Is PTE 89 a good score?
IELTS 8.5 describes a very good user. It clears every common university, professional-registration and skilled-migration threshold. You are 1 point from IELTS 9.0, which is usually one weak skill away.
Skill scores that match IELTS 8.5
Universities and visa bodies often set a minimum per skill, not just overall. These are the PTE communicative-skill ranges that concord to IELTS 8.5 in each module.
| Skill | PTE range for IELTS 8.5 |
|---|---|
| Listening | 75–80 |
| Reading | 75–80 |
| Speaking | 90 |
| Writing | 90 |
IELTS's own table agrees: 8.5
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 89 at IELTS 8.5, though they still differ skill by skill, most of all in writing.
| PTE needed for IELTS 8.5 | Pearson (2025) | IELTS Partners |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 86–89 | 89+ |
| Listening | 75–80 | 85+ |
| Reading | 75–80 | 84+ |
| Speaking | 90 | 86+ |
| Writing | 90 | 90+ |
What PTE 89 / IELTS 8.5 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) | in range |
| Australia: Superior English (20 points) | 8.0 | 69 / 70 / 85 / 88 (L/R/W/S) | in range |
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 89 to 90
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 89 in IELTS?+
A PTE Academic overall score of 89 is equivalent to an IELTS overall band of 8.5. Pearson's July 2025 concordance maps PTE 86–89 to IELTS 8.5.
Is PTE 89 a good score?+
PTE 89 equals IELTS 8.5 (CEFR C2), which describes a very good user. It clears every common university, professional-registration and skilled-migration threshold.
How many more points do I need for IELTS 9.0?+
1 point. IELTS 9.0 starts at PTE 90, so from 89 you need to reach 90. Most learners close a gap this size with two to four weeks of scored practice on their weakest skill.
Does IELTS agree that PTE 89 is IELTS 8.5?+
Yes. The IELTS Partners' own comparison also places PTE 89 at IELTS 8.5.
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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