Is PTE harder than IELTS?
Quick answer
No official body ranks PTE Academic against IELTS, so neither is harder by any published measure. The owners publish score comparisons, and they differ: Pearson relates PTE 63 to IELTS 7, while the IELTS Partners' own study gives 66.3. Which is harder for you depends on the score you need and the format that suits you.
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Neither test owner says one of these tests is harder than the other, and no independent body publishes a ranking. What exists is two score comparisons, and they are the only official material to work from.
No official ranking
IELTS publishes a description of each band from 1 to 9 and says nothing about PTE being easier or harder. Pearson, which owns PTE Academic, publishes a table relating its 10 to 90 scale to IELTS Academic bands and says that the table shows how the two tests’ scores compare, not which scores universities or visa authorities accept. So “harder” has no official answer. What can be answered is what score you would need on each test.
Two tables, two sets of figures
Both owners publish a PTE figure for each IELTS band. They are not the same.
| IELTS band | Pearson: minimum PTE score | IELTS Partners’ study: PTE overall |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 47 | 51.6 |
| 6.5 | 55 | 58.5 |
| 7 | 63 | 66.3 |
| 7.5 | 71 | 74.6 |
| 8 | 79 | 82.3 |
Pearson’s figures are the lowest PTE score it relates to each band, from a concordance updated on research published in July 2025 and read on its page on 7 October 2026. The second column is on the IELTS.org “Compare IELTS” page, read on 18 October 2026, from a study by the IELTS Partners; the page does not say that each figure is a minimum. For a requirement stated in IELTS bands, the gap is a few points of PTE, and it is a reminder that every such table is an estimate.
Why a lower or higher number says nothing about difficulty
The two scales are different measures. A PTE score of 63 and an IELTS band of 7 are related by research, not equal in any exact sense, and IELTS Academic reports whole and half bands while PTE reports points from 10 to 90. The pages consulted here also say nothing about how the question types of the two tests compare, so this page makes no claim on format; Pearson’s own PTE Academic pages describe it.
How to decide for yourself
Start with the requirement. If the course or visa route names both tests, find the figure it states for each, and compare your current level with both, using a practice test from each owner. For a quick conversion, the IELTS to PTE Academic conversion shows Pearson’s full table, and the score converter places PTE beside TOEFL iBT, the CEFR and the Duolingo English Test. How hard IELTS is for you depends on the band you need, which our answer on how hard IELTS is sets out.
What this means for your score
A candidate asked for "IELTS 7 or PTE Academic 65" reads two requirements, not one. On Pearson's table 63 is the PTE score related to IELTS 7, so 65 is above that row's minimum. The institution's figure, not either owner's table, is the one that counts for the application, and it is worth finding before choosing a test.
Frequently asked questions
Is PTE easier to score high on than IELTS?
No published source says so. The scales differ: PTE Academic runs from 10 to 90, IELTS from 1 to 9 in half bands, so a larger PTE number is not a higher result. Pearson publishes a table relating the two, and it describes how scores compare, not which test is easier for a candidate.
Why do Pearson and IELTS give different PTE figures for the same band?
They are different studies. Pearson updated its concordance on research published in July 2025 and gives the minimum PTE score related to each band. The IELTS Partners publish their own comparison report, with 66.3 for IELTS 7.0. Neither source explains the gap, so treat both as estimates.
Do all universities accept both tests?
Not as a rule. Each institution or organisation sets which tests it accepts and at what score. Pearson says its table shows how scores compare and nothing about accepted tests or requirements, so check the requirement of the course or visa route you are applying for.
Sources
- PTE Academic scoring: how PTE Academic relates to the CEFR and to IELTS Academic — Pearson
- Compare IELTS — IELTS.org
Last verified 7 Oct 2026
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