PTE exam fee in Australia (2026): AUD price, GST & booking guide

AUD 499. That is the current official fee to sit the PTE Academic exam in Australia in 2026, inclusive of 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST). Whether you are sitting the test for Australian university admission, professional accreditation with CPA Australia or Engineers Australia, or targeting Superior English (79+ for 20 migration points) under the Department of Home Affairs points table, entering the test centre unprepared puts a substantial AUD 499 at risk.

Official PTE test fees in Australia (2026)

• PTE Academic: AUD 499.00 (the computer-delivered test for higher education admissions and Department of Home Affairs visa streams).
• PTE Core: AUD 499.00 (the general training test accepted by Canada’s IRCC for permanent residency and citizenship).
• PTE Academic UKVI: AUD 499.00 (the SELT variant for UK visa applications).
• PTE Home (A1, A2, B1): AUD 420.00 (the shorter speaking and listening test for UK family and settlement visas).

Why older blogs quote AUD 410 or AUD 445

Australia test fees have adjusted over recent cycles from AUD 410 to AUD 445 and now AUD 499. Unofficial migration blogs and coaching forums frequently fail to update their articles, leading test takers to under-budget. Always verify the live price at checkout on Pearson’s portal.

Pearson reschedule and cancellation schedule in Australia

Under Pearson’s global booking policy, all changes run through your myPTE dashboard:

• Reschedule 14 or more calendar days before test day: free of charge.
• Cancel 14 or more days before test day: full refund.
• Cancel between 8 and 13 days before test day: 50% refund.
• Cancel 7 days or fewer before test day: no refund. Pearson permits emergency cancellations only under strict medical documentation.

The stakes: why retakes cost more than test fees

• A retake costs another AUD 499: no concession or discount is provided.
• Score rescores cost USD 160 (requested via phone support within 14 days), but computerised scoring rarely shifts.
• Visa deadlines: missing an expression of interest (EOI) round or university census date can delay your life plans by 6 to 12 months.

Where you can take PTE Academic across Australia

Pearson operates over 35 authorised test centres across Australia, with test venues in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin and the Gold Coast. Peak Saturday and weekend morning slots in CBD centres regularly book out several weeks in advance, so lock in your date early.

How to protect your AUD 499 before booking

1. Complete a full 2-hour timed mock test under authentic exam conditions.
2. Identify your bottleneck skills: in PTE Academic, integrated tasks like Repeat Sentence, Read Aloud and Write from Dictation drive multiple communicative skills simultaneously.
3. Target your weakness: do not burn through random practice tests without reviewing trait-level feedback.
4. Book your exam only when your practice scores consistently exceed your target by at least 5 points.

One avoided retake keeps AUD 499 in your pocket. On Wobzzy, unlimited question drills and full-length 2-hour mock tests are completely free forever. For students wanting instant AI scoring with trait-level diagnostics, the optional Pro bundle costs just USD 15 (around AUD 23) for 250 practice questions and 8 full mock tests, less than 5% of a single test fee.

PTE Australia fees: quick answers

How much is the PTE Academic exam in Australia in 2026?

The official fee is AUD 499, including 10% GST. The base test fee is AUD 453.64.

Is PTE cheaper than IELTS in Australia?

The computer-delivered IELTS Academic test in Australia is priced around AUD 445 to AUD 490 depending on the test centre and state. PTE Academic is priced at AUD 499, offering computer-based speaking assessment and fast score reporting.

Can I reschedule my Australian PTE exam for free?

Yes, provided you reschedule at least 14 full calendar days before your scheduled appointment date through your myPTE account.