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What is IELTS?
The IELTS test is used to measure your English language proficiency for educational, immigration and professional purposes. The exam is recognized by over 10,000 organizations worldwide and can be taken within over 900 test centers across 140 countries. About 2 million people take this test each year.
If English is not your native language, you will most likely need to submit your IELTS exam score as part of your application to study an English-taught study programme abroad. IELTS will test the standard of your English across all four language skill areas: listening, reading, speaking and writing.
What type of IELTS test do I need to take?
There are two types of IELTS tests: Academic or General Training. Which test you need to take depends on the type of organization you’re applying to, or which country you’re applying for a programme in. Your host institution will be clear about which test you’ll need to take. Both tests have the same listening and speaking components.
* Academic
Most international students will be required to take the Academic IELTS test. This test is required of those applying for a study or training programme at an English-speaking university or higher education institute. Admission into programmers at both undergraduate and postgraduate level will depend on the results of this test. Some professional institutions may also require you to sit this exam.
* On the exam day...
On the day of your exam, you will need to bring in the same passport and/or national identity card whose details you entered on the IELTS application form. The IELTS exam takes 2 hours and 45 minutes (listening, reading and writing) in total with no breaks, so make sure you have something to eat and drink beforehand. You’ll only be allowed to take a transparent water bottle into the exam room with you. Some locations will also require that a photo be taken of you on the test day that will appear on your results form.
The test will be in four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The speaking part of the exam will last for an additional 10-15 minutes and is made up of 3 parts.
How is an IELTS test scored?
Your IELTS exam will be graded using a Band Scale that will place your overall score within a band ranked from 0-9, with 0 being the lowest and 9 the highest. Your overall score will be an average of your results from all four of the exam’s separate components and is rounded to the nearest whole or half-band. Each component of the exam is equally weighted.
When you get your results, you will receive both your overall test score and your scores for each component. Test score requirements may differ across institutions, but most will typically require you to score at least 6 overall.
Your results will be visible after 5-7 days for computer-delivered exams and 13 days for paper-based IELTS. You can also arrange for your IELTS centre to automatically send your results to up to five institutions, free of charge. Your results will be valid for a period of two years.
IELTS tips
The IELTS exam is designed to test your language proficiency, and so the best way to study is by exposing yourself to as many native English-speaking resources as possible. Watch English speaking movies and television, read newspapers, books, websites and magazines. The exam will test how well you’re able to engage with English across different registers and situations, as so the wider your berth of understanding of English used in different contexts, the better. Try to practice speaking as much as possible, even if it’s in front of the mirror by yourself!
If you’re sitting the Academic version of the IELTS test, then try to see if you can download some public lectures which are academic in content. Many universities have down-loadable pod-casts and lectures that are free of charge. Even if the topic is a little out of your depth, try to familiarize yourself with the tone and conventions of academic language use, you’ll be surprised just how quickly you’ll pick it up.
You can also download a number of practice exams from IELTS study aid and information websites, or read our study guides to help prepare you for each separate test component.