August 11, 2025
Table 1: PTE Academic Test Format Changes (August 7, 2025)
| Aspect | Before August 7, 2025 | From August 7, 2025 | Change Impact |
| Total Tasks | 52-64 tasks | 65-75 tasks | +13-21 tasks |
| Test Duration | ~2 hours | ~2 hours 15 minutes | +15-20 minutes longer |
| Speaking & Writing Duration | 54-67 minutes | 76-84 minutes | +15-20 minutes longer |
| Reading Duration | 29-30 minutes | 23-30 minutes | Slightly shorter |
| Listening Duration | 30-43 minutes | 31-39 minutes | Similar duration |
| Question Types | 20 question types | 22 question types | +2 new types |
| New Tasks Added | None | Summarise Group Discussion, Respond to a Situation | More real-world communication |
| Scoring Method | Fully AI-automated | Hybrid AI + Human for 7 tasks | Templates discouraged |
Table 2: PTE Score Requirements for Australian Visas
| Visa Type | Old Requirements | New Requirements (Aug 2025) | PR Points | Key Change |
| Student Visa – Direct Entry | Overall: 42 | Overall: 42 | N/A | No change |
| Student Visa – 10 weeks ELICOS | Overall: 36 | Overall: 36 | N/A | No change |
| Student Visa – 20 weeks ELICOS | Overall: 30 | Overall: 30 | N/A | No change |
| Temporary Graduate Visa (485) | Overall: 57, L:43, R:48, W:51, S:42 | Overall: 55, L:40, R:42, W:41, S:39 | N/A | Slightly reduced |
| Skilled Migration – Competent | Each component: 50 | L:47, R:48, W:51, S:54 | 0 points | +1-4 points per skill |
| Skilled Migration – Proficient | Each component: 65 | L:58, R:59, W:69, S:76 | 10 points | +4-14 points per skill |
| Skilled Migration – Superior | Each component: 79 | L:69, R:70, W:85, S:88 | 20 points | +6-21 points per skill |
Table 3: Task Scoring Weight Changes
| Task Type | Previous Score Range | New Score Range (Aug 2025) | Skills Affected | Change Type |
| Read Aloud | ~50 marks | 8-10 marks | Speaking only (was R+S) | Major Decrease |
| Repeat Sentence | 10-15 marks | 10-15 marks | Speaking | No Change |
| Describe Image | 8-12 marks | 8-12 marks | Speaking (Human scored) | No Change |
| Retell Lecture | 8-12 marks | 8-12 marks | Speaking + Listening (Human scored) | No Change |
| Answer Short Questions | 5-8 marks | 5-8 marks | Speaking | No Change |
| Summarise Written Text | 15-20 marks | 40-45 marks | Reading + Writing (Human scored) | Major Increase |
| Essay Writing | 8-15 marks | 25-28 marks | Writing (Human scored) | Major Increase |
| Multiple Choice (Reading) | 15-20 marks | 15-20 marks | Reading | No Change |
| Re-order Paragraphs | 15-20 marks | 15-20 marks | Reading | No Change |
| Reading & Writing Fill Blanks | 15-20 marks | 10-15 marks | Reading only (no Writing) | Reduced Cross-skill |
| Reading Fill-in-the-Blanks | 10-15 marks | 10-15 marks | Reading | No Change |
| Summarise Spoken Text | 8-12 marks | 8-12 marks | Listening + Writing (Human scored) | No Change |
| Multiple Choice (Listening) | 10-15 marks | 10-15 marks | Listening | No Change |
| Listening Fill-in-the-Blanks | 15-20 marks | 15-20 marks | Listening only (no Writing) | Reduced Cross-skill |
| Highlight Correct Summary | 8-12 marks | 8-12 marks | Listening | No Change |
| Select the Missing Word | 8-12 marks | 8-12 marks | Listening | No Change |
| Highlight Incorrect Words | 8-12 marks | 8-12 marks | Listening | No Change |
| Write from Dictation | 15-20 marks | 15-20 marks | Listening + Writing | No Change |
Table 4: New Question Types Details
| New Task | Task Description | Skills Tested | Scoring Method | Preparation Tips |
| Summarise Group Discussion | Listen to a 3-minute academic discussion with 2-4 speakers and provide a 2-minute oral summary | Listening comprehension, Speaking fluency, Content synthesis | Human + AI review | Practice note-taking during discussions, and focus on capturing all viewpoints |
| Respond to a Situation | Listen to an everyday scenario, speak an appropriate response for ~40 seconds | Listening comprehension, Speaking spontaneity, Problem-solving | Human + AI review | Practice spontaneous responses to real-life situations, and avoid scripted answers |
Table 5: Human vs AI Scoring Breakdown
| Task Type | Scoring Method | Human Evaluation Focus | AI Evaluation Focus |
| Essay Writing | Human + AI | Content quality, coherence, and task response | Grammar, vocabulary, spelling |
| Summarise Written Text | Human + AI | Content accuracy, comprehension, and summary quality | Grammar, vocabulary, and language mechanics |
| Describe Image | Human + AI | Content relevance, description accuracy, and fluency | Pronunciation, oral fluency, and language use |
| Retell Lecture | Human + AI | Content retention, coherence, and delivery | Pronunciation, oral fluency, and language use |
| Summarise Spoken Text | Human + AI | Content accuracy, comprehension, and summary skills | Grammar, vocabulary, and language mechanics |
| Summarise Group Discussion | Human + AI | Content synthesis, viewpoint coverage, and fluency | Pronunciation, oral fluency, and language use |
| Respond to a Situation | Human + AI | Appropriateness, problem-solving, and natural response | Pronunciation, oral fluency, language use |
| All Other Tasks | AI Only | N/A | All language aspects |
Key Takeaways from the Tables:
Major Changes:
- The test is 15-20 minutes longer with more tasks
- Human scoring introduced for 7 critical tasks
- Score requirements increased significantly for skilled migration
- Two new speaking tasks focus on real-world communication
Strategic Focus Areas:
- Essay Writing and Summarising Written Text now carry much higher scores
- Read Aloud scoring dramatically reduced
- Superior English level requires much higher Writing (85) and Speaking (88) scores
Preparation Priorities:
- Authentic responses over templates
- Real-world communication skills
- Note-taking and summarisation abilities
- Spontaneous speaking practice
These tables provide a complete reference for understanding exactly how the PTE academic exam format has changed and what it means for your Australian visa or PR application. For more information, contact SBS Consultants.