Glossary term

One Skill Retake

One Skill Retake is an IELTS feature, not a PTE one: a computer-delivered IELTS candidate can re-sit a single skill within 60 days of the original test and receive a new report with the other three scores kept. Australia, New Zealand and the UK accept it for visas; IRCC does not. PTE has no equivalent, so a short PTE skill means a full re-sit.

Updated 23 September 2026

In plain language

IELTS allows one skill to be re-sat within 60 days; PTE has no equivalent, so a short PTE skill means a full re-sit. Where the retake is accepted, that can be a factor in which test to book.

Where you meet it

Not applicable to PTE reports. An IELTS One Skill Retake produces a new Test Report Form with the retaken skill updated.

How it works in IELTS

A candidate who sat IELTS on computer and fell short in one skill books a retake of that skill only, within 60 days, at a participating centre. The result is a new Test Report Form showing the new score for that skill alongside the original scores for the other three, and the candidate chooses which report to use. The fee is lower than a full test.

Acceptance is decided by each authority. IELTS’s own page names the governments of Australia and New Zealand and the UK government; IRCC’s page states it does not accept One Skill Retake for Express Entry.

What it means for choosing between PTE and IELTS

For a candidate whose profile is strong in three skills and weak in one, and whose route accepts the retake, IELTS offers a cheaper path to the target. PTE answers with speed and scale: a full re-sit is a new test with new items, results arrive within days, up to twelve sittings are allowed in a year, and the per-point scale means the gap is exact. For Canada the question does not arise, because IRCC accepts neither the IELTS retake nor PTE Academic; PTE Core is a full re-sit and IELTS General Training is too.

Build the margin in practice either way. A mock average three to five points above the per-skill minimum is what makes the retake question academic.

The numbers that matter

Test	IELTS on computer at participating centres; not IELTS Online, not paper
Window	Within 60 days of the original test
Scope	One skill: Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking
Accepted by	Australia’s Department of Home Affairs for eligible visas (check the visa page), Immigration New Zealand, UK Home Office / UKVI at selected locations
Not accepted by	IRCC for Express Entry
Fee	Less than a full test: A$310 in Australia; about C$253 in Canada
PTE equivalent	None; a full re-sit, up to 12 in 12 months, results within days

Worked example

One skill short, two tests

An applicant for an Australian skilled visa needs Proficient English. On IELTS they score 7.0 in three skills and 6.5 in Writing: a Writing-only retake within 60 days, accepted by Home Affairs. On PTE Academic they score above the Proficient minimums in three skills and 66 in Writing against a minimum of 69: a full re-sit at the full fee, with results in days.

What it shows: Same shortfall, two different remedies, and only one route allows the cheaper one.

Tasks where it applies

Frequently asked questions

Does PTE have a One Skill Retake?

No. A PTE retake is the whole test again at the full fee. Results arrive within days and up to twelve sittings are allowed in any twelve-month period.

Which countries accept IELTS One Skill Retake?

IELTS states that the governments of Australia and New Zealand accept it for visa and migration purposes and that the UK government accepts it, with UKVI accepting it for computer tests at selected locations. IRCC states it does not accept One Skill Retake for Express Entry.

How long after the original IELTS can I retake one skill?

Within 60 days of the original test date, for IELTS taken on computer at a participating centre.