PTE to IELTS Score Conversion [2026]: Full Comparison Table

PTE to IELTS score conversion at a glance

If you are asking “What IELTS score is my PTE score equivalent to?”, start with the table below. Under Pearson’s 2025 concordance study, a PTE Overall score of 55-62 corresponds approximately to IELTS Academic 6.5, while PTE 63-70 corresponds approximately to IELTS Academic 7.0.

The conversion is a reference between two tests. It is not an automatic replacement for an IELTS result, and a university, visa authority, or professional regulator may set its own minimum score. Check the receiving organisation before you book a test or submit an application.

For a three-way view of PTE, IELTS, and TOEFL, see our PTE Score Chart: PTE to IELTS and TOEFL. The two pages cover different searches and link to each other so you can move from a direct IELTS lookup to a wider score comparison.

Full PTE to IELTS Overall Score Conversion Table

Pearson updated its PTE Academic and IELTS Academic concordance research in July 2025. The study compared official scores from 1,522 test takers who took both tests within 90 days. The ranges below are the current Pearson reference for overall scores.

PTE Academic Overall	IELTS Academic Overall	Quick interpretation
24-30	4.5	Basic English ability
31-38	5.0	Simple everyday communication
39-46	5.5	Lower-intermediate academic readiness
47-54	6.0	Common minimum range for some study routes
55-62	6.5	Common university and professional target
63-70	7.0	Strong academic English target
71-78	7.5	High-level academic English
79-85	8.0	Very high proficiency
86-89	8.5	Advanced proficiency
90	9.0	Highest IELTS band in the concordance table

The table gives ranges because a single PTE score does not describe exactly the same performance as a single IELTS band. Treat it as a score comparison, not a promise that one test will produce the same result as the other.

What PTE score do I need for my IELTS target?

This is the reverse lookup many candidates need. If your university or employer says “IELTS 6.5”, the current overall concordance points to PTE 55-62. If it says “IELTS 7.0”, the reference range is PTE 63-70.

Your IELTS Academic target	PTE Overall reference range	What to check next
IELTS 5.5	PTE 39-46	Confirm whether the institution accepts PTE Academic
IELTS 6.0	PTE 47-54	Check the required overall score and each skill
IELTS 6.5	PTE 55-62	Check whether the course has a higher Writing or Speaking minimum
IELTS 7.0	PTE 63-70	Compare every skill requirement before choosing a target
IELTS 7.5	PTE 71-78	Confirm the exact test version and score validity rules
IELTS 8.0	PTE 79-85	Use the institution’s own conversion or minimum score if published
IELTS 8.5	PTE 86-89	Verify the requirement directly because high-band rules vary

Three common target-score questions

PTE 50 to IELTS: PTE 50 falls within the current overall reference range for IELTS 6.0.
PTE 65 to IELTS: PTE 65 falls within the current overall reference range for IELTS 7.0.
IELTS 6.5 to PTE: The overall reference range is PTE 55-62, but a course that requires 6.5 in every skill needs the skill table below as well.

PTE to IELTS Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing Conversion

Overall scores and individual skills do not convert at the same rate. This matters when your offer letter, visa pathway, or professional registration says something like “IELTS 6.5 in each component”. Use the row for your IELTS target and read across the relevant PTE skill column.

IELTS Academic band	PTE Overall	PTE Listening	PTE Reading	PTE Speaking	PTE Writing
4.5	24-30	26-32	29-35	14-23	17-28
5.0	31-38	33-39	36-41	24-38	29-40
5.5	39-46	40-46	42-47	39-53	41-50
6.0	47-54	47-52	48-53	54-65	51-59
6.5	55-62	53-57	54-58	66-75	60-68
7.0	63-70	58-63	59-64	76-82	69-76
7.5	71-78	64-68	65-69	83-87	77-84
8.0	79-85	69-74	70-74	88-89	85-89
8.5	86-89	75-80	75-80	90	90
9.0	90	81-90	81-90	No direct equivalent	No direct equivalent

For example, if your target is IELTS 6.5 in every skill, the Pearson reference ranges are PTE Overall 55-62, Listening 53-57, Reading 54-58, Speaking 66-75, and Writing 60-68. The Speaking and Writing targets are higher than the Overall range, so preparing only for the total score can leave an application short of its component minimum.

The skill-level relationship is less direct than the overall relationship because PTE includes integrated tasks. Some PTE questions contribute to more than one communicative skill, while IELTS reports the four skills separately. Use the table to plan a target, then verify the organisation’s exact rule.

Why your school or visa requirement may differ

Pearson’s concordance study describes an approximate relationship between test scores. It does not decide which tests a university accepts or what score a government requires. Pearson explicitly advises test takers to check the institution or visa programme for its own requirements.

Before using a conversion in an application, check these details:

The exact test name, such as PTE Academic, PTE Academic UKVI, or another PTE test.
Whether the organisation requires an overall score, a minimum in every skill, or both.
Whether the course, occupation, or visa category has a special score table.
The validity period and the date by which the result must be available.
Whether the requirement page has been updated after the July 2025 PTE concordance update.

For Australian visa requirements, use the current Department of Home Affairs English language page. For a university application, the university’s own English language requirements page takes priority over a general conversion chart.

PTE Academic and IELTS Academic both assess English, but the test experience is different. PTE is computer-delivered and reports scores from 10 to 90. IELTS reports bands from 0 to 9, with separate Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking results.

PTE also includes integrated tasks. A response can contribute to more than one skill score, so a candidate who is strong at listening may still need a separate plan for PTE Speaking or Writing. IELTS Speaking is conducted with an examiner, while PTE Speaking is completed through a computer and microphone. These differences affect preparation even when the concordance table shows a similar band.

If you are deciding between the two tests, do not choose from the conversion number alone. Compare the format, the skill minimums, the accepted test version, and the deadline for your actual application.

From IELTS to PTE: how to use the table in a study plan

Suppose your requirement is IELTS 6.5 overall with no skill below 6.0. The table gives you two separate targets:

Overall reference: PTE 55-62.
Individual reference: Listening 47-52, Reading 48-53, Speaking 54-65, and Writing 51-59 for IELTS 6.0.

That distinction changes your practice plan. If a mock test gives you PTE Overall 64 but Speaking 60, the overall target looks comfortable while the Speaking requirement may still need work. Track the total and each communicative skill after every practice cycle.

If you are switching from IELTS, spend the first practice session on a scored mock test or a consistent diagnostic. Then compare your weak skill with the relevant PTE column. Someone moving from IELTS Writing 6.0 does not need the same first week as someone whose IELTS Speaking is 6.0 but whose Listening is already strong.

Youshow PTE can help you keep practice, recordings, mock tests, and progress in one place. A practice score is a preparation signal, not an official Pearson result, so use it to choose your next training task rather than as an application guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

Is PTE 65 equivalent to IELTS 7.0?

Under Pearson’s current 2025 overall concordance, PTE 65 sits inside the PTE 63-70 range aligned with IELTS 7.0. An institution may still publish a different minimum, so use its own requirement when making an application.

What PTE score is IELTS 6.5?

The current overall reference range is PTE 55-62. If the requirement is IELTS 6.5 in every skill, the relevant PTE skill ranges are Listening 53-57, Reading 54-58, Speaking 66-75, and Writing 60-68.

Can I submit my PTE score as an IELTS score?

No. A concordance table compares test scores; it does not turn one score report into another test result. Submit PTE only when the receiving organisation accepts PTE and confirms the required test version and score.

Why does another website show a different PTE to IELTS table?

Tables may be based on different Pearson concordance studies, test versions, or an organisation’s own entry rules. Pearson’s July 2025 study updated the relationship for the enhanced PTE Academic test. Check the publication date and the target organisation’s current requirements before relying on a table.

Should I use the overall table or the skill table?

Use the overall table for an overall requirement. Use the skill table when the institution, employer, or visa category sets minimum Listening, Reading, Speaking, or Writing scores. If both appear in the requirement, you need to meet both.

Summary

The quickest way to use a PTE to IELTS conversion table is to start with the exact requirement in front of you:

If your target is	Start with this PTE reference
IELTS 6.0 overall	PTE 47-54 overall
IELTS 6.5 overall	PTE 55-62 overall
IELTS 7.0 overall	PTE 63-70 overall
IELTS 7.5 overall	PTE 71-78 overall
IELTS 8.0 overall	PTE 79-85 overall

Then check the individual skill requirements, the accepted test version, and the organisation’s own page. The number in a conversion table helps you set a study target. The receiving organisation makes the final decision.

If you also need to compare PTE with TOEFL, continue to the PTE, IELTS, and TOEFL score comparison chart. If you only need a direct PTE-to-IELTS lookup, this page is the shorter route.