Overview
About IELTS
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an English-language proficiency test. It is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge University Press & Assessment, and in India it is run through the British Council and IDP. If you are applying to an English-medium university abroad, an IELTS score is one of the standard ways to show that your English is up to the level the course expects.
There are two modules. IELTS Academic is used for admission to universities and for professional registration in English-speaking countries. IELTS General Training is aimed at work, training and migration. Both test the same four skills, listening, reading, writing and speaking, and they share the same Listening and Speaking sections. The Reading and Writing sections differ, with Academic drawing on texts and tasks pitched at higher study. There is no fixed eligibility to sit the test, and each university sets the band score it wants applicants to reach.
You take the test at a test centre, either on paper or on computer, while the Speaking section is a face-to-face interview with an examiner. Results are reported on a nine-band scale from 0 to 9, in half-band steps, with an overall band that averages the four skill scores. A Test Report Form is valid for two years from the test date.
Sources: IELTS official site · Cambridge English – IELTS · International English Language Testing System – Wikipedia
At a glance
IELTS highlights
Every figure traces to an official source.
| Full name | International English Language Testing System |
| Conducting body | Jointly owned by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, and Cambridge University Press & Assessment |
| Level | UG and PG |
| Mode of exam | On paper or on computer at a test centre (Speaking is a face-to-face/video interview with an examiner) |
| Frequency | Multiple test dates each month per year |
| Scope | International |
| Sections | Listening (30 min), Reading (60 min), Writing (60 min), Speaking (11-14 min) |
| Marking scheme | Band score 1-9 for each of the four sections; overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band. Listening and Reading have 40 questions each (raw score converted to band). |
Deep dives
Everything you need to know
Eligibility
- ·No fixed eligibility; an English-proficiency test. IELTS Academic is used for higher-education admission; General Training for migration/work. Universities set required band scores.
Exam pattern
- ·Sections: Listening (30 min), Reading (60 min), Writing (60 min), Speaking (11-14 min)
- ·165 minutes
- ·Marking: Band score 1-9 for each of the four sections; overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band. Listening and Reading have 40 questions each (raw score converted to band).
Syllabus
- ·Four English skills: listening, academic reading, academic writing (Task 1 report/graph + Task 2 essay), and speaking (interview). Academic vs General Training differ in Reading/Writing content.
Help