1. education
2. english as a second language

UK Higher Education Institutions
Information Pack
Prepared May 2015
Contacts
Name
Position
Phone number
Email address
Charles Hamilton
Director Client Relations International
+44 (0)20 7010 2641
Charles.Hamilton@Pearson.com
Annabelle Llanes
Clients Relations Manager
+44 (0) 779 542 6179
annabelle.llanes@pearson.com
Pearson Education Limited is a registered company in England and Wales whose registered office is at
Edinburgh Gate, Harlow, Essex CM20 2JE, United Kingdom, company Registration number 872828
PTE Academic™ is a registered trademark of Pearson Education Limited
Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Purpose of the document ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
This document highlights: ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
Alignment of PTE Academic to Industry Standards.............................................................................................................. 3
Background to PTE Academic ............................................................................................................................................... 4
PTE Academic measurement of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening ........................................................................ 5
Automated Scoring, Test Objectivity and Reliability ............................................................................................................ 6
Scoring Written English Skills ................................................................................................................................................. 8
Scoring Spoken English Skills .................................................................................................................................................. 9
Test Error and Accuracy ...................................................................................................................................................... 10
Mapping to the Common European Framework (CEFR) .................................................................................................. 11
The PTE Academic Score Scale and the CEFR ................................................................................................................... 12
What PTE Academic Scores Mean ..................................................................................................................................... 13
Test Relevance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14
PTE Academic Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 16
Booking and Payment Process............................................................................................................................................. 16
Test Preparation................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Test and Test Centre Security............................................................................................................................................. 18
Threats to Secure English Language Testing ....................................................................................................................... 19
Fraud Risk Mitigation ............................................................................................................................................................ 20
Identifying Fraud ................................................................................................................................................................... 20
Score Reports and Sending Scores.................................................................................................................................... 211
2015 Recognition ............................................................................................................................................................... 222
Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................. 222
2
Introduction
As a licensed United Kingdom Tier 4 visa-sponsoring Higher Education Institution you have the ability to choose how to
assess English language competence for students studying at degree level and above. (See page 28 section 5.11 Tier 4 of
the Points Based System: Guidance for Sponsors) The aim of this document is to provide our HEI partners with a
comprehensive source of information about the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) to address any
questions you may have as you continue to use of PTE Academic for vouching purposes.
Purpose of the document
PTE Academic provides a best-in-class high stakes English proficiency test that meets and frequently exceeds Home
Office SELT standards. PTE Academic delivers high security, industry-leading accuracy and ease of user access. Our
technology allows us to mitigate error, control fraud, eradicate bias and deliver results faster than any other equivalent
assessment. Above all we offer a fair and consistent computer-based test in every location where we operate.
This document highlights:




How PTE Academic tests language competency and communicative language skills at an academic level, not just
English test taking abilities
Extra security features offered to offer assurances to HEIs and test takers
Other differentiators such as speed of results and scoring mechanisms
How PTE Academic compares to IELTS
Alignment of PTE Academic to Industry Standards
PTE Academic was specifically constructed as a secure English language test. As a result its security, methodology,
delivery, accuracy and governance meets or exceeds industry standards.
The Information Pack covers the attributes of PTE Academic in detail but, for quick reference, the table below identifies a
list of broad industry requirements for High Stakes tests and an indication of whether PTE Academic meets them. In all
cases PTE A meets or exceeds the requirements.
3
Industry Standard for High Stakes English language testing
PTE Academic
Accreditation by national regulatory body
 Ofqual
Mapped to Industry recognised benchmark
 CEFR with ability to
assess from A1-C2
Assesses competency across 4 skills; reading, writing, listening and speaking

Computerised (Paperless) test

All test sessions video recorded

Test Taker Voice (audio) file captured and available on Score Verification Website

Global online booking and payment system

Candidate photograph captured on test day and made available on score report

 Up to 24 hours
Test availability within 28 days from booking date
 5 Days
Test results provided within 28 days
Maximum 1:15 invigilator to candidate ratio

Biometric security process with Palm-vein scanning comparing 1 to 1 and 1 to many images

Separation of Test Centre administrators and test markers

Secure score verification system

Background to PTE Academic
Pearson is the world's leading learning company with 40,000 employees in more than 80 countries. In addition to
providing learning materials, places of learning, technologies and services to teachers, professionals and students
throughout the world we conduct over 100 million assessments a year globally.
PTE Academic is a secure computer-based international English language test in operation since 2009 and currently used
for admission by educational institutions and professional bodies in the UK and worldwide ((including the USA, Canada,
Norway, UAE, New Zealand and many other countries) and also for Tier 4 (General) vouching in the UK and for all visa
classes in Australia.
Pearson developed PTE Academic in response to demand from higher education, governments and other customers for
a test that more accurately measures English communication skills, primarily in an academic context.
4
PTE Academic is targeted at intermediate and advanced English language proficiency levels. The constructs measured are
the communicative language skills that are necessary to successfully engage in educational programmes and to actively
participate in society.
The high-stakes nature of admission and visa decisions require this test to be a secure and accurate measure of a test
taker’s English proficiency.
PTE Academic measurement of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
PTE Academic assesses the four core communicative skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) via computer in a
single 3 hour test session. Candidates use a computer and headset to complete the questions. (See pages 2 and 3 Score
Guide)
There are three main parts to the test: speaking and writing (together), listening and reading. There are twenty different
question formats, ranging from multiple choice through to essay writing and interpreting information. (See pages 4 to 7
Score Guide)
The twenty item types are comprised as follows;
(Please note: The minimum and maximum timings indicated for the sections of each part of the test do not add up to the
total timings stated. This is because different versions of the test are balanced for total length. No test taker will get the
maximum or minimum times indicated.)
5
Automated Scoring, Test Objectivity and Reliability
The best tests are objective. It should not matter to the test taker when or where they take the test or who scores it.
Test takers and institutions should be confident of receiving a score which reflects the test taker’s ability.
Automated Scoring and objectivity
One aspect of test objectivity is how a test is scored. PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT and IELTS use different approaches for
assessing test taker performance - human raters only, human raters combined with automated scoring, and automated
scoring only. PTE Academic only uses automated scoring.
PTE Academic
TOEFL iBT
IELTS
Automated Scoring
Human rating Automated
rating
used for two tasks
Human rating
Scoring Method – Writing
Scoring Method –
Automated Scoring
Human rating
Human rating
Speaking
IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations Syndicate.TOEFL iBT is a registered
trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS).
(See How IELTS is marked and TOEFL iBT® Test Scores)
Research indicates that, in many ways, automated scoring provides more analytical, objective results than humans do.
Unlike human judgment, which is prone to be influenced by a variety of factors, an automated scoring system is impartial.
This means that the system is not “distracted” by language-irrelevant factors such as a test taker’s appearance, personality
or body language (as can happen in spoken interview tests).
As the worldwide leader in publishing and assessment for education, Pearson uses several of its proprietary, patented
technologies to automatically score test takers’ performance on PTE Academic.
Academic institutions, corporations and government agencies around the world have selected Pearson’s automated
scoring technologies to measure the abilities of students, staff or applicants.
An extensive field test program was conducted to evaluate PTE Academic test items as well as to obtain the data
necessary to train the automated scoring engines to assess PTE Academic items.
Test data was collected from more than 10,000 test takers from 38 cities in 21 countries who participated in PTE
Academic’s field test. These test takers came from 158 different countries and spoke 126 different native languages.
6
The data from the field test were used to train the automated scoring engines for both the written and spoken PTE
Academic items.
By combining the power of a comprehensive field test, in-depth research and Pearson’s proven, proprietary automated
scoring technologies, PTE Academic fills a critical gap by providing a state-of-the-art test that accurately measures the
English language speaking, listening, reading and writing abilities of non-native speakers
Because PTE Academic scoring is automated, the responses are rated objectively and consistently, no matter where in
the world the test is taken. There are no regional variances in standards meaning you can have complete confidence in
the communication skills of your students.
PTE Academic treats regional accents equally. Human assessors tend to value accents they are used to higher than
accents they are unfamiliar with. You can therefore be confident in the PTE Academic scores of international students
from all over the world. (See Objective_Factsheet.pdf)
Test Reliability Estimates
All major tests of academic English report a reliability estimate. A reliability estimate is expressed as a number between 0
and 1, where 0 means totally unreliable and 1 means perfectly reliable. For tests that are used to make important
decisions, high reliability (0.90 or higher) is required.
High reliability means that score users can trust the results, i.e. that the results on repeating the test will be the same or
very close. How close you can expect repeat results to be is indicated by the reliability estimate: the higher the reliability
estimate, the closer the repeat results.
The table below captures the reported reliability estimates for PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT and IELTS. PTE Academic has
the highest reliability estimates for both the overall score and the communicative skills scores.
PTE Academic
0.972
TOEFL iBT
0.943
IELTS
0.96
Overall Reliability
Communicative skills
reliability
Reading
0.92
0.85
0.90
Listening
0.91
0.85
0.90
Writing
0.91
0.74
0.81-0.89
Speaking
0.91
0.88
0.83-0.86
IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations Syndicate.TOEFL iBT is a registered
trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS).
(See IELTS analysis of test data/test performance 2013 and TOEFL iBT™ Research – Reliability and Comparability of
TOEFL iBT Scores)
This demonstrates that PTE Academic generally produces more consistent and reliable results than competitive tests.
7
It is widely recognised that the scores human raters give can be influenced by irrelevant factors, particularly when only
one person rates the test taker’s performance.
Automated scoring has the benefit of removing this effect as it is indifferent to a test taker’s appearance and personality,
and is not effected by issues such as examiner tiredness, mood and leniency.
Automated scoring also allows individual features of a language sample (e.g. vocabulary or pronunciation) to be analysed
independently, so that weakness in one area of language does not affect scoring in others.
Although PTE Academic is computer-based and scoring is automated, responses to all new tasks that require constructed
responses (e.g. essays) are initially human scored so that the intelligent scoring systems can be appropriately trained and
calibrated. (See pages 53 to 64 Score Guide)
PTE Academic only uses expert human raters who are retrained and certified before each rating session. PTE Academic’s
automated scoring is based on the collective wisdom of a large pool of skilled human raters (over 200) and not, as in
human scoring, on the views of one or a handful of individuals. As a result every single response receives a replicable,
objective and completely impartial score.
The speech recognizer was trained to treat all their accents equally using the same criteria. Most human raters are likely
to be more accustomed to some accents than others which will make it difficult for them to treat accents they are not
familiar with equally.
Some raters may be accustomed to perhaps half a dozen accents but it is extremely unlikely that they will be able to treat
over a hundred different foreign accents as objectively as PTE Academic.
The impartiality of automated scoring means that test takers can be confident that they are being judged solely on their
language performance, and stakeholders can be confident that a test taker’s scores are ‘generalizable’ – that they would
have earned the same score if the test had been administered in Beijing, Brussels or Bermuda.
Scoring Written English Skills
The written portion of PTE Academic is scored using the Intelligent Essay Assessor™ (IEA). IEA is an automated
scoring tool that is powered by Pearson’s state-of-the-art Knowledge Analysis Technologies™ (KAT™) engine.
Based on more than 20 years of research and development, the KAT engine automatically evaluates the meaning of text
by examining whole passages. The KAT engine evaluates writing as accurately as skilled human raters, using a proprietary
application of the mathematical approach known as Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) which identifies the semantic similarity
of words and passages by analysing large bodies of relevant text.
Using LSA the KAT engine “understands” the meaning of text in much the same way as a human does.
IEA can be configured to understand and evaluate text in any subject area, and includes built-in detectors for off-topic
responses or other situations that may need to be referred to human readers.
8
Research conducted by independent
researchers as well as Pearson supports IEA’s
reliability for assessing knowledge and
knowledge-based reasoning. IEA was
developed more than a
decade ago and has been used to evaluate
millions of essays, from scoring student writing
at elementary, secondary and university level,
to assessing military leadership skills.
The diagram below illustrates how different
types of scores reported in the PTE Academic score report are computed for the item type Write essay.
The item type is rated on content; form; vocabulary; spelling; grammar; development, structure and coherence; and
general linguistic range.
The item is first scored on content. If no response or an irrelevant response is given the content is scored as 0. If an
acceptable response is provided a score is received for content and the item will be scored on form. If the response is of
the appropriate length, a score will be given and the response will then be rated on the remaining traits: vocabulary,
spelling, grammar; development, structure, coherence and general linguistic range.
The scores for content, form and the enabling skills traits (vocabulary, spelling, grammar, development, structure and
coherence, and general linguistic range) add up to the total item score.
The enabling skills scores awarded for the item contribute to the enabling skills scores reported for performance on the
entire test, which for this particular item type include vocabulary, spelling, grammar and written discourse. The total item
score contributes to the communicative skills score for writing, as well as to the overall score reported for performance
on the entire test.
Scoring Spoken English Skills
The spoken portion of PTE Academic is automatically scored using Pearson’s Ordinate® technology. Ordinate is the
result of years of research in speech recognition, statistical modelling, linguistics and testing theory. This technology is
used by organizations such as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, schools of aviation around the world, the
Immigration and Naturalization Service in the Netherlands, and the U.S. Department of Education
The technology uses a proprietary speech processing system that is specifically designed to analyse and automatically
score speech from native and non-native speakers of English. In addition to recognizing words, the system locates and
evaluates relevant segments, syllables and phrases in speech and then uses statistical modelling techniques to assess
spoken performance.
To understand the way that the Ordinate technology is “taught” to score spoken language, think about a person being
trained by an expert rater to score speech samples during interviews.
9
First, the expert rater gives the trainee rater a list of things to listen for in the test taker’s speech during the interview.
Then the trainee observes the expert testing numerous test takers, and, after each interview, the expert shares with the
trainee the score he or she gave the test taker and the characteristics of the performance that led to that score.
Over several dozen interviews, the trainee’s scores begin to look very similar to the expert rater’s scores. Ultimately,
one could predict the score the trainee would give a particular test taker based on the score that the expert gave.
This, in effect, is how our system is trained to score, only instead of one expert teaching the trainee, there are many
expert scorers feeding scores into the system for each response, and instead of a few dozen test takers, the system is
trained on thousands of responses from hundreds of test takers.
Furthermore, the system does not need to be told what features of speech are important; the relevant features and their
relative contributions are statistically extracted from the massive dataset when the system is optimized to predict human
scores.
Independent studies have demonstrated that Ordinate’s automated scoring system can be more objective and more
reliable than many of today’s best human-rated tests, including one-on-one oral proficiency interviews.
Where a candidate produces a response that is, for example, off topic, or is insufficiently similar to the training responses
used to calibrate the system, the response is referred for human marking.
Test Error and Accuracy
All tests contain an element of error. The size of the error component is a function of the reliability of a test and is known
as the Standard Error of Measurement (SEM).
SEM is used to track proximity between observed and true scores. The range of scores in which the true score is
expected to be found represents the confidence interval associated with an observed score. Generally speaking, an
interval of one or two SEMs around the observed score is used to discuss accuracy within the academic-testing world.
The smaller the SEM, the more accurate the test.
PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT and IELTS each report the SEM of their tests. To compare these SEMs, we need to transfer all
scores onto the same scale to make sure we are comparing like with like. Using the concordance tables in the PTE
Academic Score Guide (See pages 49 and 50 Score Guide) TOEFL iBT and IELTS scores can be placed on the same scale
as PTE Academic. The scale used is the Global Scale of English, which runs from 10 to 90.
In the tables below, we use a 95% confidence level and an example score of 59. This shows that for PTE Academic, you
can be 95% confident that the test taker’s true score falls within the 10-point range shown in the table. For TOEFL iBT
the range is 16 points, and for IELTS it is 21 points
10
Test
SEM
PTE
Academic
TOEFL iBT
Rounded
From
Max
59
58.5-59.4
54
64
5.28
87
86.5-87.4
76
98
59
0.22
IELTS on GSE
6.5
51
6.25-6.74
59
2 x SEM Range
GSE
PTE Academic
TOEFL iBT
IELTS
Min
2.32
TOEFL on
GSE
IELTS
Example
Score
10
points
22
points
16
points
67
5.8
7.2
47
68
95%
Interval
10
points
1.4
band
21
points
Score of 59
47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
10 points 54-64
PTE Academic
16 points 51-67
TOEFL iBT
21 points 47-68
IELTS
IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations Syndicate.TOEFL iBT is a registered
trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS).
The purpose of assessment is to precisely capture a test taker's true level of ability. PTE Academic is the most accurate
test of academic English in the world. We demonstrate the accuracy of our tests through a lower standard error of
measurement and the precision of our scores. (See Accurate Factsheet.pdf)
Mapping to the Common European Framework (CEFR)
To ensure comparability and interpretability of test scores, PTE Academic was constructed to align to the Common
European Framework of Reference (CEFR), which is recognized as a standard across Europe and in many countries
across the world. (See Aligning PTE Academic Test Scores to the Common European Framework of Reference for
Languages)
PTE Academic differs from other tests and exams which claim alignment to the CEFR in that the test was designed to
measure language competence according to the principles of the CEFR. PTE Academic assesses candidates’ ability in all
four language areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening, from A1 to C2 within the CEFR and specifically language
competencies in the range from upper B1 to lower C2.
11
Pearson involves external experts in the fields of language education when developing assessments. This includes
assessment methodologists, statistical analysts and psychometricians as well as educational practitioners such as language
school representatives, teachers and teacher trainers. Technical Advisory Groups for our PTE Academic SELT and the
Global Scale of English are chaired by Professor John de Jong, a Pearson employee, who has been extensively involved in
the development of the CEFR.
The CEFR includes a set of consecutive language levels defined by descriptors of language competencies. The six-level
framework was developed by the Council of Europe (2001) to enable language learners, teachers, universities or
potential employers to compare and relate language qualifications by level.
Alignment of PTE Academic to the CEFR levels provides a means to interpret PTE Academic scores in terms of the level
descriptors of the CEFR. As these descriptors focus on what an English language learner can do, scores that are properly
aligned to the CEFR give educators and institutions more relevant information about a test taker’s ability.
The relationship between the PTE Academic score scale with the descriptive scale of the CEFR is based on item-centred
and test taker-centered methods. For the item-centered method, the CEFR level for items was estimated by item writers,
reviewed and, if necessary, adapted in the item-reviewing process.
For the test taker-centered method, three extended responses (one written and two spoken) per test taker were each
rated by two independent, trained raters. If there was a disagreement between the two independent raters, a third rating
was gathered and the two closest ratings were retained.
A dataset of over 26,000 ratings (by self-reporting test takers, by items and by raters) on up to 100 different items was
analysed using the computer program FACETS.
Estimates of the lower boundaries of the CEFR levels, based on the item-centered method, correlated at .996 with those
based on the test taker-centered method, which effectively means that the two methods yielded the same results except
for less than 1% of error variance.
The PTE Academic Score Scale and the CEFR
PTE Academic is scored against the Global Scale of English (GSE). (See pages 38 to 43
Score Guide)
The GSE is a granular score scale from 10 - 90, aligned with the CEFR. The GSE helps to pinpoint each test taker's ability.
Instead of using wide score bands that can be misinterpreted the scale offers pin-point accuracy of test-taker ability.
The diagram below shows PTE Academic scores aligned to the CEFR levels A2 to C2. To stand a reasonable chance at
successfully performing any of the tasks defined at a particular CEFR level, learners must be able to demonstrate that they
can do the average tasks at that level.
As students grow in ability, for example within the B1 level, they will become successful at doing even the most difficult
tasks at that level and will also find they can cope with the easiest tasks at the next level. In other words, they are entering
into the B2 level.
12
The dotted lines on the scale show the PTE Academic score ranges that predict that test takers are likely to perform
successfully on the easiest tasks at the next higher level. For example, if a candidate scores 51 on PTE Academic, this
means that they are likely to be able to cope with the more difficult tasks within the CEFR B1 level. At the same time,
according to their PTE Academic score, it predicts that they are likely to perform successfully on the easiest tasks at B2.
What PTE Academic Scores Mean
PTE Academic alignment with the CEFR can only be fully understood if it is supported with information showing what it
really means to be ‘at a level’. In other words, are test takers likely to be successful with tasks at the lower boundary of a
level; do they stand a fair chance of doing well on any task, or will they be able to do almost all the tasks, even the most
difficult ones, at a particular level?
The table below shows for the CEFR levels A2 to C2 which PTE Academic scores predict the likelihood of a test taker
performing successfully on the easiest, average and most difficult tasks within each of the CEFR levels.
13
Assuming a score of 51 we would expect the following level of English language competency;
PTE
Academic
Score
51-58
Common
European
Framework Level
Scores in this
range predict
success on the
easiest tasks at B2
Level Proficiency
Candidate has sufficient command of the language to deal with
most familiar situations, but will often require repetition and
make many mistakes. Can deal with standard spoken language,
but will have problems in noisy circumstances. Can exchange
factual information on familiar routine and non-routine matters
within his/her field with some confidence. Can pass on a
detailed piece of information reliably. Can understand the
information content of the majority of recorded or broadcast
material on topics of personal interest delivered in clear
standard speech.
Mapping of PTE A to the CEFR is reviewed each time the item bank is updated. The procedure is carried out by a
statistical analyst and psychometrician and then checked by a second psychometrician who is not directly involved in the
testing programme. The last update of the mapping was in April 2014
Test Relevance
The degree that a test reflects the real life demands of study is an important factor in determining English language
proficiency. Authenticity is an integral part of PTE Academic ensuring that students are able to use their English effectively
in academic settings. We do this through the use of genuine academic test content, setting academically relevant tasks,
and by measuring skills in an integrated way, for example - assessing the ability to listen to a lecture and then provide an
oral summary. Test takers also hear a range of accents in the test, from British and American to non-native speakers.
(See pages 8 to 35 Score Guide)
PTE Academic uses genuine academic content so your students will be better prepared to
use their English at your institution. (See Relevant Factsheet.pdf)
Not all English language tests are the same when it comes to the type and format of the questions. 11 of the 20 PTE
Academic question types are what we refer to as ‘integrated’ i.e. questions that contain tasks that address more than one
language skill.
Integrated tasks are those that test more than one language skill, and therefore reflect the combinations of skills students
need at university. For example, PTE Academic test takers are asked to listen to a lecture, take notes and then provide an
oral or written summary, or they have to read and summarize written information, or understand and repeat what they
have heard.
14
PTE Academic has more integrated tasks than any other test. Students will therefore be able to cope better with the
tasks expected of them at your institution.
The use of international and non-native English makes PTE Academic the most appropriate test for modern universities.
PTE Academic includes these integrated tasks to reflect the real life language skills that students will need to apply in an
academic environment. Research highlights the importance and advantages of using integrated tasks to improve test
validity and increase authenticity.
In the table below we define integrated tasks as ones that require the use of a combination of skills and then give a score
for the different skills used.
This table demonstrates that PTE Academic has by far the largest number of integrated tasks of all major tests of
academic English. Indeed, over half the test is made up of integrated tasks.
Number of Integrated Task Types
Number of Integrated Tasks (within
1 test)
PTE Academic
11
47-55
TOEFL iBT
3
5
IELTS
n/a
n/a
IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations Syndicate.TOEFL iBT is a registered
trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS).
By using more integrated tasks, PTE Academic is more relevant to the actual way in which students use their language
skills at academic institutions.
Another way to increase test authenticity is to ensure the use of authentic content. Content for the questions used in
PTE Academic is taken from real-life situations which test takers will encounter in an academic environment.
Reading texts appropriate for PTE Academic include study texts of academic interest and texts related to all aspects of
student life and the lectures are genuine academic lectures, not actors reading scripts.
Question writers are required to use actual texts as stimulus material and no question without a source reference is
accepted.
Tests that use only one specific English variety put test takers not familiar with that variety at a clear disadvantage. We
create an international flavour for PTE Academic by selecting texts and settings drawn from Australia, Canada, New
Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Using the main varieties of English ensures that all test
takers are on an equal footing.
15
Furthermore PTE Academic is the only academic English test to include non-native English accents. This reflects the
diversity of English that students are likely to experience at any university where English is the medium of instruction, and
where students will be taught by foreign professors and teaching assistants.
This use of international varieties of English and non-native accents makes PTE Academic highly relevant to today’s
modern international academic institutions.
PTE Academic Requirements
The requirement is for a student to be able to demonstrate a minimum proficiency of CEFR B2 level for degree level
study or above. A B2 equates to a PTE Academic score of at least 51. It is the university that decides on the score
required for admission provided that this is at B2 or above.
Our experience suggests that most universities require:


for undergraduate studies a minimum score between 51 and 61
for postgraduate studies a minimum score between 57 and 67
For some university programs, the communicative skills scores for Listening,Speaking, Reading and Writing may provide
useful, additional information for making admissions decisions.
For example, institutions may:

set the admission requirement based on the minimum overall score alone, without taking into account
communicative skills scores in admission decisions;

set the admission requirement based on the minimum overall score in combination with a higher minimum on
one of the communicative skills scores, because it is considered particularly important for the program the test
taker wants to enter;

set the admission requirement based on the minimum overall score in combination with a lower minimum on
one of the communicative skills scores, because it is considered less important for the program the test taker
wants to enter.
Other combinations of the overall score and one or more of the communicative skills scores may be considered.
Booking and Payment Process
The Pearson online booking system is already used in the delivery of 14 million exams each year including PTE Academic.
It has an easy-to-understand user interface and flow, which leads candidates through the process without the need for
lengthy instructions.
It is available 24/7 (with the exception of scheduled outages) and can be accessed from all types of popular. Candidates
are able to schedule tests up to 24 hours from booking.
16
The system also allows candidates and organisations to search for live seat availability information. The booking process
consists, broadly, of 5 steps.
When the booking is complete a booking confirmation is displayed onscreen and a confirmation email is automatically
and instantly sent to the candidate.
Information included in the confirmation email includes:




Date, time and location of the exam
Directions to the test centre
ID notification and examination rules
Reschedule and cancellation policies
Candidates can login anytime to reschedule or cancel their booking within the parameters of the PTE Academic business
rules. The easy-to-follow process is similar to that followed when first booking the exam.
(See Test session live search and Test taker registration and booking page)
Candidates cannot book multiple tests and may only book another test once they have received the scores for the
previous test. Through use of a proprietary matching algorithm we can ascertain if a candidate has an account. If a
candidate is determined to be new login details are granted. If the candidate has an existing record, they are notified and
their existing username is emailed to them.
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Test Preparation
For the best preparation, we recommend the PTE Academic scored practice test
Our scored practice test is a full three-hour, computer-based mock test. At the end, the candidate will receive an
example score report, which will help show their strengths and weaknesses and highlight areas to improve. The candidate
can choose from two different version of the scored test, or try both for the ultimate preparation.
Test takers can choose from a range of free preparation materials (See Free PTE Academic Preparation Material) to get
ready for PTE Academic including downloading our offline practice test, watching hours of skills videos on YouTube or
reading our test tips and test tutorial.
A candidate can prepare for PTE Academic using a range of official course books. They can choose from The Official
Guide to PTE Academic or Practice Tests Plus to understand the test format and prepare for specific item types. Or, if
they are studying over a longer period, choose PTE Academic at level B1 or B2 as your official course book.
The Official Guide to PTE Academic provides comprehensive information about the test, over 200 practice tasks on
CD-ROM, analysis of sample answers, test-taking tips and more. This is the first and only official guide for PTE Academic
written by the developers of the test itself and includes everything that a candidate needs to know about the test.
Test and Test Centre Security
PTE Academic is taken at a secure test centre, where the candidate presents their ID, checks in with the test
administrator, and sits the test in a secure computer room. (See Secure Factsheet.pdf)
Pearson uses progressive identification verification to make sure that only authorised and verified individuals are able to
sit exams. The identity management solution includes:

ID Documents - Any candidates testing outside their country of origin use their passport or travel document as
identification. Candidates’ ID documents are checked to confirm that they contain a photo which matches that
of the candidate and that these docs have not expired. The ID document is checked to ensure the biographic
details (name, date of birth, nationality, gender and passport number as presented) match those in which the test
booking was made. The candidate’s photo ID is checked to ensure it matches the candidate.

Photos - A digital photo is taken of the candidate at registration on the test day(s) and compared with the
candidate’s photo ID.

Palm Vein Scan - All around the world, test centers that deliver PTE Academic are equipped with advanced palm
vein recognition technology. These devices capture and recognize the unique patterns in a test taker’s palm veins
using non-intrusive scanning technology. During the check-in process a comparison is made between the pattern
recorded and Pearson’s “No Test List”. This ensures that individuals who have previously been prohibited from
testing are not able to do so under an assumed identity or as a proxy for another test taker. Furthermore all test
taker identities are automatically verified when taking and returning from breaks. The system also provides an
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enhanced service, known as ‘one-to-many matching’. It is configured to compare each test taker’s biometrics to
an entire test taker database prior to the release of the test results. The system detects duplicate records and
where duplicates are identified the results are automatically withheld whilst an investigation takes place.

Signature - Candidates are asked at registration on the Test day to provide a sample of their signature and this is
compared to that on the ID documents provided.

Voice Sample - A voice sample (30 second unscored personal introduction) of all candidates is recorded and may
be made available to institutions via the score report website.

Video capture – All PTE Academic test sessions are
recorded by Digital Video Recording equipment and video
files and equipment may be reviewed as a check on ID, in
the event of any suspected fraudulent activity.
A typical test centre configuration would look like the image right
with ceiling-mounted cameras, separated and standard sized
testing booths and video feeds from each workstation.
Threats to Secure English Language Testing
Even with the highest levels of security applied to the test centre and test process there will always be attempts at fraud.
The main threats are as follows;

Proxy Testing - an imposter takes the test on behalf of the registered person. Attempts may be systematic and
organised, or carried out in a limited way by individuals.

In-room cheating: collusion between test takers, use of notes/cheat sheets, swapping of seats or test papers, use
of communication devices.

Test administrator/examiner collusion: active participation in test fraud by personnel involved in test
administration and scoring/marking.

Counterfeiting of reports/certificates

Content harvesting and leaks: coordinated memorisation of test content, use of surveillance equipment to
record or photograph content. Attempts may be systematic and organised, or carried out in a limited way by
individuals.

Content theft: in paper-based testing theft or copying of hard-copy test materials in transit or on-site, in
computer-based testing hacking of or unauthorised access to systems used to store or transmit test content.
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Fraud Risk Mitigation
Pearson employs a large number of fraud prevention measures at our test centres and in the construct and transmission
of the test and the test results. The core measures are as follows;
Test Design - All candidates follow the same administrative procedures and are scored in the same way. Test forms are
randomized but equated which means that test takers receive different versions of the test with all equivalent in terms of
number of items presented, difficulty level, scoring and the results issued.
Secure Testing Environment
Palm Vein Authentication with one-to-one matching and global one-to-many matching and No-Test-List (NTL)
Matching.
CCTV Monitoring. Operational in all PTE A test centres. Footage stored for 30 days.
All test audio returned to central hub for processing.
Personal introduction audio file made available to institutions as voice-print of test taker.
Results Validation - All characteristics of each test administration recorded and returned to central hub. Flags biometric
matches or other identity related anomalies.
Monitoring Test Centres - Test centres are all part of a secure, integrated global network. We operate a rigorous
internal audit schedule. Our test centre network is audited in the core areas of quality, information security and business
continuity. A risk-based approach is undertaken and ad-hoc audits may also be scheduled for certain projects, processes
or functions where there is a high level of risk.
Restriction on Test Centre administrators’ access to systems and material - Test administrator responsibilities are
limited to admittance of candidates and invigilation. The invigilator ratio for PTE-A is 1:15.
Booking, payment, collection/maintenance of candidate data, scoring, fulfilment of results are administered centrally by
Pearson. Invigilators cannot access test content which is downloaded to test centres in an encrypted format and only
decrypted during the test.
Test forms are randomly assigned to test takers; invigilators cannot identify which have been assigned to whom. Data
access is only granted for the purposes of identifying/admitting candidates on test day, is read-only and does not include
test score information.
Identifying Fraud
Invigilators are trained to deal with incidents including misconduct and security breach and have documented processes
to follow. Evidence is retained, interviews undertaken, and a report submitted through Pearson’s online incident
reporting system for investigation. This is a web-based, password-protected system that centres use to report issues and
track resolution.
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High-priority incidents are reported to Pearson’s support desk by telephone. If an issue cannot be resolved by the test
centre administrator it is escalated to the relevant Pearson team. Incidents are monitored internally to make sure they
are handled as per internal guidelines.
Following completion of the test by the candidate, test data is returned in an encrypted form over a secure connection to
a central Pearson hosted hub for processing. The system immediately validates the data returned to establish that:
1. Requisite candidate biometrics were successfully captured and have been returned
2. Candidate responses have all been returned
3. There are no other anomalies associated with the administration of the test.
Where the system establishes an anomaly associated with unusual test scores or characteristics of the administration of
the test a hold is automatically placed on the result for investigation by the security team.
In this way every test is thoroughly examined prior to the release of results to the test taker.
Score Reports and Sending Scores
Once a score has been cleared for release to the candidate we deliver
the results quickly.
Between 2011 and 2014, over 90% of results were delivered within five
days.
Results delivery is monitored by our results processing team to make
sure that targets are consistently met.
The score report provides an overall score, a score for each
communicative skill and a score for each of the enabling skills. The
overall score provides a general measure of a test taker’s English
proficiency in academic settings. The score range is from 10 to 90
points.
The communicative skills scores provide discrete information about the
listening, reading, speaking and writing skills of a test taker. These skills
Example score report
are also scored between 10 and 90 points.
The enabling skills scores are also provided in the score report. They provide information about particular strengths and
weaknesses of a test taker’s ability to communicate in speaking or writing. This information may be useful to determine
remedial or further English study and coursework required to improve a test taker’s score. The enabling skills scores
should not be used when making admissions decisions because the ‘measurement error’ is too large.
The graphic display of the scores in the report allows the candidate and the institution to quickly view the candidate’s
strengths and weaknesses, and how these relate to the overall performance
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In the context of some university programs, the communicative skills scores may provide useful, additional information
for making admissions decisions.
For example, institutions may set the admission requirement;



based on the minimum overall score alone, without taking into account communicative skills scores in admission
decisions;
based on the minimum overall score in combination with a higher minimum on one of the communicative skills
scores, because it is considered particularly important for the program the test taker wants to enter;
based on the minimum overall score in combination with a lower minimum on one of the communicative skills
scores, because it is considered less important for the program the test taker wants to enter.
Other combinations of the overall score and one or more of the communicative skills scores may be considered.
Once test takers have received their scores electronically via a secure online portal, they are free to assign their score to
any recognising institution or program. To ensure you maximise the security of PTE Academic scores, you should always
verify scores through the Score Report Website (SRW) see SRW Login Page); you should not accept paper or PDF
copies of the score report.
The score report website lets you:





Access test taker scores assigned to your institution.
Search by time period, name or specific score report.
Print, save or export all data as PDF or CSV files.
Listen to the sample audio files recorded by test takers.
View and edit your institution’s contact information and user accounts
(See pages 36 and 37 Score Guide)
2015 Recognition
PTE Academic is accepted by 98% of universities in the United Kingdom, as well as by a large number of colleges and
other institutions. Additionally PTE Academic is recognised by over 1,700 Institutions and over 3,000 programs across 56
countries worldwide. PTE Academic is also recognised for all visa classes by the Australian Department of Immigration
and Border Protection (DIBP) and by 100% of Australian universities and a large number of institutions in the USA,
Canada and New Zealand.
Summary
PTE Academic provides a best-in-class high stakes English proficiency test that meets and frequently exceeds industry
standards in the UK and across the globe. PTE Academic delivers high security, industry-leading accuracy and ease of user
access. Our technology allows us to mitigate error, control fraud, eradicate bias and deliver results faster than any other
equivalent assessment. Above all we offer a fair and consistent computer-based test in every location where we operate.
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