Is PTE 60 a good score?
IELTS 6.5 describes a competent user. Most undergraduate and many postgraduate programmes in the UK, Australia, Canada and Ireland accept it, often with no skill below 6.0. You are 3 points from IELTS 7.0, which is usually one weak skill away.
Skill scores that match IELTS 6.5
Universities and visa bodies often set a minimum per skill, not just overall. These are the PTE communicative-skill ranges that concord to IELTS 6.5 in each module.
| Skill | PTE range for IELTS 6.5 |
|---|---|
| Listening | 53–57 |
| Reading | 54–58 |
| Speaking | 66–75 |
| Writing | 60–68 |
IELTS's own table agrees: 6.5
There are two official comparisons. Pearson published its concordance for the enhanced PTE Academic in July 2025; the IELTS Partners publish their own study on ielts.org. Both put PTE 60 at IELTS 6.5, though they still differ skill by skill, most of all in writing.
| PTE needed for IELTS 6.5 | Pearson (2025) | IELTS Partners |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 55–62 | 59+ |
| Listening | 53–57 | 57+ |
| Reading | 54–58 | 61+ |
| Speaking | 66–75 | 54+ |
| Writing | 60–68 | 75+ |
What PTE 60 / IELTS 6.5 means for visas
Immigration bodies set their thresholds per skill, so an overall score only tells you whether you are in range. Use it to pick a target, then check each skill against the official table linked in the row.
| Country / level | IELTS (each skill) | PTE Academic (each skill) | Your overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia: Vocational English | 5.0 | 33 / 36 / 29 / 24 (L/R/W/S) | in range |
| Australia: Competent English | 6.0 | 47 / 48 / 51 / 54 (L/R/W/S) | in range |
| Australia: Proficient English (10 points) | 7.0 | 58 / 59 / 69 / 76 (L/R/W/S) | below |
| Australia: Superior English (20 points) | 8.0 | 69 / 70 / 85 / 88 (L/R/W/S) | below |
Australian levels are set by the Department of Home Affairs and changed on 7 August 2025 to per-skill PTE minimums. “In range” compares your overall band to the per-skill requirement; verify each skill on the official page before relying on it.
Get from PTE 60 to 63
Take a free AI-scored PTE Academic mock, see which skill is holding the overall down, and practise that task type until the score moves.
Start a free scored PTE mock →Frequently asked questions
What is PTE 60 in IELTS?+
A PTE Academic overall score of 60 is equivalent to an IELTS overall band of 6.5. Pearson's July 2025 concordance maps PTE 55–62 to IELTS 6.5.
Is PTE 60 a good score?+
PTE 60 equals IELTS 6.5 (CEFR B2), which describes a competent user. Most undergraduate and many postgraduate programmes in the UK, Australia, Canada and Ireland accept it, often with no skill below 6.0.
How many more points do I need for IELTS 7.0?+
3 points. IELTS 7.0 starts at PTE 63, so from 60 you need to reach 63. Most learners close a gap this size with two to four weeks of scored practice on their weakest skill.
Does IELTS agree that PTE 60 is IELTS 6.5?+
Yes. The IELTS Partners' own comparison also places PTE 60 at IELTS 6.5.
What score does your university ask for?
Nearby scores
Source: Pearson, “Establishing score concordance between the enhanced PTE Academic and IELTS Academic” (July 2025). BandLadder is an independent practice platform, not an official Pearson tool. A concordance shows close equivalents, not exact one-to-one scores; check the requirement published by your institution or visa authority.
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