About the exam
PTE Academic UKVI Exam structure
PTE Academic practice that reuses the same current content, format and scoring blueprint for the UKVI product, alongside its approved booking, identity, SELT URN and result-use controls.
Issuer and path
PTE Academic UKVI Difference Guide is administered through Pearson. Check official resources before booking, retesting, or relying on a stale requirement.
Part 1: Speaking & Writing
9 scored + 0 pretest
Nine current task types, including the two additions used since 7 August 2025.
Part 2: Reading
5 scored + 0 pretest
Five task types covering lexical choice, text organisation and academic comprehension.
Part 3: Listening
8 scored + 0 pretest
Eight task types covering synthesis, detail, prediction and transcription accuracy.
Book the evidence, not a different English test
Confirm that the route requires a SELT, identify the CEFR level and every required skill, then book PTE Academic UKVI at an approved location with identity details matching the permitted document. The language preparation remains ordinary PTE Academic.
Official Outline Coverage Map
Coverage is mapped to official outline item counts so content depth can be checked without hard-coding a single exam.
| Topic | Official outline items | Your questions | Your flashcards | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read Aloud | 0 | 30 | 3 | Priority |
| Repeat Sentence | 0 | 30 | 3 | Priority |
| Describe Image | 0 | 25 | 3 | Priority |
| Retell Lecture | 0 | 25 | 3 | Priority |
| Answer Short Question | 0 | 25 | 3 | Strong |
| Summarize Group Discussion | 0 | 25 | 3 | Priority |
| Respond to a Situation | 0 | 25 | 3 | Priority |
| Summarize Written Text | 0 | 25 | 3 | Priority |
| Write Essay | 0 | 20 | 3 | Good |
| Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) | 0 | 45 | 3 | Priority |
| Reading: Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | 0 | 35 | 3 | Priority |
| Reorder Paragraph | 0 | 35 | 3 | Priority |
| Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Drag and Drop) | 0 | 40 | 3 | Priority |
| Reading: Multiple Choice, Single Answer | 0 | 35 | 3 | Priority |
| Summarize Spoken Text | 0 | 25 | 3 | Priority |
| Listening: Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | 0 | 25 | 3 | Priority |
| Listening: Fill in the Blanks (Type In) | 0 | 25 | 3 | Priority |
| Highlight Correct Summary | 0 | 25 | 3 | Priority |
| Listening: Multiple Choice, Single Answer | 0 | 25 | 3 | Priority |
| Select Missing Word | 0 | 20 | 3 | Priority |
| Highlight Incorrect Words | 0 | 20 | 3 | Priority |
| Write from Dictation | 0 | 16 | 3 | Priority |
How to use this guide
One shared language test; one secure evidence overlay
Use the shared 22-type PTE Academic practice bank, then check when the UKVI product is required and how every reported skill becomes valid SELT evidence.
1. Route
Identify the current visa route, required skills and CEFR level.
2. Product
Choose PTE Academic UKVI only when the application needs Pearson SELT evidence.
3. Shared test
Prepare for the current ordinary PTE Academic structure and scoring.
4. Components
Meet the controlling score in every required communicative skill.
5. Verification
Protect approved-centre status, matching identity, SELT URN and two-year timing.
UKVI overlay
Keep the shared test and secure evidence separate
The questions and scoring remain PTE Academic; correct product, approved centre, every required skill and the SELT URN make the result usable for UKVI.
Spoken Reproduction and Presentation
Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image and Retell Lecture response analysis.
Choose a topic to open below
Interactive Speaking and Written Production
Short answers, discussion and situation responses, written summaries and essay planning.
Choose a topic to open below
Reading Lexis and Cohesion
Dropdown and drag-and-drop gaps, multiple-answer reading and paragraph ordering.
Choose a topic to open below
Reading Critical Comprehension
Single-answer analysis, interpretation and evaluation of original academic passages.
Choose a topic to open below
Listening Synthesis and Comprehension
Written-transcript summary and multiple-choice analysis.
Choose a topic to open below
Listening Accuracy and Transcription
Gap, missing-word, transcript-comparison and dictation response analysis.
Choose a topic to open below
Read Aloud
Analyse phrasing, prominence and meaning in original academic passages before recording practice elsewhere.
Key rules
Rule 1
Meaningful phrasing
Exam cue: Group words by sense
Rule 2
Content accuracy
Exam cue: Protect content words
Rule 3
Oral fluency and pronunciation
Exam cue: Keep a sustainable pace
Common traps
Reading word by word
Prevention: Name the controlling rule before selecting the answer.
Flattening contrast
Prevention: Name the controlling rule before selecting the answer.
Rushing punctuation
Prevention: Name the controlling rule before selecting the answer.
Memory anchors
Sense Groups
Phrase by meaning, not by line length.
Content First
Preserve every word before adding expression.
Steady Pace
Clarity beats speed.
Next best moves
Quick check-up
Use a short quiz to confirm the rule pattern is actually sticking.
Check-up Questions
Text: “Rainfall declined in the north, while the southern coast became wetter.” Which phrasing best preserves the contrast?
Text: “The committee approved the pilot, but postponed the national launch.” Which words deserve the clearest contrastive prominence?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Open another topic next
Official resources
Verify the details with the official sources
Use these links for eligibility, scheduling, handbook rules, and issuer updates. Our guide helps you study; official sources tell you what the testing partner currently requires.
Pearson PTE Academic UKVI
Official product difference, use cases, test-centre boundary, results and two-year validity.
PTE Academic and UKVI format
The current shared Speaking & Writing, Reading and Listening structure.
PTE Academic scoring
Current 10-90 Score Report, communicative skills and marking overview.
PTE Academic August 2025 update
The two current speaking types, enhanced marking and applicability to both Academic products.
Pearson UK visa table
Current informational route examples, component scores and PTE Home boundary.
PTE Academic and UKVI handbook
Current booking, test-day, Score Report, SELT URN and electronic verification instructions.
GOV.UK approved SELT guidance
Controlling approved name, provider, centre, identity, component, reference and two-year rules.
Immigration Rules Appendix English Language
Digital reference, every-required-component rule and compliant higher-education-provider assessment boundary.
FAQ
Common PTE Academic UKVI questions
How is PTE Academic UKVI different from PTE Academic?
Pearson says the test content, format and scoring are the same. The UKVI booking is delivered under the approved SELT arrangements and its Score Report supplies the SELT Unique Reference Number required for Home Office verification.
Does PTE Academic UKVI have UKVI-only question types?
No. It uses the same live PTE Academic test. Tests after 7 August 2025 include Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation, but those additions apply to both ordinary PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI.
What is the current PTE Academic UKVI structure?
The approximately two-hour computer test has three parts: Speaking & Writing for 76-84 minutes with nine question types, Reading for 22-30 minutes with five, and Listening for 31-39 minutes with eight. Pearson's enhanced-test research describes approximately 65 scored questions across 22 types.
How is the test scored?
The Score Report gives an overall score and separate Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening scores on the 10-90 Global Scale of English. The overall is based on performance across the test and is not the arithmetic average of the four skills.
Is PTE Academic UKVI entirely machine scored?
Scoring remains AI-led. Pearson says some response content also receives human expert review, while humans do not assess pronunciation or oral fluency. Task rules can be correct-or-incorrect or partial credit, and integrated tasks can contribute to multiple skills.
What score do I need for UKVI?
There is no universal pass score. The current approved-test table gives 43 per required skill at B1, 59 at B2, 76 at C1 and 85 at C2. The visa route chooses the CEFR level and the receiving institution or profession may require more.
Can a high overall score compensate for a low skill?
No when that skill is required. GOV.UK requires the relevant components from the combined assessment to meet the route's level. Compare Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening separately.
Which test applies to below-degree Student study?
Pearson's current route table shows PTE Academic UKVI at B1 with at least 43 in each skill for below-degree study. The current CAS, sponsor and GOV.UK Student guidance remain controlling.
Do all degree-level Students need PTE Academic UKVI?
No. Degree-level study is associated with B2 and 59 per skill when the approved-test route applies, but a higher education provider with a track record of compliance may assess English itself. Confirm the exact CAS and institution instructions before booking.
Is PTE Home included in this slug?
No. PTE Home A1, A2 and B1 are separate Speaking-and-Listening SELTs for specified family, extension, settlement and citizenship uses. This module remains at the four-skill PTE Academic UKVI slug.
Can I take PTE Academic UKVI at home?
No. Pearson states that the test is taken on a computer at an authorised PTE test centre. GOV.UK also requires the approved product to be taken at an approved location.
What identity rules apply?
Booking details must match the passport or other identity evidence permitted for the appointment. Accepted documents can depend on the test location and candidate circumstances, so check Pearson's current country-specific ID policy and GOV.UK guidance before test day.
What is the Pearson SELT URN?
It is the SELT Unique Reference Number shown on the UKVI Score Report. Enter it on the visa application so the Home Office can access and verify the result through Pearson's secure system.
Is the SELT URN the same as the Score Report Code?
No. Institutions can use Pearson's general Score Report Code, while the Home Office uses the SELT URN from the UKVI report. Supplying an ordinary Score Report Code does not convert an ordinary PTE result into SELT evidence.
How long is a PTE Academic UKVI result valid?
Pearson describes the score as valid for two years from the test date, and GOV.UK requires an approved SELT result to have been awarded within the two years before the application. Check the exact route and dates at submission.
Why is full mock practice disabled here?
This module reuses the canonical PTE Academic bank because UKVI has no different language tasks. Full mock remains disabled because a four-choice adapter cannot reproduce recorded speaking, free writing, dictation, timing or Pearson's productive-response scoring.