Guide · IELTS, PTE, TOEFL · 4 min read
IELTS, PTE or TOEFL? Picking the right English test from Nepal in 2026.
For most Nepali students the choice comes down to two things: which tests your universities and visa accept, and how you perform under each format. PTE is fully computer-scored with results in about 2 days. IELTS is now computer-delivered only in Nepal, with a human examiner for speaking. TOEFL changed in January 2026 to adaptive sections and a new 1 to 6 scale. All three are accepted by Australia's student visa at the listed scores.
The short version
- Fees in Nepal: IELTS Rs 36,000 (UKVI Rs 36,400), PTE USD 220 (about Rs 33,500), TOEFL USD 195 (about Rs 29,700).
- Australia's visa (tests from 7 August 2025): IELTS Academic 6.0, PTE Academic 47, TOEFL iBT 67, or another listed test.
- PTE suits fast, steady speakers who like a computer; IELTS suits students who speak better to a person; TOEFL suits US-style academic English and some European programmes.
- Check your shortlist first. Some programmes still name one test only, and a few ask for sub-scores on one scale.
- Take the free level test in all three formats before you pay a test fee. The gap between them is often half a band or more.
The three tests, as they are in Nepal in 2026
| At a glance | IELTS Academic | PTE Academic | TOEFL iBT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee | Rs 36,000 (UKVI Rs 36,400) | USD 220 (about Rs 33,500) | USD 195 (about Rs 29,700) |
| Paid to | British Council or IDP | Pearson | ETS |
| Format in Nepal | Computer-delivered only, since 27 June 2026 | Computer | Computer, adaptive reading and listening since 21 January 2026 |
| Speaking | Face to face with an examiner | Into a microphone, scored by computer | Into a microphone |
| Length | About 2 hours 45 minutes | About 2 hours | Shorter than the old 2-hour test |
| Results | Usually 2 to 5 days | Usually about 2 days | A few days |
| Score scale | Bands 0 to 9 | 10 to 90 | 1 to 6 bands, with 0 to 120 also reported until January 2028 |
Fees in rupees at Rs 152.24 per USD (18 Oct 2026). Your card or bank adds its own charges.
Who accepts what
| At a glance | IELTS | PTE | TOEFL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia’s student visa | 6.0 overall | 47 | 67 (0 to 120 scale) |
| Australian universities | Almost all | Almost all | Most |
| UK universities, degree level | Almost all | Most | Many |
| UK courses below degree level | IELTS for UKVI only | PTE Academic UKVI only | Not a SELT |
| Germany, English-taught master’s | Almost all | Some | Almost all |
| Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway | Almost all | Many | Almost all |
| Netherlands, Belgium | Almost all | Many | Almost all |
| Cyprus | Usually, or the university’s own test | Some | Some |
| Nursing registration (Australia) | Yes, with set band scores | Yes, with set scores | Yes, with set scores |
Visa scores are the minimum for tests taken from 7 August 2025, with no English course packaged before the main course. Your university will usually ask for more than the visa. “Many” and “some” are what we see on our shortlists; check every programme yourself before you book.
Which test suits which student
| If you… | Lean towards |
|---|---|
| Speak quickly and steadily, and type well | PTE |
| Freeze in front of a microphone, but talk easily to a person | IELTS |
| Need the result in days, for a deadline | PTE |
| Are applying to a German, Dutch or Nordic programme that lists TOEFL first | TOEFL |
| Write well by hand, but slowly on a keyboard | IELTS, though it’s on computer now too |
| Need a UKVI test for a foundation or pre-sessional course | IELTS for UKVI or PTE Academic UKVI |
| Are a nurse aiming for Australian registration | IELTS or PTE, after checking the board’s current scores |
The difference most students miss
The same student rarely scores the same on all three. In our level tests, the gap between a student’s IELTS-format and PTE-format result is often half a band or more, in either direction. The scoring is different:
- PTE scores fluency and pronunciation by computer. Hesitation, long pauses and self-correction cost points that a human examiner might forgive.
- IELTS speaking is a conversation with an examiner who can rephrase a question. Writing is marked by trained examiners against four criteria.
- TOEFL reading and listening now adapt to you: do well on the first part and the second part gets harder. Practice material written for the old test doesn’t prepare you for this.
That’s why we give a free level test in each format before anyone books. A Rs 30,000 booking on the wrong test is the most expensive mistake in this guide.
Three questions before you book
- Does every programme on your shortlist accept this test, at this score, with these sub-scores? Copy the rule from each programme’s page into one table.
- Is the date right? Count back from your application deadline and leave room for one retake.
- Is it the right version? IELTS Academic, not General Training, for study. UKVI versions only if your course or CAS needs one. A test centre, not an at-home test, for Australia’s visa.
From our files. Aarati K.C. from Kathmandu had TOEFL 79 on the old format; her master’s in Munich asked for 88. Before she booked, we confirmed her programme accepted the new score report from January 2026, and Ashmita taught the new adaptive sections only. She scored 92 in June 2026 and is starting her master’s in Munich.
Our view
Don’t pick a test because a friend found it easy, or because a class down the road only teaches one. Read your shortlist’s rules, sit a level test in two formats, and book the one where you’re already closer to the target. Our classes teach all three: IELTS, PTE and TOEFL, with average gains of +1.0 band, +14 points and +11 points last year.
