Translate one English-test score into the other
Section by section and overall, in either direction — built on Pearson's published anchor points so the figures line up with what universities and visa desks actually read.
Score converter
Pick a direction, type your scores — the equivalents update live
Pearson concordance — the anchor points
| PTE Academic | IELTS Academic | CEFR level |
|---|---|---|
| 89–90 | 9.0 | C2 — Mastery |
| 83–88 | 8.5 | C2 |
| 79–82 | 8.0 | C1 — Effective Operational |
| 73–78 | 7.5 | C1 |
| 65–72 | 7.0 | C1 |
| 58–64 | 6.5 | B2 — Vantage |
| 50–57 | 6.0 | B2 |
| 42–49 | 5.5 | B2 |
| 36–41 | 5.0 | B1 — Threshold |
| 30–35 | 4.5 | B1 |
| 24–29 | 4.0 | A2 |
| 10–23 | < 4.0 | A2 or below |
About this calculator
Universities and immigration desks read PTE and IELTS off the same concordance sheet Pearson publishes. This tool runs that sheet both ways — PTE to IELTS and back — so you can see what a score in one test would look like on the other, section by section.
How the mapping runs
- PTE → IELTS: a PTE integer lands inside a band and returns the lower IELTS anchor — conservative, the way universities read transcripts.
- IELTS → PTE: an IELTS half-band returns the minimum PTE that clears it, so IELTS 7.0 comes back as PTE 65 (the floor).
- Auto Overall: leave Overall blank and it is averaged from whichever section scores you filled in.
Nepali applicants — typical minimums
- Undergraduate: IELTS 6.0–6.5 (PTE 50–58)
- Postgraduate coursework: IELTS 6.5–7.0 (PTE 58–65)
- Postgraduate research, medicine, law: IELTS 7.0–7.5 (PTE 65–73)
- Australian skilled migration — Proficient: IELTS 7.0+ per band / PTE 65+; Superior: IELTS 8.0+ / PTE 79+
Frequently asked questions
How reliable is the conversion?
It relies on Pearson's published PTE Academic to IELTS Academic concordance — the reference sheet universities, embassies and visa desks read. It is a guide, not a promise: institutions still set their own minimums for the test they prefer.
Is PTE genuinely easier than IELTS?
PTE runs fully on a computer with AI-driven scoring and returns results in roughly two working days, against three to thirteen days for IELTS. Whether it feels easier depends on you — comfortable typing and microphone speaking push candidates toward PTE.
Which test do Australian universities accept?
Both, at every Australian institution and across DHA visa streams. Standard undergraduate entry asks for around IELTS 6.5 or PTE 58; most postgraduate programmes raise that to IELTS 7.0 or PTE 65.
What PTE score matches IELTS 7.0?
PTE 65 — the floor of the 65 to 72 band that anchors to IELTS 7.0 in Pearson's 2024 concordance. For IELTS 6.5 aim for PTE 58, for IELTS 7.5 aim for PTE 73, and for IELTS 8.0 aim for PTE 79.
Does this cover PTE Core?
No — PTE Core uses a separate concordance against IELTS General Training and CELPIP, primarily for Canadian economic immigration. This tool is scoped to PTE Academic, the version used for study and most skilled-migration paths.