Differences between PTE Academic and PTE General Test

There are tons of questions regarding the differences between PTE Academic and PTE General Test. Even though both of the exams are conducted by Pearson, there are many more differences than that. In this article, we are going to talk about the differences between the two and help you to choose which one you should opt for.

The Key Differences

1. All sections of the PTE Academic test are taken on a computer with a headset and microphone to help with the speaking and listening sections. The test is scored by computer algorithms that have been designed using thousands of human-marked tests while on the other hand, The PTE General is not given on a computer. Instead, it is split into two parts: a spoken interview and a written paper. The written paper consists of the reading, listening and writing sections.
2. There are over 200 locations where you can take the PTE Academic exam, and it’s offered more than 360 days out of the year. As for the PTE general, it is held only thrice a year in May, June and December.
3. Just like IELTS exam, there are four sections in the PTE Academic exam format. These are- Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. In the PTE General exam, however, there are two segments- a written paper and a spoken test which are further divided into six sections.
4. PTE Academic exam results are only valid for two years from the date of the exam whereas the PTE General test result is valid indefinitely and has no expiration date.
5. One can register for the PTE Academic exam online through Pearson’s official website. As for the PTE General, you will need to register through the Edexcel Online system.
6. PTE Academic is accepted by London Business School (UK), Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Yale University, and other universities in the United States, Spain, France and China. In Australia, PTE Academic is accepted for Visa purposes whilst PTE General exam is conducted by Pearson in partnership with Edexcel Limited, which is the largest awarding body for academic and vocational qualifications in the United Kingdom. The score from the PTE General exam is accepted as a valid proof of English qualification by ministries and universities of the following countries: Albania, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Ukraine, Estonia.

The one thing that sets aside PTE General the most is that it is recognized by all universities and ministries of education around the world, but it cannot be used for immigration purposes and most of the time, it comes to this.

Hopefully with this article, you will have a clear understanding about the differences between PTE Academic and PTE General. Follow us at Sydney PTE Study Centre for more important updates about PTE examination.