Is PTE 90 a good score?
IELTS 9.0 describes an expert user. Very few programmes ask for it; it is mainly relevant for competitive scholarships and some medical registrations.
Skill scores that match IELTS 9.0
Universities and visa bodies often set a minimum per skill, not just overall. These are the PTE communicative-skill ranges that concord to IELTS 9.0 in each module.
| Skill | PTE range for IELTS 9.0 |
|---|---|
| Listening | 81–90 |
| Reading | 81–90 |
| Speaking | not concorded at this band |
| Writing | not concorded at this band |
IELTS's own table says 8.5, not 9.0
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. They disagree on PTE 90: Pearson maps it to IELTS 9.0, IELTS to 8.5. The gap is widest in writing, where IELTS asks for a much higher PTE score; in speaking it asks for less.
What PTE 90 / IELTS 9.0 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.
Keep your score sharp
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 90 in IELTS?+
A PTE Academic overall score of 90 is equivalent to an IELTS overall band of 9.0. Pearson's July 2025 concordance maps PTE 90 to IELTS 9.0.
Is PTE 90 a good score?+
PTE 90 equals IELTS 9.0 (CEFR C2), which describes an expert user. Very few programmes ask for it; it is mainly relevant for competitive scholarships and some medical registrations.
Does IELTS agree that PTE 90 is IELTS 9.0?+
No. The IELTS Partners' own comparison places PTE 90 at IELTS 8.5, lower than Pearson's 9.0. Universities and visa bodies publish their own PTE minimums, so check the number they state rather than either table.
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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