What is IELTS

Published date: 17 Oct 2019 Updated on: 24 Jan 2020

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Thinking of going abroad for your studies? Or do you want to get a job in a foreign country and settle down? If so, then it is mandatory that you take the IELTS, as universities in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and other major countries require applicants to have a minimum IELTS score for admission. Wondering what is IELTS? Read further to clear all your queries related to the exam!  

So, what is IELTS exactly?   
IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. The British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English work cooperatively to conduct this exam for non-native English speaking students all around the world willing to work or study abroad. This exam assesses the English proficiency of those taking it. It is aimed at testing the reading, writing, speaking and listening skills of the examinees in the English language.  
IELTS is a computer and paper-delivered test, with scores ranging from band 1 to band 9. The exam fee is Rs. 13,250. People above the age of 16 years with a valid passport are eligible to take the IELTS exam. 

Where are IELTS scores accepted?   

The IELTS scores are accepted in major countries like the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Although it is mostly based on Australian and British English, several universities in the US also accept the IELTS certificate to evaluate one’s expertise in the English language.  

When and where is the IELTS held?   

IELTS academic tests are scheduled 48 times per year, and general tests are held 24 times per year. The exam is conducted almost every week, on Thursdays and Saturdays only. Registration closes two weeks before the examination date.
IELTS has numerous test centers spread all over India. You can choose whichever city is the closest to your dwelling place. The cities providing IELTS exam centers are :

Ahmedabad, Anand, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kottayam, Ludhiana, Mehsana, Nagpur, Noida, Pune, Ranchi, Thiruvananthapuram, Visakhapatnam, Ambala, Angamali, Bhopal, Chennai, Dehradun, Gurgaon, Indore, Karnal, Kozhikode, Madurai, Moga, Navi Mumbai, Patiala, Raipur, Siliguri, Tiruchirappalli, Vadodara, Amritsar, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Cochin, Goa, Guwahati, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mangalore, New Delhi, Patna, Rajkot, Vijayawada, Surat, Trichur  

What are the two types of IELTS? 

There are two types of IELTS - one for the Academic purpose and the other for the General purpose, i.e., work, visa & PR related processes. Here are more details on both the types: 

1. IELTS Academic Module: If you are willing to apply to universities abroad for higher education or practice a profession like medicine in an English-speaking country, you need to appear for the Academic module in the IELTS exam. This focuses on evaluating your English competency on an academic level required for higher education.   
2. IELTS General Module: If you are planning to go to an English-speaking country to gain work experience or for non-academic training, you need to take the IELTS General Module test. It is directed at judging your English proficiency in a practical and day-to-day context.  

Why should I take the IELTS?   

If your plans include going abroad for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, you are advised to take an IELTS Academic Module exam. Coveted universities in Canada, Australia, UK, USA, New Zealand and many other countries around the globe require good IELTS scores for admissions. If you are done with your education and are now planning to work abroad, the IELTS exam is an important step to obtain your visa or PR. As reasonable language skills are a significant requirement while applying for a job abroad, you will be required to obtain a decent score in the IELTS as a mark of your proficiency in the language. The United Kingdom requires a minimum IELTS score of 7.0, whereas Australia requires a minimum of 5.5. A band score of 4 or higher is enough for applying for a work visa in New Zealand. Organizations in Canada set the scores based on their own requirements. Moreover, the minimum test scores might vary as per the occupation.   
A test called the IELTS Lifeskills has been introduced by the UK government to check if you are eligible for a UK visa and Immigration application on the basis of your English language ability.  

Which countries are likely to accept my IELTS scores and how much should I aim to obtain?  

A band score of 7 is usually considered a good score in the IELTS Academic module, with 9 being the highest. Here are a few top universities from the US, UK, Canada and Australia along with their ideal IELTS scores.

What is the IELTS exam pattern? 

IELTS is conducted in four parts: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Listening takes around 30 minutes, reading and writing take 60 minutes each, and another 11-14 minutes are devoted to speaking.  The total duration of IELTS is 2 hours and 45 minutes. 
The Reading, Writing, and Listening sections have to be completed on the same day. Test-takers are not provided with any breaks in between the sections. However, candidates can complete the speaking section a week before or after the tests. To choose their dates for the speaking test, candidates will have to consult their test centers.
The exam pattern varies a little for Academic and General modules. 

IELTS Exam Pattern - Academic and General

There are two types of IELTS scores - Overall Band and Sectional Band Scores. All the four sections are graded separately and the marks obtained in each of these sections are known as sectional band scores. The average of these four sections gives you your overall band score. The overall score is rounded off to the nearest half band or full band. The IELTS scores range from 1 band (non-user) to 9 bands (expert user).
A score of around 6 to 8 is usually demanded by foreign universities. A score of 7 means you are a good user with only occasional errors while speaking or writing. A score of 6 makes you a competent user having effective command over English. People do not pass or fail in this exam. Institutions decide their required band scores as per their needs.  
For a computer-delivered test, results are released within 5-7 days. For a paper-delivered test, results might take up to 12-13 days.  
To learn about the IELTS scores for different universities, please refer to this

Conclusion 

Now that you know what is IELTS and how important a role it plays in your admissions or career in foreign countries, you may want to book your IELTS test right away. Not just that, but scoring well in IELTS should also be one of your top priorities. If you are in the dark as to how to go about IELTS preparation, don’t worry! You can refer to the section-wise IELTS preparation guide prepared by us by clicking here!