Harvard, Stanford, Yale to accept PTE scores

Ivy League institutions like Harvard and Yale along with other renowned varsities like Stanford, INSEAD and the Indian School of Business and organisations such as the UK Border Agency will now be accepting Pearson’s PTE Academic scores.

PTE Academic — the English language test developed by Pearson Education — was launched eight months ago and is in the process of being recognised by more than 1500 programmes worldwide. It is endorsed by the Graduate Management Admission Council GMAC, the owners of the Graduate Management Admission test GMAT.

“We have a 10-year plan for the test and are targeting 3 per cent of the academic English market in India which is currently 200,000 students. For us, the testing parameters are listening, reading, writing and speaking and all these four modules can be tested in three hours,” said John K Philip, Regional Director (SAARC Countries), Pearson Language Tests.

The computer-based test is delivered on a ‘choose and book’ basis rather than on fixed dates and test takers can schedule their appointment just 24 hours before their test and results are delivered in two business days, according to Pearson.

Pearson is in talks with both Indian and foreign universities that accept international students and where English is the preferred language of teaching.

Moreover, Pearson has also tied up with almost 100 test preparation centres across the country and also offers online tests for students. The unscored practice tests are for free while the scored ones cost $20 (Rs 950) each.