Is PTE 87 a good score?
IELTS 8.5 describes a very good user. It clears every common university, professional-registration and skilled-migration threshold.
Skill scores that match IELTS 8.5
Universities and visa bodies often set a minimum per skill, not just overall. These are the PTE communicative-skill ranges that concord to IELTS 8.5 in each module.
| Skill | PTE range for IELTS 8.5 |
|---|---|
| Listening | 75–80 |
| Reading | 75–80 |
| Speaking | 90 |
| Writing | 90 |
IELTS's own table says 8.0, not 8.5
There are two official comparisons. Pearson published its concordance for the enhanced PTE Academic in July 2025; the IELTS Partners publish their own study on ielts.org. They disagree on PTE 87: Pearson maps it to IELTS 8.5, IELTS to 8.0. The gap is widest in writing, where IELTS asks for a much higher PTE score; in speaking it asks for less.
| PTE needed for IELTS 8.5 | Pearson (2025) | IELTS Partners |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 86–89 | 89+ |
| Listening | 75–80 | 85+ |
| Reading | 75–80 | 84+ |
| Speaking | 90 | 86+ |
| Writing | 90 | 90+ |
What PTE 87 / IELTS 8.5 means for visas
Immigration bodies set their thresholds per skill, so an overall score only tells you whether you are in range. Use it to pick a target, then check each skill against the official table linked in the row.
| Country / level | IELTS (each skill) | PTE Academic (each skill) | Your overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia: Vocational English | 5.0 | 33 / 36 / 29 / 24 (L/R/W/S) | in range |
| Australia: Competent English | 6.0 | 47 / 48 / 51 / 54 (L/R/W/S) | in range |
| Australia: Proficient English (10 points) | 7.0 | 58 / 59 / 69 / 76 (L/R/W/S) | in range |
| Australia: Superior English (20 points) | 8.0 | 69 / 70 / 85 / 88 (L/R/W/S) | in range |
Australian levels are set by the Department of Home Affairs and changed on 7 August 2025 to per-skill PTE minimums. “In range” compares your overall band to the per-skill requirement; verify each skill on the official page before relying on it.
Get from PTE 87 to 90
Take a free AI-scored PTE Academic mock, see which skill is holding the overall down, and practise that task type until the score moves.
Start a free scored PTE mock →Frequently asked questions
What is PTE 87 in IELTS?+
A PTE Academic overall score of 87 is equivalent to an IELTS overall band of 8.5. Pearson's July 2025 concordance maps PTE 86–89 to IELTS 8.5.
Is PTE 87 a good score?+
PTE 87 equals IELTS 8.5 (CEFR C2), which describes a very good user. It clears every common university, professional-registration and skilled-migration threshold.
How many more points do I need for IELTS 9.0?+
3 points. IELTS 9.0 starts at PTE 90, so from 87 you need to reach 90. Most learners close a gap this size with two to four weeks of scored practice on their weakest skill.
Does IELTS agree that PTE 87 is IELTS 8.5?+
No. The IELTS Partners' own comparison places PTE 87 at IELTS 8.0, lower than Pearson's 8.5. Universities and visa bodies publish their own PTE minimums, so check the number they state rather than either table.
What score does your university ask for?
Nearby scores
Source: Pearson, “Establishing score concordance between the enhanced PTE Academic and IELTS Academic” (July 2025). BandLadder is an independent practice platform, not an official Pearson tool. A concordance shows close equivalents, not exact one-to-one scores; check the requirement published by your institution or visa authority.
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