Can the PTE be taken Online? Your Complete Guide
Pearson's Test of English (PTE) is widely recognized for immigration and academic purposes worldwide. A common question among students and professionals preparing for the test is whether the PTE can be taken online from home. As of 2025, it appears that Pearson PTE have quietly discontinued their PTE Academic Online.
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Why was the PTE Academic Online discontinued?
The main reason appears to be that Pearson had challenges with online proctoring. In short, they could not always ensure that test takers were not cheating. On average, results for the PTE Academic Online were much higher than ones from in-person testing. To maintain the high standard and global recognition of the PTE, they decided to quietly discontinue the online format. Pearson have not made any official announcement on the matter, but they have removed the online option from their website.
What does this mean for test-takers?
Although you can no longer take the PTE from home, the traditional, in-center PTE Academic test remains available. Lucky for you, the PTE has over 500 test centers around the world offering tests regularly. Click here to find a list of test centers by country and how much the test costs in different places!
If you need to test from home, consider different option like the TOEFL Home Edition, IELTS Online, or the Duolingo English Test.
Arno also offers a free Vocabulary Builder that can help you learn the words you need to get a great score for your in-person PTE Academic test — or other English proficiency tests like the DET, TOEFL or IELTS!