PTE Score for Australian Study Visa 2025 explained! Learn the new August 7, 2025 updates, minimum visa requirements, university cut-offs, course-specific scores, and expert tips to boost your PTE Academic performance.
PTE Score for Australian Study Visa 2025 – Minimum Requirements & Tips
The scenario for Australia study visa PTE score requirements has transformed significantly in 2025, especially after the August 7, 2025 changes by the Australian Department of Home Affairs. The changes have opened up new avenues for foreign students while bringing in more sophisticated scoring measures for varying skills. The present guide contains key details regarding minimum PTE scores, specific university requirements, and strategic preparation hints to assist you in getting your Australian study visa successfully.
Key Takeaway: The lowest required PTE score for student visas in Australia is 42 overall with a minimum of 36 in each section, but universities usually request higher scores between 50-79 based on your desired course. The August 7, 2025 revisions have added skill-specific demands that can be advantageous for students with uneven skill distributions.
What is the PTE Academic Test?
The Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) is an English language proficiency test delivered on a computer that tests your listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills in integrated tasks. In contrast with paper-based tests, PTE Academic incorporates cutting-edge artificial intelligence in scoring, which allows objective and consistent assessment without any human bias.
The test time is around 2 hours 15 minutes and is based on real-life academic situations you will find in Australian universities. PTE Academic is scored between 10 and 90, with particular band requirements that match various levels of English proficiency accepted by Australian immigration authorities.
Why Australia Accepts PTE Academic: The Australian Department of Home Affairs accepts PTE Academic for all visa applications where English proficiency is required as evidence. All student visas (subclass 500), skilled migration visas, and applications for permanent residency accept PTE Academic.
Why Choose PTE for Australia Study Visa?
PTE Academic has a number of benefits for potential Australian students, which makes it a rapidly growing choice for international applicants:
Universal Acceptance: More than 400 Australian universities and institutions of education accept PTE Academic scores for admissions. These consist of all the Group of Eight universities and major technical institutes.
Fast Results: Test scores are typically available within 48 hours, a much faster turnaround than other English proficiency tests. This fast turnaround is crucial for being able to meet tight application deadlines.
Computer-Based Testing: The computer mode supports more convenient test scheduling and helps to remove human bias from speaking assessment. The consistency of scoring across all test centers is maintained by the AI-based system.
Integrated Skills Assessment: The integrated approach in PTE Academic imitates real academic conversation where listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills assessed together rather in isolation.
Minimum PTE Scores for Australia Study Visa
The basic requirement for an Australian student visa (subclass 500) is at least a PTE Academic score of 42 overall, and no less than 36 on each individual communicative skill. This minimum is the immigration threshold, not the usual university admission standards.
New Requirements from August 7, 2025
With the Department of Home Affairs releases on August 7, 2025, the scoring system for English proficiency has been adjusted to more closely reflect everyday communication requirements:
| Proficiency Level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
| Vocational | 33 | 36 | 29 | 24 |
| Competent | 47 | 48 | 51 | 54 |
| Proficient | 58 | 59 | 69 | 76 |
| Superior | 69 | 70 | 85 | 88 |
Important Note: These changes are effective for tests taken on or after August 7, 2025. Students who tested earlier in PTE Academic can continue to use their existing scores according to the previous criteria until August 6, 2028.
Study Level Requirements
Different levels of study normally have different PTE score requirements:
· Diploma/Certificate Courses: 42-50 overall, 36-45 in each component
· Bachelor's Degree: 50-58 overall, 45-50 in each component
· Master's Degree: 58-65 overall, 50-58 in each component
· Doctoral/Research Programs: 65+ overall, 60+ in each component
Top 20 Australian Universities PTE Score requirements 2025
| University | Overall UG | Overall PG | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Special Requirements |
| University of Melbourne | 58-64 | 64-79+ | 50-60 | 50-60 | 50-75 | 50-60 | Medicine/Nursing: 72+, JD: 78+, Some courses require 75 in Writing |
| University of New South Wales (UNSW) | 64-68 | 65-70 | 54-60 | 54-60 | 54-60 | 54-60 | Business: Higher requirements, Engineering: 64 overall with 54 in each |
| University of Sydney | 61-65 | 65-73 | 54-60 | 54-60 | 54-60 | 54-60 | Medicine and Health programs may require higher scores |
| Australian National University (ANU) | 64 | 64-70 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | Standard requirement across most programs |
| Monash University | 58 | 58-65 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | Most accessible Go8 university for PTE scores |
| University of Queensland | 64 | 64-65 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | Health programs may require higher scores |
| University of Western Australia | 64 | 64 | 58 | 58 | 58 | 58 | Engineering and Mining programs standard requirements |
| University of Adelaide | 58 | 58-79 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | Medicine programs require up to 79+ |
| University of Technology Sydney (UTS) | 58 | 58 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | Top young university, competitive IT programs |
| RMIT University | 58 | 58-79 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | Design and IT programs, some courses up to 79 |
| Macquarie University | 58 | 58-65 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | Business and Health programs |
| Griffith University | 58 | 58-65 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | Teaching programs may require 65+ in all components |
| Deakin University | 50-58 | 50-65 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | Teaching: 65+ all skills, Medicine: Higher requirements |
| University of Newcastle | 50 | 50-65 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | Good pathway university, Medicine programs higher |
| University of Tasmania (UTAS) | 50 | 50 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | Most accessible requirements, good for pathway students |
| La Trobe University | 50 | 50-65 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | Health Sciences programs may require higher scores |
| Swinburne University | 50 | 50-58 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | Strong in IT and Engineering programs |
| Curtin University | 58 | 58 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | Strong in Mining and Engineering |
| University of Canberra | 50 | 50 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | Public Health and IT programs |
| Victoria University | 50 | 50 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | Comprehensive support for international students |
Australian universities have different PTE score requirements depending on their academic levels, program competitiveness, and accrediting agencies. The following discussion addresses the top 20 universities:
Group of Eight Universities
University of Melbourne (#19 World Ranking): Needs 58-64 for undergraduate studies and 64-79+ for master's degrees. Medical and law courses have the highest scores requirement, with some asking for 72+ overall and 75+ in writing.
University of Sydney (#20 World Ranking): Has consistent requirements of 61-65 for undergraduate and 65-73 for postgraduate programs with uniform component minimums of 54-60. Engineering and health programs require 68+ overall.
University of New South Wales (#25 World Ranking): Requires 64-68 for UG and 65-70 for PG, with uniform component minimums of 54-60. Engineering programs need 64 overall with 54 minimum in every component, while business programs may require up to 70+ for competitive specializations.
Australian National University (#30 World Ranking): General requirement of 64 overall with 55 minimum in every component. Research programs usually demand 70+ for sufficient academic communication ability.
Popular Mid-Tier Universities
Monash University (#54 World Ranking): Provides fairly affordable entry with 58 overall and 50 in each component for the majority of courses. IT and engineering preserve these standard requirements.
University of Adelaide (#89 World Ranking): Takes in 58 overall for the majority of programs, though medical programs take much higher scores up to 79+.
RMIT University: Retains 58 overall standards with good reputation in IT and design courses, hence being a favorite among international students.
Pathway-Friendly Universities
Some universities take lower PTE scores, offering pathways for students to build their English proficiency:
· University of Tasmania: 50 overall, 45 each component excellent for IT and marine studies
· Deakin University: 50-60 range with strong education and health programs
· Victoria University: 50 minimum, 45 in each component with comprehensive support services
· University of Canberra: 50 overall, 45 in each component with increasing reputation in public health and IT
PTE Score for Different Courses
Course choice has a huge influence on PTE requirements, professional programs requiring higher scores owing to the demands of regulatory bodies and patient safety considerations.
High-Requirement Professional Courses
Nursing Programs: The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) requires 65+ in each section for nursing registration. Universities such as Melbourne may require 72+ for Master of Nursing Science courses.
Medical Courses: Medicine always calls for the best PTE scores, generally 72-79+ overall. The Doctor of Medicine program at the University of Melbourne calls for 72+ with minimum component requirements, which is indicative of the high-stakes nature of communicating with patients.
Law Courses: Legal studies need superior written communication. Melbourne's JD calls for 78+ overall, and most LLM courses require 72+ with exceptional writing scores.
STEM and Technical Programs
Engineering: The majority of engineering courses accept 58-64 overall with 50-54 in each component. This is in line with Engineers Australia assessment requirements for skilled migration.
Information Technology: IT courses usually have a requirement of 58-65 overall. Growth in the sector in Australia has led to such courses becoming highly competitive, with RMIT and UTS among the universities providing great pathways.
Computer Science: Similar to IT, requires 58-65 overall with focus on logical thinking and problem-solving in preference to linguistic excellence.
Business and Management
MBA Programs: Business schools usually ask for 58-72 based on prestige and specialization. Executive programs can ask for higher scores to facilitate effective peer interaction.
Undergraduate Business: Usually accessible with 50-58 requirements, making business study attractive to international students building English competency.
How to Improve Your PTE Academic Score Quickly
Getting your desired PTE score requires methodical preparation keeping in mind the integrated nature of PTE Academic tasks. These are tried-and-tested methods to speed up your improvement:
Understanding PTE Scoring Mechanics
Integrated Scoring: In contrast to other tests, PTE Academic incorporates cross-skill scoring such that speaking tasks impact listening scores, and listening tasks impact writing scores. Concentrate on high-impact tasks such as Write from Dictation and Repeat Sentence that have an impact on multiple areas of skills.
AI Scoring Optimization: The computer-based scoring system favors consistency, fluency, and pronunciation over flawless accent. Enunciate clearly and have consistent rhythm but need not sound native.
Strategic Skill Development
Speaking Enhancement:
· Practice Read Aloud with emphasis on pronunciation and fluency over speed
· Utilize voice recording features to track your improvement and pinpoint areas of improvement
· Master Describe Image templates to organize answers effectively while maintaining natural delivery
· Build even pace and crisp articulation for best AI recognition
Writing Mastery:
· Learn effective templates for Summarize Written Text and Essay Writing to save time and guarantee structure
· Emphasize grammar correctness and proper use of vocabulary rather than intricate sentence structures
· Practice typing speed to complete tasks within time limits while maintaining quality
· Develop paragraph coherence and logical sequence for optimum content marks
Reading Strategies:
· Master Fill in the Blanks (Drop Down and Drag & Drop) questions which have high scoring value in the Reading section
· Practice Re-order Paragraphs by finding transition words and logical relationships
· Enhance skimming and scanning methods for Multiple Choice questions to maximize time management
· Develop academic vocabulary through focused reading of university-level texts
Listening Strategies:
· Practice Summarize Spoken Text with a focus on identifying key points and grammatically correct answers
· Develop note-taking systems for lecture-based content to extract vital information effectively
· Master Write from Dictation for score improvements for sure through attention to detail in spelling and punctuation
· Practice with different English accents to get accustomed to Australia's multicultural learning environment
Mock Test Strategy
Progressive Testing: Start with diagnostic tests to establish baseline scores, followed by weekly full-length mocks to monitor improvement and modify study priorities.
Targeted Practice: Practice using sectional mock tests to focus specifically on weak areas. Sites such as ExamsDojo provide AI-scored practice with in-depth feedback.
Exam Simulation: Practice in actual test conditions with timed conditions and computer-based interface to develop familiarity and confidence.
FAQs for PTE for Australia Study Visa
Q. Is it possible to get admissions with poor PTE but good academics?
While good academic background is desirable, most of the Australian universities have strict minimum PTE requirements that cannot be exempted on the basis of academic merits. Nonetheless, conditional admission with English language support programs might be given by some institutions if you are near the required score.
Q. Is PTE simpler than IELTS for Australia student visa?
PTE Academic provides various benefits such as computer delivery, quicker results, and AI-free scoring free from human bias. Most students prefer the integrated task mode to be more intuitive, but everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Australian authorities accept both tests equally.
Q. How long are PTE scores valid for Australian visa applications?
PTE Academic scores are valid for two years from the test date for university applications and student visa. The Australian Department of Home Affairs accepts three-year-old scores for certain visa types.
Q. Can I mix scores from two attempts at PTE?
Australian higher education institutions and visa officials usually accept scores from one sitting of PTE. AHPRA (for registration as a nurse) permits mixing scores of two tests taken in six months, with the condition that no single skill score less than 58.
Q. What if I get a score marginally lower than the requirement?
Students with 1-5 points short of university levels can be considered for conditional entry with required English preparation courses such as University English Entry Course (UEEC). This route enables transition to degree study upon satisfactory completion.
Q. Are there varying PTE standards for online and on-campus courses?
The majority of universities have standard PTE standards for both study modes. Nonetheless, there might be a marginally lower requirement for online courses, especially in the course of temporary arrangements.
Q. How do the August 7, 2025 changes impact my application?
If you previously took PTE Academic on or before August 7, 2025, you may apply under the earlier requirements. The new skill-specific requirements might even be advantageous for students who have certain areas of strength in listening and reading compared to writing and speaking.
Q. Do I need different PTE scores for different Australian cities?
PTE score requirements are set by individual institutions and visa types instead of by geographical region. Competitive courses in large cities such as Melbourne and Sydney might have higher requirement levels due to demand.
Q. Can I obtain scholarships based on my PTE score?
Most Australian scholarships include English proficiency as part of their eligibility criteria. Australia Awards Scholarship needs 65+ in all the sections, though most university-specific scholarships prefer scores of 70+ for competitiveness.
Q. How is PTE different from other English tests for skilled migration?
PTE Academic is also recognized as acceptable as IELTS, TOEFL, and other accepted tests for skilled migration. The decision usually rests on test mode preference, scheduling convenience, and availability of preparation resources.
Conclusion
Achieving an Australian study visa successfully entails close monitoring of PTE Academic score requirements, which have changed dramatically after the August 7, 2025 updates. The minimum required is still 42 overall to be eligible for a visa, but university admission normally requires 50-79 based on your course of study and institution reputation.
Prepare for PTE on ExamsDojo.com
ExamsDojo.com offers thorough PTE Academic preparation. Our website provides:
· Updated Practice Materials: Based on August 2025 scoring updates and Australian university standards
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· Expert Guidance: Specialized assistance for students aiming for Australian universities
· Adaptive Learning: Online courses suiting multiple schedules and learning styles
Start your Australian study experience today with our complimentary PTE mock test and find out what your current skill level is. Our time-tested approach has been used by thousands of students to attain their desired scores and gain entry into top Australian universities.
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