PTE Malpractice Policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance on how Pearson will respond to cases of suspected test malpractice and maladministration in delivering the PTE qualification.

To maintain the integrity of the PTE qualification and results, all allegations and suspicions of malpractice and maladministration are investigated. Any instances proven to have taken place through our investigations may result in:

• Penalties imposed on those found to be responsible, including revocation (cancellation) of test scores.
• Debarment from delivering the PTE qualification for test centres and staff.
• Permanent disqualification from the PTE qualification for test takers.

Note that Pearson is entitled to share any malpractice decision with visa authorities and designated recipients or institutions that have accessed the score using the Score Report Website.
 

We use the term ‘malpractice’, which includes maladministration, to mean any act, practice, default or neglect, whether intentional or unintentional which compromises the validity or integrity of the PTE qualification or results, or the reputation and credibility of the qualification or Pearson’s brand. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

For test centers and test administrators of the PTE test:

• Failure to implement any of the requirements for the conduct of the test, as detailed in relevant Policies and Procedures and Exam Sponsor Procedures.
• Failure of the test center to have trained and certified staff on site.
• Failure to properly monitor the entire test process.
• Failure to use the required hardware and up-to-date software.
• Failure to cooperate with security monitoring processes such as on-site audits and investigations.
• Failure to assist the Pearson security team with investigations.
• Any activity that encourages or assists test takers in answering questions or cheating.
• A lack of awareness of the test regulations or carelessness and/or forgetfulness in applying the regulations (maladministration).
• Failure to maintain an appropriate test environment and allowing external factors to disturb the testing environment.

For test takers and non-test takers:

• Any breach of the Test Taker Rules, as set out in the PTE Test Taker Handbooks. This may include but is not limited to:    
• Allowing someone else to take the test on your behalf, or taking the test for someone else (proxy testing).
• Receiving assistance during the test and/or presenting someone else's work, answers, or ideas as your own.
• Conspiring to engage in malpractice and/or encouraging or inciting any individual to take part in malpractice.
• Bringing an unauthorised item in the test room, whether it is used or not.
• Writing on the whiteboard before the test starts.
• Unauthorised activities during a break such as leaving the test centre, communicating with anyone or accessing a locker and/or any unauthorised items.
• Any behaviour that disrupts or attempts to disrupt the test environment.
• Communicating or collaborating with anyone during the test or during a break.
• Any attempt to disable, interfere with, or otherwise degrade test security equipment and systems.
• Harvesting, sharing or attempting to collect test content.
• Publishing or distributing test content and/or using it in a way that infringes on Pearson’s intellectual property rights.
• Requesting an accommodation dishonestly, including the use of false medical evidence.
• Reporting a test day emergency dishonestly, including the use of false evidence.
• Transferring a test registration to another individual. The only allowed changes to personal details are for the purpose of updating or amending details captured incorrectly at the time of registration. Test registrations are not transferrable.
• Submitting a results certificate fraudulently to any institution.
• Improper or unethical use or submission of a results certificate. This includes any improper or unethical use of a test taker’s results certificate by a third party.
• Violation of the retake policy. If a candidate reaches the retake limit and attempts to test again or successfully tests again, the test result(s) may be cancelled.
• Unauthorized use of someone else’s credit card or other payment related fraud such as claiming a chargeback against a delivered service.
• Any misuse of vouchers including allowing someone else to use a voucher allocated to them.
• Attempts to circumvent a ban. If a candidate is already banned and attempts to test again or successfully tests again, the test result will be cancelled.
  

Pearson takes all reasonable steps to prevent the occurrence of any malpractice in the development, delivery, and award of the PTE.

Candidates are responsible for taking steps to prevent malpractice. These include but are not limited to:

• Ensuring that the policies, terms and conditions are read and understood prior to booking the test.
• Ensuring that information received from Pearson relating to the test process is read and understood prior to taking the test.
• Following the verbal and written information provided on test day relating to the required conditions under which the test is conducted. This includes warnings about the presence of prohibited materials and devices during the test and access to restricted resources.
• Being aware of the actions that constitute malpractice and the sanctions that can be imposed on those who commit malpractice.
• Being aware of the sanctions relating to passing on or receiving confidential assessment materials, even if the information was not requested. If a candidate receives confidential information, they must report it to Pearson immediately.
  

Please report any suspicion of malpractice and or maladministration by filling out and submitting the Test Security form.

Our security team will investigate any circumstances of alleged malpractice or maladministration.

In instances where we have evidence which points to malpractice or maladministration having taken place, to protect the integrity of the PTE qualification, we will take additional enforcement action where appropriate, and we will inform those found to have committed malpractice of the reason for the action being taken. There is a range of potential enforcement actions open to Pearson, and the Pearson Security Team will choose an action that it deems proportionate to the scope of malpractice or maladministration, such as:

• Revoking a test taker’s score.
• Banning a test taker from taking the test again.
• Taking action against the responsible test administrator.
• Suspending any PTE account where it has been involved or linked to malpractice, scams, results fraud, even if the test taker is not directly involved, until Pearson is satisfied there is no further risk to test integrity.
• Suspending the test center until we are satisfied the corrective action plan has been completed by test center, or
• Taking action against the test center including in some cases revoking the test center’s contract in whole or in part.

In any case where malpractice is suspected, Pearson have the discretionary right to apply a sanction.

If a test taker wishes to appeal a malpractice decision, please refer to the Appeals policy.