Pearson to begin PTE Academic Online in January

The remote test follows the same format and scoring system as the in-person PTE Academic, however, it is not currently valid for visa or migration purposes.

Among the hundreds of universities around the world accepting the online academic English test are Canada’s University of Manitoba and Humber College, the Universities of York and Oxford in the UK and Arizona State University, University of Alabama and University of South California in the US.

“It is great to see so many leading universities worldwide already accepting PTE Academic Online, with the list growing by the week,” Monk added.

New Zealand’s University of Canterbury and Australia’s Macquarie University and RMIT are also among the institutions accepting the test.

Earlier in 2021, Monk told The PIE that Pearson is planning to roll the test out in China in 2022. It is currently operating in every country around the world, bar China, Iran and Cuba.

“This acceptance shows that both colleges and candidates want the option”

“This acceptance shows that both colleges and candidates want the option of a secure and trusted test which can be taken at home, in case travel to a test centre is not possible, or global events such as Covid mean widespread test centre closures, for example,” she added.

In November, Pearson announced an agreement with the University of Hong Kong to test English language skills for undergraduate students via computer-based tests. International students make up more than 40% of the student population at the institution.

The introduction of PTE Academic Online in January follows the start of the two-hour PTE Academic exam in test centres in November – a reduction of one hour on the original test.