Quick answer
Is IELTS or PTE better for Indian students?
Neither is better for everyone. Choose PTE if you want results in about 48 hours, prefer speaking to a computer and type well. Choose IELTS if you would rather speak to an examiner. First check that your universities and visa accept the test. For most UK, Australian and Canadian courses, both are accepted.
At a glance
| PTE Academic | IELTS Academic | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee in India | ₹18,900 (incl. GST) | ₹19,000 |
| Duration | About 2 hours | About 2 hours 45 minutes |
| Speaking | Recorded on computer | Face to face with an examiner |
| Scoring | AI, with a human check of content on 7 tasks | Human examiners for speaking and writing |
| Score scale | 10–90 | 0–9 bands |
| Results | Typically within 48 hours | A few days on computer |
| PTE Academic (minimum) | IELTS Academic band |
|---|---|
| 24 | 4.5 |
| 31 | 5.0 |
| 39 | 5.5 |
| 47 | 6.0 |
| 55 | 6.5 |
| 63 | 7.0 |
| 71 | 7.5 |
| 79 | 8.0 |
| 86 | 8.5 |
| 90 | 9.0 |
1Choose by profile
- Close deadline: PTE, for the faster result.
- Nervous speaking to an examiner: PTE.
- Strong, natural speaker who likes a conversation: IELTS.
- Slow typist: IELTS, or practise typing first.
- Canada PR: neither academic version. Use PTE Core or IELTS General Training.
2How preparation differs
PTE rewards a steady pace, clear pronunciation and accurate typing, because most of it is scored automatically and partial credit rewards attempting everything. IELTS rewards natural, coherent answers marked by a person against band descriptors.
3Acceptance
Both are accepted by most universities in Australia, the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland. Australia accepts both for student visas. Always confirm on your course page.
Up next
Which English test should I take?
IELTS, PTE, TOEFL and Duolingo compared
Official source for this page: pearsonpte.com, scoring.
Checked against pearsonpte.com, scoring on . AdmitVerse is not affiliated with IELTS, the British Council, IDP, ETS, Pearson, Duolingo or GMAC. For official rules and test dates, see pearsonpte.com, scoring.
Book a free demo class
Not sure your target is realistic by your test date? Ask the trainer. Sit in on a live class, free, and Kavleen Kaur will tell you honestly what the time you have can do.