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How Long Is the PTE Valid? Score Expiry Explained

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You’ve taken the PTE—great! But how long is your score actually valid? Whether you're applying to a university, a visa program, or immigration, it's important to know when your score expires and how it affects your application.

In this guide, we’ll explain the standard 2-year validity rule, highlight the exceptions (like Australia's 3-year PR window), and help you plan your application timeline to avoid surprises.

Table of Contents

PTE Score Validity: The Basics

According to Pearson, your PTE Academic or PTE Core score is valid for 2 years from the test date.

  • After 2 years, your score will disappear from your PTE account.
  • You will not be able to send your expired scores to institutions or visa offices.

Most universities, governments, and employers around the world follow this 2-year standard.

One exception is for the Australia Permanent Residency programs, which accepts scores up to 3 years old, as long as the score was valid at the time of invitation! So even if your PTE score disappears from your account after 2 years, immigration officials may still accept it—if it matches their 3-year eligibility rule. We, however, recommend you to retake it every 2 years just in case!

Impact of Expired PTE Scores

If your PTE score expires before your application deadline, submission, or visa invitation, here’s what happens:

  • You can’t send your results anymore.
  • You may need to retake the test, even if your previous score was excellent.
  • Your application may be delayed if documents are incomplete.

⚠️ Important: Pearson does not store expired results. Once it’s past 2 years, it’s gone for good.

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Planning tip: Take the PTE at least 1 month before your deadlines to avoid any issues.

Who should keep track of PTE score validity?

The PTE validity period matters for every applicant, but especially:

🎓 University Applicants

  • Most universities in Canada, the UK, the US, and Australia require PTE scores from within the past 2 years.

🛫 Immigration Applicants

  • Canada, UK, and New Zealand follow the 2-year rule.
  • Australia may accept 3-year-old scores—but only for PR via Skilled Migration or Subclass 189. We recommend following the 2-year-rule just in case!

Make a note of your test date and your application deadlines, and keep a digital copy of your score report just in case.

Conclusion

Your PTE score is valid for 2 years in most cases!

  • If you’re applying to universities or visas in Canada, UK, or USA, stick to the 2-year rule.
  • If you're targeting Australia PR, you may have a bit more flexibility—but double-check your invitation date.
  • Always allow enough time to retake the test if needed.
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Pro tip: Set a reminder 18 months after your test to start any remaining applications—before it’s too late.