprehension, and writing ability. The spoken test is a 3.5 to 6-minute (depending on level) session that consists of a timed interaction between a test taker and an interlocutor. There are two to three sections to the spoken test namely describe image, roleplay and discussion.
Let us now look in detail at the duration and type of question that encompasses the PTE General test:
| Test level | Modules | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 ( A2) | a. Listening ( MCQ) b. Listening and writing ( dictation) c. Listening ( form) d. Reading ( MCQ) e. Reading ( MCQ) f, Reading ( note completion) g. Reading (open-ended questions) h. Writing ( correspondence) i. Writing ( write text) | 1 hour 35 minutes |
| Level 2 ( B1) | a. Listening ( MCQ) b. Listening and writing ( dictation) c. Listening ( form) d. Reading ( MCQ) e. Reading ( MCQ) f, Reading ( note completion) g. Reading (open-ended questions) h. Writing ( correspondence) i. Writing ( write the text) | 1 hour 35 minutes |
| Level 3 ( B2) | j. Listening ( MCQ) k. Listening and writing ( dictation) l. Listening ( note) m. Reading ( MCQ) n. Reading ( MCQ) o. Reading ( note completion) p. Reading ( gap filling) q. Writing ( correspondence) r. Writing ( write text) | 2 hours |
| Level 4 ( C1) | s. Listening ( MCQ) t. Listening and writing ( dictation) u. Listening ( form) v. Reading ( MCQ) w. Reading ( MCQ) x. Reading ( note completion) y. Reading ( gap filling) z. Writing ( correspondence) aa. Writing ( write text) | 2 hour 30 minutes |
| Level 5 ( C2) | bb. Listening ( MCQ) cc. Listening and writing ( dictation) dd. Listening ( form) ee. Reading ( MCQ) ff. Reading ( MCQ) gg. Reading ( note completion) hh. Reading (gap-filling) ii. Writing ( correspondence) jj. Writing ( write text) | 2 hour 55 minutes |
