Pick by your goal
PTE Academic
University and college admissions, including in Canada. This is the academic-English test.
PTE Academic
Used for migration visas to countries such as Australia and New Zealand. Confirm the current approved-test list for your visa.
PTE Core
Recognised by IRCC for Canadian economic immigration and citizenship; scores map to the Canadian Language Benchmarks.
PTE Academic vs PTE Core
| PTE Academic | PTE Core | |
|---|---|---|
| Mainly used for | University admissions; migration to Australia and New Zealand | Canadian permanent residency and citizenship |
| English style | Academic English | Everyday workplace and community English |
| Recognised by | Universities and various visa authorities | IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) |
| Score maps to | Global Scale of English (10–90); concordant with IELTS/CEFR | Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) |
| Format | Computer-based, four skills, three parts | Computer-based, four skills, three parts |
| Length | About 2 hours | About 2 hours |
| Results | Typically within ~48 hours | Typically within ~48 hours |
| Validity | 2 years from the test date | 2 years from the test date |
Details from Pearson PTE Core and PTE Academic test format. Checked July 9, 2026.
If you need PTE Academic
PrepEx practice is built for PTE Academic. Learn the task types, run focused attempts with AI feedback, and confirm your target with a full mock.
If you need PTE Core
PTE Core tests everyday workplace and community English and reports scores against the Canadian Language Benchmarks used by IRCC. It shares the computer-based, four-skill structure of PTE Academic, so general speaking, writing, reading and listening practice transfers — but the tasks and content differ.
PrepEx practice targets PTE Academic. If your goal is Canadian PR or citizenship, confirm you need PTE Core and check its current format, sections and scoring on Pearson's official pages.
Academic vs Core FAQs
Confirm before you book
Which test a program accepts is decided by the institution or authority, and lists change. Always confirm the required test and score with your destination before booking.
Primary sources: Pearson PTE Core, PTE Academic test format and scoring. Checked July 9, 2026.