Dhiraj Kandel
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The essentials at a glance
Nepali students have room to choose, because the Canada PTE score requirement is set by each school, not by the immigration department. Colleges usually ask for PTE 53 to 60 or IELTS 6.0 to 6.5, and universities for PTE 60 to 65 or IELTS 6.5. This guide shows official scores by study level, nursing rules, and which tests count after you graduate.
Main points from this page
Good news for Nepali students: Canada has no single IELTS or PTE score that every student must reach. Your college or university sets the score, so you can pick a school that fits your result. This guide shows real scores from official pages, by study level, for both tests.
The English test is one early step in your plan to study in Canada from Nepal. Most students need the score before a school gives a letter of acceptance. The rest of the file is on our Canada student visa requirements page.
IRCC sets no PTE score for a study permit, so the score you need is the one your college or university asks for, usually 53 to 65.
IRCC is Canada’s immigration department. Its study permit document list asks for a letter of acceptance and proof of funds, but it doesn’t list a language test. The English check happens when the school decides your admission.
You may still hear “PTE 60 for Canada”. That number came from the Student Direct Stream, a fast route that ended on 8 November 2024. It no longer applies to anyone.
Think of PTE 53 as the low end and PTE 65 as what top universities ask. Choose your school first, then set your target score from its own page.
Colleges ask for about PTE 53 to 60, and universities ask for about PTE 60 to 65, often with a minimum in each skill.
These are PTE Academic scores from each school’s own page. Some programs ask for more, so check your program page as well.
| School | Level | PTE Academic | IELTS Academic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conestoga College | Certificate or diploma | 53 | 6.0, no band below 5.5 |
| Conestoga College | Degree or graduate certificate | 58 | 6.5, no band below 6.0 |
| Seneca Polytechnic | Certificate or diploma | 58 | 6.0, no skill below 5.5 |
| Seneca Polytechnic | Degree, master’s or graduate certificate | 60 | 6.5, no skill below 6.0 |
| York University | Most programs | 60 | 6.5 |
| University of Waterloo | Undergraduate | 63, with 65 in writing and speaking | 6.5, with 6.5 in writing and speaking, 6.0 in reading and listening |
| Simon Fraser University | Undergraduate | 65, with 60 in each skill | 6.5, no part below 6.0 |
| University of British Columbia | Undergraduate | 65, with 60 in each skill | 6.5, no part below 6.0 |
| University of Toronto | Undergraduate | 65, no part below 60 | 6.5, no band below 6.0 |
Not sure how your score compares across the two tests? Our PTE score chart and IELTS conversion shows it side by side. Still, use the exact number on your school’s page, not a converted one.
Most colleges ask for IELTS Academic 6.0 with no band below 5.5, and most universities ask for 6.5 with no band below 6.0.
The band rule matters as much as the overall score. If you score 6.5 overall but get 5.5 in writing, you don’t meet a “no band below 6.0” rule. So look at your weakest skill when you plan your practice.
Waterloo shows how this can differ. It asks for 6.5 in writing and speaking, but 6.0 is fine for reading and listening. For more school examples, plus retakes and validity, see our page on IELTS scores by Canadian university.
If you are new to the test, start with our IELTS exam guide. It explains the format and marking in simple words.
A bachelor’s degree in Canada usually needs PTE 58 to 65, with college degrees at the lower end and universities at the higher end.
Conestoga asks for 58 for a degree and Seneca asks for 60. York asks for 60 for most programs. UBC, Simon Fraser and the University of Toronto ask for 65, with at least 60 in each skill.
On IELTS, these schools ask for 6.5, most with no band below 6.0. Your +2 marks from Nepal count too, so read our guide to the GPA required to study in Canada. You can work out your grade with the NEB GPA calculator.
New to this test? Our PTE exam guide covers the format and how it is scored.
Graduate programs often ask for IELTS 6.5 to 7.0 or PTE 60 to 65, and each department can ask for more.
Check the graduate school page, because it can differ from the undergraduate page at the same university:
So PTE doesn’t work everywhere, so check before you book a test in Nepal. For a PhD, ask the department before you book a test, because research programs set their own rules. Our guide to a master’s in Canada covers the rest of that application, and our PG diploma guide covers the college route.
Nursing programs ask for IELTS 6.5 or PTE 58 to 60 for admission at the colleges we checked, but working as a nurse later needs a higher score.
Conestoga’s Practical Nursing diploma asks for IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0, or PTE 58. That is above its usual diploma score of PTE 53. Seneca’s Practical Nursing and nursing degree ask for IELTS 6.5 or PTE 60.
If you plan to leave Nepal and work as a nurse in Canada, registration is a separate step from admission. In Ontario, the College of Nurses of Ontario asks for IELTS 7 overall, with 7 in speaking and listening and 6.5 in reading and writing. Its PTE Academic scores are writing 68, speaking 75, listening 73 and reading 66.
Other provinces have their own nursing regulators, so check the one where you plan to work. Our guide to a bachelor of nursing in Canada covers the program itself.
Most accept IELTS Academic, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT, and many accept Duolingo, but the details change from school to school.
Take the Academic version for admission. UBC, for example, says IELTS General is not accepted. These differences can cost you a test fee, so check them before you book in Nepal:
| Question | What the schools say |
|---|---|
| IELTS One Skill Retake | Waterloo and York accept it. UBC, Simon Fraser, McGill and the University of Toronto don’t. |
| PTE taken online or at home | Waterloo accepts PTE Academic Online. UBC’s graduate school doesn’t accept PTE Home or Online. |
| TOEFL iBT | Conestoga asks for 80 for a diploma and 88 for a degree. UBC asks for 90. TOEFL also has a new 1 to 6 scale from January 2026, where Conestoga asks for 4.5 and 5. |
| Duolingo | Conestoga asks for 110 for a diploma and 120 for a degree, but not for Pharmacy Technician. McGill doesn’t accept it for graduate programs. |
To compare the tests, read PTE vs IELTS vs TOEFL for Canada and which is easier, IELTS or PTE. There is also a guide to the TOEFL exam in Nepal. If you missed one skill, our IELTS One Skill Retake guide explains the process, but confirm your school accepts it first.
No, IRCC’s lists for the work permit after study and for Express Entry name IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General and PTE Core, not the Academic tests.
This surprises many families in Nepal. The test that got you admitted won’t be the one you use after you graduate. For the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), IRCC lists CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core, plus two French tests. Results must be less than 2 years old when you apply.
The level depends on your study. IRCC asks for CLB 7 after a university degree and CLB 5 after a college program. CLB means Canadian Language Benchmarks, Canada’s own English scale. IRCC’s score table turns it into test scores:
| Level | IELTS General Training | PTE Core, lowest score |
|---|---|---|
| CLB 5 (college program) | Reading 4.0; writing, listening and speaking 5.0 | Reading 42, writing 51, listening 39, speaking 51 |
| CLB 7 (university degree) | 6.0 in each skill | Reading 60, writing 69, listening 60, speaking 68 |
Express Entry, the main permanent residence system, uses the same list of tests. Our PGWP guide covers the other rules for that permit.
You can retake the test, choose a school with a lower score, or ask about an English pathway program.
A score below your target doesn’t end your plan, because you can sit the test again in Nepal. Your choices are:
Some students ask about going with no test at all. Our page on study abroad without IELTS explains what other proof schools may take. If you are choosing between schools, our best consultancy for Canada page shows how a counselor can help.
IDP Nepal lists Rs 33,000 for IELTS on computer, and Pearson shows the PTE price when you pick your country.
Check the IDP Nepal fee page before you pay, because it says fees can change. For PTE, use Pearson’s PTE Academic page. Paper IELTS has also changed in Nepal, as our paper-based IELTS update explains.
Pearson says results typically come in 2 days and a score is valid for two years. York also says English tests are valid for two years, so plan your test close to your application.
For practice, use the Cambridge IELTS Academic test books or The Official Guide to PTE Academic. Then follow these steps:
If you want a teacher, Goreto runs IELTS classes in Kathmandu and PTE classes in Kathmandu.
No, a good score helps you get admitted, but IRCC decides the study permit on your whole file.
Your score opens the door to a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution (DLI). After that, your file needs these as well:
A strong English score doesn’t fix a weak file from Nepal on its own. Our guide to Canada student visa refusal explains the common problems. For help picking a school that fits your score, talk to a Goreto counselor at our branches in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari and Pokhara.
There is no national minimum. Among the schools we checked, the lowest is PTE 53 at Conestoga for a diploma or certificate. Top universities such as UBC ask for 65.
It is below the scores on the school pages we checked, where the lowest is 53. Check your school’s page, or ask about an English pathway program if your score is lower.
Often yes for a college diploma, as long as no band is below 5.5. Conestoga and Seneca both accept that. Degrees usually need 6.5 with no band below 6.0.
No. That score belonged to the Student Direct Stream, which ended on 8 November 2024. Today your school sets the score.
No. IRCC’s study permit document list doesn’t include a language test. Your school checks your English during admission.
Yes, at most of the colleges and universities we checked. It isn’t accepted everywhere, though. McGill doesn’t accept it for graduate programs, and the University of Toronto’s graduate page doesn’t list it.
Both can work, so check your school first. PTE results typically come in 2 days. IELTS is the safer choice if you may apply for a graduate program at a school that doesn’t take PTE.
Pearson says a PTE Academic score is valid for two years. York also says English tests are valid for two years. For the PGWP, IRCC asks for results less than 2 years old.
No. For Express Entry, IRCC accepts IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General and PTE Core, along with TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French.
Check the school, because each one sets its own language rules. York’s Glendon campus, for example, teaches in English and French and has its own list of French tests.
Reference links
Important guidance note
This page provides general guidance about studying abroad. Requirements, fees and policies can change. For advice about your situation, speak with a Goreto counselor before applying.
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