I got underscored. I still passed, but I honestly believe their rating was awful; 14/25 on both reading and writing (C1). I took the TOEFL and scored 28/30 on both reading and writing, and I also have... See more
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The test was basically ok and I got my score in 24 hours. But their customer service is a complete joke (like most companies, we know...) and it's been 10 days now that I've been asking a simple quest... See more
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My speaking score was very low(49), and I applied for rescoring. I got 90 in speaking after the rescoring. How can my other module scores be affected because of this, and my reading and writing scores... See more
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I passed the test but I wouldn’t choose them again. Choose another test provider! Bad experience at the Pearson centre. The headphones they provide are shit, you can hear the other people taking the t... See more
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Company details
Written by the company
Trusted by governments and institutions to be a gold standard in English Language Testing, Pearson Test of English (PTE) is a computer-based English language proficiency test that assesses all four essential language skills in a single two-hour test. Approved for migration to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK and accepted by over 3500 universities worldwide, PTE is the faster, fairer, and simpler way to make your dream of living, studying, or working abroad a reality.
PTE: The faster, fairer, simpler English test
Written by the company
- The worry-free way to start your next chapter
- English tests without the stress, PTE tests are recognized worldwide by universities, colleges, governments, and professional bodies. We test all four skills in a single 2-hour computer-based test. By combining world-leading language experts with responsible AI, we’re able to score tests with pinpoint accuracy, removing bias and get results back to you typically within 48 hours. Trusted by governments and more than 3500 universities around the world, PTE is the worry-free way to start your next chapter.
Here to support you
Our mission is to deliver a worry-free test experience, so you can focus on showcasing your English skills and starting your next chapter.
We want every learner to have a worry-free test experience, and we know that the right support is a key part of that. We aim to respond to all queries within 24 hours providing additional updates where needed, going above and beyond to support our test takers around the world. We aim to ensure you’re informed and confident at every stage of your language learning journey, from your first enquiry to test day.
Contact info
Help, questions, or feedback? Get support: https://support.pearson.com/, United Kingdom
- pearsonpte.com
PTE is faster, fairer, and simpler:
2.2
Poor
694 reviews
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Very bad experience for the price
Very bad experience for the price. From the moment you enter the test center, you’re treated like a prisoner. You have to scan your fingerprint (which I’m not even sure is legal) and they search you before the exam.
The test environment is terrible, noisy, chaotic, and poorly managed. There’s no proper noise control, and they don’t provide real noise cancelling headphones, only very cheap ones that are useless. It’s almost impossible to focus and perform well.
On top of that, the test itself doesn’t really measure English skills. It’s more of a memory test where you have to remember and repeat lots of sentences. This has very little to do with actual English ability and much more to do with how good your memory is.
Overall, this raises serious concerns about the legitimacy and quality of this English test. Has to be sent an official request to the authorities to have a look on it !
14 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Hristo.
To maintain the security and trust of our scores globally, we aim to ensure all test centres provide a suitable and consistent environment for test takers. We’ve been working to improve our processes and communications with centres to reduce disruptions. As per our booking policy, test centres are required to meet our standards for test‑day conditions.
However, we'd like to help resolve this. We’ve requested more information from you. Please provide your PTE ID number, and a team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Avoid PTE Home B1
I passed the test but I wouldn’t choose them again. Choose another test provider! Bad experience at the Pearson centre. The headphones they provide are shit, you can hear the other people taking the test loudly around you! That impairs concentration badly. Also, test format is not intuitive, it feels like a memory and concentration test more than anything. Especially avoid if you have ADHD. Absolutely sub par. They check your passport three times, there is no care for data protection law, everyone can see your information on their screen. They also take biometric information: hand vein scan.
26 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
To maintain the security and trust of our scores globally, we aim to ensure all test centres provide a suitable and consistent environment for test takers. We’ve been working to improve our processes and communications with centres to reduce disruptions. As per our booking policy, test centres are required to meet our standards for test‑day conditions.
However, we'd like to help resolve this. We’ve requested more information from you. Please provide your PTE ID number, and a team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Avoid PTE
I sat for the PTE today. Ten people talking loudly in a 5-square-meter room, with no noise-cancelling headphones and no silent keyboards, is not what you expect for a 3300 SEK service.
21 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Konstantinos.
To maintain the security and trust of our scores globally, we aim to ensure all test centres provide a suitable and consistent environment for test takers. We’ve been working to improve our processes and communications with centres to reduce disruptions. As per our booking policy, test centres are required to meet our standards for test-day conditions.
However, we'd like to help resolve this. We've requested more information from you. Please provide your PTE ID number, and a team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Avoid this scam
I canceled my test, but instead of receiving a full refund, I only received a partial refund. I contacted customer support, but I have not received any response. Please be cautious when dealing with this company.
21 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Mohamed. To maintain the security and trust of our scores globally, we follow clear booking and refund policies, including the requirement that cancellations made at least 14 full calendar days before a test are eligible for a full refund.
We know how important transparent information is, and we’re working to improve our process and communications to reduce confusion.
As per our policy, cancellations made between 13 and 8 days before a test receive a 50% refund.
However, we’d like to help resolve this. We’ve requested more information from you. Please provide your PTE ID number, and a team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Unfair scoring system – feels like a money-making cycle
I have taken the PTE Academic test 14 times trying to achieve an overall 8-band equivalent score in all four modules.
Most of the time, I scored 90 points in three modules, but one module is always kept below the required level, forcing me to retake the exam again.
After so many attempts, this no longer feels like a fair assessment of English ability. Instead, it feels like a repeated testing cycle designed to make candidates pay again and again.
The lack of transparency in scoring, especially for speaking and writing, makes it very hard to trust the results. There is no clear explanation for why one module consistently falls short despite strong performance in the others.
Pearson needs to improve score transparency, consistency, and accountability, because for many test-takers, this experience feels frustrating, expensive, and unfair.
20 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Udit.
We understand how important it is to have a fair and accurate assessment, especially when it impacts important plans. Our AI scoring system is designed to minimise bias and ensure accuracy by combining AI with human expertise. This approach helps reduce the risk of human bias, providing fair and reliable scores.
However, we acknowledge that your experience did not meet your expectations. We strive to provide efficient and helpful customer support, and we’re sorry that your interactions with the re-mark process did not meet our usual high standards.
Your comments will be passed onto the team. We’ve requested more information from you.
Please provide your PTE ID number, and a team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Scam of a company
As many of the reviews will tell you this is a scam of a company.
I booked onto the test and asked for given name with no indication you need to include your middle name.
They lock your account so you can not adjust this at all and it takes up to 5 business days to change.
I got refused at the test centre even though my ID clearly matches. They said they will put a claim in for me.
I followed all procedures but then they are asking me to pay the $475 again over the phone. The managers were also no help and hide behind "their strict ID policy".
They have no option to reschedule under an admin fee. They call it a "no show" even when I turned up early and followed every procedure.
None of the other companies insist on requiring the middle name. It is a total scam. Do not use them.
16 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Charlie. We're sorry to hear you couldn't sit your PTE test. We understand how important this is and how frustrating it must be.
To maintain the security and trust of our scores globally, we adhere to strict ID policies. It's crucial that your application and passport details match exactly.
We've been working to improve this process and our communications to reduce mismatches. As per our booking policy, tests that don't meet our ID requirements are turned away for security reasons and are not eligible for a refund. However, we'd like to help resolve this. We've requested more information from you. Please provide your PTE ID number, and a team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Thank you PTE
Thank you PTE , Honestly I didn’t expect the results of my test and i got my desired scores.
6 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thanks so much for your review MJ. We’re really happy to hear you achieved the scores you were aiming for and had a great overall experience with PTE.
Congratulations on your results, and thank you for choosing PTE, we look forward to supporting you again in the future.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
A few days ago I cancelled my PTE Core…
A few days ago I cancelled my PTE Core exam exactly 14 days before the test date, in line with Pearson’s published refund policy stating that a full refund applies when cancellation is made at least 14 days in advance. Despite this, Pearson issued only a 50% refund.
When I contacted customer service, I was told that the cancellation and exam dates “do not count” toward the 14-day period — a rule that is not clearly stated anywhere on their website or terms. When I questioned this lack of transparency, the agent ended the call abruptly- hung up the phone on me.
This experience reflects very poor customer service and unclear, inconsistently applied policies. I would caution others to document everything carefully and not rely solely on the wording of Pearson’s refund policy on their website.
15 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Orevagohene. We're sorry to hear about your experience and understand how frustrating this must be.
To maintain the security and trust of our scores globally, we follow clear booking and refund policies, including the requirement that cancellations made at least 14 full calendar days before a test are eligible for a full refund.
We know how important transparent information is, and we’re working to improve our process and communications to reduce confusion. As per our policy, cancellations made between 13 and 8 days before a test receive a 50% refund. However, we’d like to help resolve this.
We’ve requested more information from you. Please provide your PTE ID number, and a team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
DO NOT RECOMMEND PTE PEARSON – SYSTEM ALLOWS INVALID BOOKINGS THEN REFUSES REFUND OR RESCHEDULE
I paid £160 for a PTE Home B1 test and was turned away at the test centre because my middle name was missing from my registration, even though I presented a valid passport.
Pearson’s booking system accepted my details and processed full payment. The issue was only flagged on the day of the exam, when it was already too late to fix, even though the test centre staff were able to update my name in their system in less than two minutes and confirmed that my profile was then corrected for any future booking (provided I paid the full fee again). Pearson then refused both a refund and a free rebooking.
After this experience, I booked my test with Trinity College instead. Their registration system is much clearer, with separate fields for all required information (including middle name), and their customer support is far more helpful and flexible if you need assistance after booking.
This is a known recurring issue with Pearson based on many similar reports online. Avoid PTE unless you want to risk losing your money over an administrative technicality.
12 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Lisa. We're sorry to hear you couldn't sit your PTE test. We understand how important this is and how frustrating it must be.
To maintain the security and trust of our scores globally, we adhere to strict ID policies. It's crucial that your application and passport details match exactly. We've been working to improve this process and our communications to reduce mismatches. As per our booking policy, tests that don't meet our ID requirements are turned away for security reasons and are not eligible for a refund.
However, we'd like to help resolve this. We've requested more information from you. Please provide your PTE ID number, and a
team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Smooth and fast
Smooth and fast. Got my results hours after the exam.
11 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thanks so much for your review Naveen. We’re really glad to hear you had a great experience with PTE and that you received your scores promptly after completing your test.
Thanks for choosing PTE, we look forward to serving you in the future.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Thank you
everything was great except the headphones on the test centre.
5 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thanks so much for your review Emre. We’re glad to hear you had a great experience with PTE, and we appreciate your note about the headset quality at the test centre, to help resolve this we have requested more information from you. Please provide your PTE ID number so a team member can reach out via email.
Thanks for choosing PTE, we look forward to serving you in the future.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Zangmo.
We aim to provide a calm and distraction-free environment for all test takers, and your comments will be shared with the team.
We would like to help resolve this and have requested more information from you.
If you’d like to discuss this further or need additional support please provide your PTE ID number so a team member can reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Unauthorised Account & GDPR Concerns.
An unauthorised account was created using my personal data, apparently from another country. The company refused to delete the account and declined to provide GDPR controller or Data Protection Officer contact details when asked. This raises serious concerns about GDPR compliance and data handling practices.
11 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Joel. We take these matters seriously and have strict processes in place to safeguard information and prevent unauthorised access.
Your comments will be escalated to the relevant team for review. To help resolve this, we have requested more information from you. Please provide your PTE ID number so a team member can reach out via email with next steps.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
the testing ambiance is comfy
5 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thanks so much for your review. We’re so please to hear you had a positive experience with PTE and found the environment supportive and well-suited for testing. It’s great to know the setting helped you feel comfortable and focused.
Thanks for choosing PTE, and we look forward to supporting you again in the future.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
The results were too quick and overall…
The results were too quick and overall testing was very realistic as it is holistic.
4 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thanks so much for your review Semiha. We’re delighted to hear you had a positive experience with PTE and appreciated the efficiency and comprehensive nature of the test. It’s great to know the process met your expectations.
Thanks for choosing PTE, and we look forward to supporting you again in the future.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
This pearson test of english seems like…
This pearson test of english seems like a totally fraud, i was booked for a test on 07-01-2026 , at the time of making account there is a drop down blank options to fill the date of birth( day,month,year) . When i went in the exam hall they said my date of birth doesnt match with the passport . How it is possible because i have filled everything right at the time of making account as in the options days are from 1 to 31 , my d.o.b is 02-11-1992 but it is showing 31-10-1992 in the system, how can i select 31 at the last instead of select 2 and at the same time in drop down blanks how can i select wrong month as well , it is the system error but they blamed me and did not allow me to give my test, when i asked them they said they cannot reschedule it. Its huge amount of $475 how can they not rebook my test . Its totally frustrating and unbelievable.
7 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Raman. We're sorry to hear you couldn't sit your PTE test and understand how frustrating this must be.
To maintain the security and trust of our scores globally, we adhere to strict ID policies. It's crucial that your application and passport details match exactly. We’ve been working to improve this process and our communications to reduce mismatches. As per our booking policy, tests that don't meet our ID requirements are turned away for security reasons and are not eligible for a refund.
However, we'd like to help resolve this. We've requested more information from you. Please provide your PTE ID number, and a team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Avoid at all cost. Use IELTS or TOEFL instead
I took the PTE Core in Berlin on 16 December 2025. The hardware and/or software crashed almost 10 times during the test. This happened to every participant in the test center (though some more than others). The test administrators stayed in the room with us during the test and were 100% unfazed, meaning this happens very regularly. The test clock keeps running and you end up answering the same question multiple times. The test administrators filed a claim before the test was even over. Pearson did nothing until I reached out ~5 times.
By now, I have reached out 10+ times to Pearson for a resolution. They sent a voucher code to rebook a test. The voucher code is invalid and Pearson's customer service told me that the voucher is valid but that I am not capable of copy-pasting a voucher code. I have asked for a refund, which can be granted by Pearson on a discretionary basis, according to Pearson's refund policy.
Generally, the customer service is:
- very hard to reach,
- takes many days to answer,
- does not answer your questions but only copy-paste pre-written answers,
- if you ask for an escalation, they either claim to be the supervisor of the entire customer service team, or refuse to escalate the issue further and tell you to start a new claim,
- they actively lie about Pearson policies, and stop answering when you actually quote the Pearson policies and ask them to provide links to the policies they claim they rely on.
The test itself is very poorly built. I have taken TOEFL, IELTS, GMAT, GRE in the past and always scored very high (98% percentile in English on both GMAT and GRE). The recordings and texts might be AI-generated because they include grammar mistakes similarly to what ChatGPT regularly does. The accents and enunciations are also quite questionable, even as a fluent English speaker. I have lived in multiple English-speaking countries, including the US and am often mistaken for an American.
16 December 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Yohan.
We understand how important it is to have a smooth and reliable experience, and we apologise that this did not meet our usual high standards. Your comments will be passed onto the team.
To help resolve this matter, we have requested more information from you. Please provide your PTE ID and any additional details and the team will contact you via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
this is complete bullshit
this is complete bullshit . i recommend to look other options over PTE . the scoring system is completely awful. don’t waste your time n money .
6 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Sahil.
We understand how important it is to have a fair and accurate assessment, especially when it impacts your plans. Our AI scoring system is designed to minimise bias and ensure accuracy by combining AI with human expertise, helping provide reliable scores.
Your comments will be passed onto the team for review.
We would like to resolve this issue and have requested more information from you.
Please provide your PTE ID number and any additional details, and a team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
MY RESULTS ARE STILL ON HOLD AFTER THEY…
MY RESULTS ARE STILL ON HOLD AFTER THEY VITHDREW THEM CLAIMING MY EVISA CODE IS NOT VALID!!!
I SENT THEM 3 EMAILS IN 1 WEEK AND GOT NO REPLY.
WILL TAKE YOU TO THE COURT! YOU'LL SEE, CHEATERS.
6 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We understand how important it is to have a fair and accurate assessment, especially when external factors impact performance.
Our AI scoring system is designed to minimise bias and ensure accuracy by combining AI with human expertise, and we appreciate your patience during the rescore process. Your comments will be passed onto the team for review.
We would like to resolve this issue and have requested more information from you.
Please provide your PTE ID number and any additional details, and a team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
Partial refund provided where I quality for full refund
I booked a PTE test for January 17, 2026 and canceled on January 3, 2026 at 3:31 PM AEDT. According to the PTE cancellation policy:
Full refund if canceled at least 14 full calendar days before the test
50% refund if canceled between 13 and 8 days before the test
Since I canceled 14 days before the test date, I expected a full refund. However, I only received 50% (AU$237.50). When I contacted support, they talked about the policy again. It clearly mentioned there that i should get full refund.
During these hard times, losing half of the test fee feels unfair, especially as I was trying to follow the policy. This cancellation was done by mistake, and I am planning to rebook for the same date. I kindly request Pearson to allow a full refund and assist me in rebooking the test.
I kindly request Pearson to review this case and clarify the calculation method. The policy wording suggests my cancellation qualifies for a full refund.
PTE ID: PTE004517620
Order Number: KYMZ-463115
5 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Pearson Test of English (PTE)
Thank you for sharing your feedback Priti.
We understand how important it is to have clear and accurate information when booking and cancelling your test. Our goal is to provide a smooth and efficient experience for all test takers, and we apologise that your experience did not meet our usual high standards.
Your comments will be passed onto the team for review. To help resolve this matter we have requested more information from you. Please provide your details, and a team member will reach out via email.
Best Wishes,
The PTE Team
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