Lesson 1 of 8 · 8 min read
IELTS explained
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is the English test most universities, scholarship schemes and immigration offices accept. It tests four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Each gets a band from 0 to 9, and your overall band is the average of the four.
Academic or General Training?
| IELTS Academic | IELTS General Training | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | University study, scholarships, professional registration (e.g. nurses, doctors) | Work, migration (e.g. Canada, Australia, UK), secondary school |
| Listening & Speaking | Same in both | Same in both |
| Reading | Three long texts from books, journals and newspapers | Shorter everyday and workplace texts, then one longer text |
| Writing Task 1 | Describe a chart, table, map or process | Write a letter |
Applying for a degree or a scholarship? You almost certainly need IELTS Academic. For a UK visa, check whether you need "IELTS for UKVI", a version taken at approved centres.
The test at a glance
| Section | Time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | About 30 minutes | 4 recordings, 40 questions. Each recording is played once only. |
| Reading | 60 minutes | 3 sections, 40 questions. No extra time to transfer answers. |
| Writing | 60 minutes | Task 1 (at least 150 words) and Task 2 (an essay of at least 250 words). |
| Speaking | 11–14 minutes | A recorded conversation with an examiner, in three parts. |
Listening, Reading and Writing are done in one sitting (about 2 hours 40 minutes). Speaking can be on the same day or within about a week before or after. You can take the test on paper or on computer; the questions and scoring are the same.
How your overall band is calculated
Add your four section bands and divide by four. The result is rounded to the nearest half band: an average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and one ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band.
If the total had been 25.0, the average would be 6.25, which rounds up to 6.5.
What band do you need?
| Band | What it means | Typically accepted for |
|---|---|---|
| 8–9 | Very good to expert user | The most competitive programmes and professions |
| 7–7.5 | Good user | Top universities, medicine, law, many scholarships |
| 6.5 | Competent user, fairly fluent | Most master's programmes and scholarships |
| 6 | Competent user with errors | Many bachelor's programmes, foundation years |
| 5–5.5 | Modest user | Pre-sessional English courses, some work visas |
Many universities also set a minimum for each section, such as "6.5 overall with no band below 6.0". A low Writing score is the most common reason people fall short, so plan extra time for it.
Practical points
- Book through the official IELTS website (ielts.org) or an official test centre: the British Council or IDP. Fees and dates vary by country.
- Computer-delivered results usually arrive within a few days; paper results take about two weeks.
- Results are usually accepted for two years.
- Some centres offer a One Skill Retake: if one section lets you down, you can retake just that section within 60 days.
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