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IELTS is one of the most popular English Language tests globally and is a pre-requisite to gain admission in several graduate or postgraduate courses abroad. Short for International English Language Testing System, IELTS assesses your proficiency in English.
IELTS was introduced 26 years ago and is jointly owned and conducted by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, and Cambridge Assessment English.
You can take the test in two formats, online and offline. Both formats require you to be present at the centre. In the online test, you key in your answers on a computer, and in the offline format, you write your answers with a pencil on a paper. An examiner conducts the speaking section for bothformats. This particular evaluation method is a unique aspect of this test.
If you are thinking about pursuing higher education abroad, this exam is a crucial part of the admissions process. A poor showing here could potentially derail an otherwise strong application. Hence, it is essential to know what the test is about, how it is conducted, and why it is important.
Countries in which IELTS is accepted
UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia accept IELTS. The immigration authorities of these countries cite IELTS as a pre-requisite for visa applications and immigration purposes. Hence,it is also a standard requirement for studying at universities in these countries.
The test is also accepted by over 10,000 institutions worldwide, including a few universities in the USA and non-native English speaking countries like Germany and France.
The IELTS test is open to anyone who wishes to give the examas long as you have a valid passport. It is not recommended for people under the age of 16.
Registration Fee
An IELTS test (online or offline) costs INR 17,000, which is inclusive of all taxes. You can pay the registration fees online via funds transfer, credit or debit cards. Though test centres do not accept cash or cheques, you can make a demand draft payable to the test centre where you have registered.
Refund Rules: You are eligible for a refund, but you need to apply for it 15 days before the test date. It will help if you read the refund rules for each test centre as they have the discretion while dealing with refunds on account of cancellation or rescheduling of a test date.
Registering for the IELTS is a fairly straightforward process. You can find a test centre near you on the IELTS website. Tests are conducted by the British Council or the International Development Program (IDP) Education India.
Before you start with the registration process, make sure you have a scanned copy or a photo of your passport. You will need to upload the first and last pages of your passport. The passport needs to be valid, and you will need to produce it on the day of the test, so make sure you carry it on the day of the test.
The test centres are strict about the identity proof and will not allow you to take the test if your passport is not valid or if youdo not have your passport with you on the test day. You will be treated as a no-show, and no refund will be allowed in such a case. If yourpassport is valid on the registration date buthas expired before or expires on the day of the test, it will not be treated as a valid proof of identity.
When you book your test and choose a location, you will be allocated either a British Council Test Centre or an IDP Test Centre. In some major cities, you will have the option of choosing between the two. The two centres hold tests at different times and days of the week.
Once you choose either IDP or British Council, you will be asked to pick between a paper-based test and a computer-delivered test.
Next, you will be directed to the website of IDP or British Council based on your selection. Here, you can pick your dates and slots. The Speaking test is conducted on a different day from the Writing, Reading and Listening tests.
The timing and frequency of tests vary between IDP and British Council. If you have multiple test centres, look for easiest to reach and those that offer convenient time slots. You don't want to arriveat the centre after a harrowing journey.
The IELTS tests you on all four language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking.
The Listening, Reading and Writing tests are held on the same day and need to be taken without any breaks. All three tests are completed within 2.5 hours.
The Speaking test may be taken up to seven days before or after the other three tests.
Section
Time Limit
Questions
Format
Listening
30 minutes
40
There are four recordings with ten questions each
Reading
60 minutes
Three reading passages designed to test a wide range of reading skills
Writing
2 tasks
Two writing tasks. Both must be completed
Speaking
11-14 minutes
3 tasks
The test is conducted by an examiner and consists of three parts
Here's a snapshot of the four tests:
You need to answer 40 questions within 30 minutes in this test. The test aims to assess your skills at understanding key ideas and facts and recognising a speaker's opinions and attitudes.
The test is further divided into four sections:
You can listen to a section only once.
You need to answer 40 questions in 60 minutes in this section. You are tested on your ability to understand the gist and the main ideas mentioned in the text. The Reading test has three sections, whose combined length is around 2,500 words. Each section has one long text sourced from books, journals, magazines and newspapers that have been written on topics of general interest.
This section will test your ability to read and comprehend a piece of text at a fast speed.
This is a 60-minute test that has two tasks. In Task 1, you are expected to write a minimum of 150 words, and in Task 2, you need to write at least 250 words. The marking is divided between the two tasks, with Task 2 contributing twice as much as Task 1 to the overall Writing score.
In Task 1, you will be given a graph, chart,table or a diagram and you will be asked to write about it. You will be assessed on your ability to organise, present, compare or describe the data presented to you.
In Task 2, you will need to write an essay in response to the point of view, argument or a problem.The issues raised are of general interest, and you are judged on your ability to present and justify your opinion, present implications and challenges or provide solutions.
You are expected to write in an academic, semi-formal style for both the tasks.
The shortest of the four tests is usually conducted in person. It lasts less than 15 minutes and is divided into three tasks.
You will first be asked to introduce yourself and speak about your family, hobbies, interests etc.
In the second task, you will be given a topic to speak about. You will be given one minute to prepare and make notes and then expected to talk about it for two minutes. The examiner may ask you a few questions on the topic.
Finally, the examiner will have a conversation with you, which will be an extension of the second task's topic. This will be for around three minutes.
Be calm, composed and coherent. You have only 15 minutes to make an impression.
The IELTS test scores you based on bands from 0 to 9. The nine-band scale is ranked in an ascending order to identify levels of proficiency, from non-user (1) to expert (9).
The IELTS band score scale.
Score
Proficiency
9
Expert user
8
Very good user
7
Good user
6
Competent user
5
Modest user
4
Limited user
3
Extremely limited user
2
Intermittent user
1
Non-user
0
Did not attempt the test
Most Ivy League universities accept a minimum IELTS score of 7, while others accept a minimum of 6.5. The minimum IELTS scores can also vary from department to department, depending on thecourse.
Many universities ask that you have a minimum band of 6.5 in each of the four sections. So, even if you have an overall band score of 7, a university may reject your application if you have scored below 6.5 in any one of the sections (for example, let's say you score 8 in Reading and Writing but only 6 in Speaking).
IELTS scores are often valid only up to two years in most organisations and universities. Hence, doing the test too soon may not be advisable.
The Overall Band Score and band scores for each of the four components - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking - are provided in the final test result. It is the average of the four component scores. These scores are reported in whole or half bands (7 or 7.5, not 7.3).
If your average score ends in .25 or above, the Overall Band Score is rounded up to the next half band (if it is lower than .25, then it is rounded down). If you get a 7.3, your score will be rounded up to 7.5, but a 7.2 would be rounded down to 7.
Similarly, if the average of your scores is .75 or above, the Overall Band Score is rounded up to the next whole band.
The Reading and Listening sections have 40 questions each, with one mark allocated to a correct answer. The Speaking and Writing sections are graded on four criteria each. Each criterion has equal weight,and the band score is an average of marks received across all of them.
The criteria for Writing are:
The criteria for Speaking are:
Band Score
Raw Score out of 40
16
23
30
35
15
IELTS may look deceptively easy, but you should be careful not to lower your guard. Good preparation is the key. Mock tests are an effective way to understand how the exam is conducted. They also help you gauge your strengths and weaknesses and the sections you need to focus on.
The Reading and Writing segments are closer to other tests you have given in your academic life. Care is needed in Listening, which requires you to pay attention and take notes.
Many students find the Speaking test tough to ace. You should practise a lot and make sure you speak clearly and put forth your points of view coherently.
Here are a few Pro Tips that you can follow while giving the exam:
To make sure you get the test slot, you desire, book early. IELTS tests are in high demand and get booked out quickly.
You can get a refund (minus a 25% administration fee) if you cancel five weeks before the test.
Yes. But it needs to be done five weeks before the date of the test. You need to provide an application, and there may also be a charge for changing the test date.
You can apply for Additional Test Report Form on the IELTS official website. The first five forms are processed free; you will have to pay Rs 250 per form after that.
They are valid for two years.
No. But it is not recommended for people under the age of 16.
Yes, you can.
No.
Pen and paper-based IELTS results will be available online on the 13th day.
Computer-delivered IELTS results will be available online within 3-5 days. The Test Report Form is couriered to you 10 days from the date of the result.
