For many Pakistani students, an English test is the gate between an application and an offer — for university admission abroad, a scholarship, or a visa. The two tests most commonly asked for are IELTS and PTE Academic, and both can be prepared for largely free, provided you start from the official materials and practise under test conditions rather than collecting random tips.
This guide compares the two tests, points you to the free preparation each test provider actually offers, and sets out a study plan you can follow without a coaching centre. Fees are handled carefully: test fees change, so this guide tells you where to check the current fee instead of quoting a figure that may already be out of date.
Table of Contents
IELTS: the format in plain terms
IELTS tests four skills — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — and reports each on a band scale from 1 to 9, with an overall band as well. It comes in two versions: Academic, for university study and professional registration, and General Training, for work, training and migration purposes. Choose the version your institution or visa route asks for; they are not interchangeable, and taking the wrong one wastes the fee.
In outline, Listening takes about 30 minutes (plus transfer time on paper), Reading and Writing take 60 minutes each, and Speaking is a face-to-face interview of about 11 to 14 minutes. In Pakistan, IELTS is delivered by the British Council and IDP, and tests are now delivered on computer in the country, which generally means faster results than the older paper format. Results are typically available within a few days for computer-delivered tests, though the exact timing depends on the provider and format — confirm it when you book.
PTE Academic: the format in plain terms
PTE Academic, run by Pearson, is a fully computer-based test taken in one sitting of about two hours at an authorised test centre. It also covers speaking, writing, reading and listening, but organises them into three parts: Speaking and Writing, Reading, and Listening. Some tasks combine skills — for example, a speaking task may also contribute to your reading score — and responses are scored largely by automated systems, with human expert review on some tasks for quality and fairness.
Scores run from 10 to 90 on Pearson’s Global Scale of English, results are typically available within about 48 hours (though processing can take up to five days), and scores are generally valid for two years. Like IELTS, PTE has variants for different purposes — Academic for study, Core for Canadian immigration contexts, and UKVI versions for UK visa routes — so again, the requirement set by your university or visa authority decides which test you book, not a general preference.
IELTS or PTE: how to choose
| Factor | IELTS | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | Face-to-face with an examiner | Spoken into a computer in a test centre |
| Scoring | Band scale 1–9 per skill | Scale 10–90 per skill |
| Session length | About 2 hours 45 minutes plus speaking | About 2 hours in one sitting |
| Results typically | Days, faster on computer | Typically within about 48 hours |
| Best if you… | Prefer talking to a person; your target asks for IELTS specifically | Prefer a fully computer test; need a fast result; your target accepts PTE |
The deciding factor should almost always be acceptance: check the exact test, version and minimum scores your university, scholarship body or visa route requires, and book against that requirement. A test that is easier for you personally is useless if your target does not accept it.
Free preparation: start with the official material
Free IELTS preparation
Both IELTS providers offer free preparation, and it is the most reliable material available because it matches the real test format. The British Council’s IELTS Ready programme offers free practice tests, videos, exercises and tips from IELTS teachers on registration, plus a familiarisation test for the computer-delivered format; test-takers who book with the British Council also gain access to an expanded premium version. IDP offers a free preparation pack, free preparation classes including its 90-minute IELTS Masterclass, and a free online preparation module (one skill module, for 30 days) when you book an IDP test. Start with these before any third-party book or course — see the British Council’s guidance on its centres and IDP’s and IDP’s free IELTS preparation course page.
Free PTE preparation
Pearson provides official practice material, including scored and unscored practice tests (some free, some paid), a free practice app, and sample questions for each task type. Because PTE is computer-based and partly automated, the highest-value free practice is doing official-style tasks on a computer with a headset: practising speaking aloud clearly, managing the on-screen timer, and learning the exact instructions for each task type. Third-party free mock tests can help with volume, but check them against Pearson’s own task descriptions — a mock that teaches the wrong task format actively harms your preparation.
Free practice that helps both tests
Some preparation helps whichever test you take: reading English news and academic articles daily and summarising them in your own words; listening to lectures, podcasts and news at natural speed and taking notes; writing short, timed essays and checking them against model answers; and speaking English aloud every day, even alone, to build fluency and pronunciation. Free resources such as public libraries, university English societies and reputable free video lessons can support all of this, but keep them as supplements to official test practice, not replacements for it.
A realistic 6-week free study plan
Week one: take a full official practice test under timed conditions and record your scores by skill — this diagnostic decides everything that follows. Weeks two to five: work in daily blocks (for example, 45 minutes on your weakest skill, 30 minutes on a second skill), using official practice material and one timed task per day. Keep an error log: the question types you miss repeatedly, the vocabulary you keep misusing, the speaking habits that cost marks. Week six: take two more full timed practice tests, review the error log, and focus only on the remaining weak spots — do not start new material in the final days.
Two disciplines matter more than hours logged. First, practise under time pressure from the start: untimed practice flatters you. Second, get feedback on writing and speaking wherever you can — a teacher, a fluent friend, a university writing centre, or the feedback built into official practice tools. Self-study without feedback is how learners repeat the same writing mistakes for months.
Fees: check before you book
IELTS and PTE fees in Pakistan change over time and can differ by provider, test version and city. This guide therefore does not quote a fee figure. Before booking, check the current fee on the official booking page of the provider you will test with — the British Council Pakistan or IDP Pakistan for IELTS, and Pearson’s PTE booking site for PTE — and confirm what is included, the rescheduling and cancellation terms, and which identity document you must bring. Be wary of agents quoting fees far below the official figure or offering “guaranteed” scores: neither exists, and both are signs of a scam.
Frequently asked questions
Can I prepare for IELTS or PTE without coaching?
Yes, many candidates do, using official free material and disciplined timed practice. Coaching helps most when you need structured feedback on writing and speaking or struggle to study consistently alone — it is a support, not a requirement.
How long should preparation take?
It depends on your starting level and target score. A learner already comfortable in English might need a few weeks of format practice; a learner building general English as well as test skills may need several months. Your diagnostic practice test, not a generic timeline, should set your plan.
Is IELTS easier than PTE, or the other way round?
Neither is objectively easier — they reward different strengths. Learners who speak more naturally to a person often prefer IELTS speaking; learners who are comfortable with computers, timers and speaking into a microphone often prefer PTE. Try official sample tasks for both before deciding, subject to acceptance by your target.
How long are scores valid?
IELTS and PTE scores are generally valid for two years, though individual institutions or visa routes may apply their own rules. Check your target’s requirement rather than assuming the general validity period applies to your case.
