PTE Score Requirements for Australia & the UK in 2026 (Including the New UK B2 Rule)

Picking a target score is half the battle. Aim too low and your result is useless; aim blindly high and you burn months you didn't need to. Here's where the bar actually sits for Australia and the UK in 2026.

How PTE maps to CEFR

Most visa rules are written in CEFR levels (A1 up to C2), not PTE numbers, so the first job is translation. Approximate PTE Academic bands:

• B1 ≈ PTE 43–58
• B2 ≈ PTE 59–75
• C1 ≈ PTE 76–84
• C2 ≈ PTE 85+

These are approximate boundaries — treat them as planning targets, then confirm the exact number your visa stream names.

Australia: the three English bands

Australia's General Skilled Migration points test reads PTE Academic in three well-known tiers. As a working guide:

• Competent English — PTE around 50 in each skill. Usually the minimum to be eligible.
• Proficient English — PTE around 65 in each skill. Worth 10 points.
• Superior English — PTE around 79 in each skill. Worth 20 points.

For points-tested visas those 10 or 20 points are often the difference between an invitation and silence, so most serious applicants aim for Proficient or Superior rather than the bare minimum.

The UK: B1 became B2 in January 2026

This is the big 2026 change. On 8 January 2026, the English requirement for the UK Skilled Worker route moved up from B1 to B2. In PTE terms, that's a jump from roughly 43–58 up to 59–75 across each skill.

What it means in practice:

• The old "just clear B1" plan no longer works for Skilled Worker — you now need a genuine B2.
• For the UK you sit PTE Academic UKVI, the Secure English Language Test (SELT) version, at an approved test centre. A standard PTE Academic booking won't satisfy a UK visa.
• If you tested before the change at B1, check whether your route and timing still qualify — don't assume an old result carries over.

If you're UK-bound in 2026, plan for B2 (PTE ~59–75 each skill) from day one. Preparing to the old B1 bar is the most common avoidable mistake we see.

A sensible target by goal

1. Australia, want the points → aim for Superior (≈79); settle for Proficient (≈65) if 79 is out of reach.
2. Australia, just need eligibility → Competent (≈50), but build a buffer above the line.
3. UK Skilled Worker (2026) → B2 (≈59–75) on PTE Academic UKVI.
4. University → whatever the course states, commonly 58–79 depending on the program.

Always verify before you book

Visa English rules move — the UK's own B1→B2 shift is proof. Numbers in any guide, including this one, are planning aids, not gospel. Confirm the live requirement on the Department of Home Affairs (Australia) or UK Home Office / UKVI pages, and make sure you're booking the right PTE product (UKVI for the UK).

Kooroo sets your practice targets against these bands and tracks each skill separately, so you know exactly how far you are from Competent, Proficient, Superior — or a UK B2.