How long does it take for a university to receive my PTE score?

Around 48 hours. Sending is instant on your side — the moment you select the institution in myPTE, the request goes out — but Pearson states it takes roughly two days before the institution can actually see or verify your score report. So an empty applicant portal a few hours after you hit send is completely normal and does not mean anything went wrong.

If it has been longer than 48 hours

First, go back into myPTE and confirm which institution you actually selected. Large universities often have several entries — separate ones for undergraduate admissions, graduate admissions, a specific faculty, or a different campus. Choosing the wrong entry is the most common cause of a score that has technically been sent and is sitting somewhere nobody is looking.

If the entry is right, send the university your Score Report Code (SRC) and your Registration ID directly. Any institution that accepts PTE can search for your result on Pearson's score review website using either your Score Report Code or your Registration ID, which is usually faster than waiting for a support ticket to be answered.

Why they won't accept your PDF

Most universities and visa authorities verify electronically and will not accept a downloaded PDF or a printout as proof on its own. This frustrates people who can see their own score in black and white, but it is a fraud control, not obstruction — verified retrieval from Pearson's system is the only version they can rely on.

Send the PDF if it helps a human in the admissions office understand the situation, but always send the SRC alongside it so they can confirm it themselves.

If a deadline is closing

Email the admissions office before the deadline, not after. Say the score was sent through myPTE on a specific date, give the SRC and Registration ID, and attach your copy of the report. Deadlines are usually about when you acted, and a timestamped email showing you sent it in time is what protects you.

Do the same for a visa application: lodge with the evidence you have and flag that verification is pending, rather than letting the date pass in silence.

A note on sending scores

Sending your PTE score report to institutions is free and unlimited, so there is no reason to be sparing. If you are unsure whether the right department received it, send it to the other plausible entry as well.

Your score report stays valid for two years from the test date, and you can keep sending it to new institutions for that whole period — you do not need to do anything to keep it active.

PTE AI is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Pearson. PTE Academic is a trademark of Pearson. All practice material here is original and written for this site.