IELTS

About IELTS

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an English Language Proficiency Test, mandatory for non-native students for studying in nations where the mode and medium of instruction is English. Many Universities in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada accept the IELTS. All other Universities require students to either take the TOEFL or IELTS. Most Centers provide a testing session about thrice a month. Candidates are advised to contact their nearest center to find out the date of the next date and collect the IELTS Handbook and an application form.

IELTS is owned, developed and delivered through the partnership of the following bodies:

→ British Council
→ IDP IELTS Australia
→ University of Cambridge ESOL examinations.

IELTS is of two types - ACADEMIC AND GENERAL TRAINING

The Academic Module - This module is intended for candidates seeking entry to a university or institution of higher education offering degree and diploma courses (i.e. those seeking undergraduate or postgraduate courses).

The General Training Module - This module is meant for candidates seeking immigration to an English speaking country.

The two versions do not carry the same weight and are not interchangeable. All candidates are tested on reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Whereas the speaking and listening sections are common for the Academic and General versions of the test, the Reading and Writing sections are different.

Test Structure

IELTS tests the candidates in areas of Listening, Writing, Reading and speaking.

IELTS Listening: This is a test of listening comprehension in the context of general language proficiency. The test is in four sections. The first two sections are concerned with social needs, while the last two are concerned with situations more closely related to educational or training contexts. Texts include both monologues and dialogues between two or three people, and are heard once only. A variety of question types are used for the forty items, including multiple choice, short-answer questions, notes/summary/flow chart completion, sentence completion, labelling a diagram and matching.

IELTS Speaking: The Speaking module is a structured interview with an emphasis on general speaking skills. It assesses whether candidates have the necessary knowledge and skills to communicate effectively with native speakers of English.

IELTS Reading: Candidates take either the Academic or the General Training Reading module. The Academic Reading module consists of texts of general interest dealing with issues which are appropriate for, and accessible to, candidates entering postgraduate or undergraduate courses. The texts of the General Training Reading module draw on social and training contexts or deal with general interest topics.
Both Reading modules consist of three passages or sections with forty questions. Question types include multiple choice, sentence or summary completion, identifying data for short-answer questions, matching lists or phrases and identifying writers’ views/attitudes.

IELTS Writing: Candidates take either the Academic or the General Training Writing module. Appropriate responses for the Academic Writing module are short essays or general reports, addressed to tutors or to an educated non-specialist audience. The General Training Writing module requires candidates to write personal semi-formal or formal correspondence, or to write on a given topic as part of a simulated class assignment.

What kind of accents can be heard in the Listening and Speaking tests?
As IELTS is an international test, a variety of English accents are used in both of these examinations.

Test Fees

IELTS Test Fees According to Countries:

India: IELTS Test Fee: Rupee 13,000
(From January 2007)

Pakistan: Karachi IELTS Test Fee: PKR 7,700*

Bangladesh: Dhaka IELTS Test Fee: Tk 7,900

What happens if a candidate loses their Test Report Form?

At any time within two years of the date of the examination, a candidate can apply to the centre which administered the test to be sent 5 copies of the original Test Report Form free of charge. These Test Report Forms will not be sent to the candidates themselves, but the universities abroad, Embassy and Consulate. For any further copies, there is an administration charge per copy.

Application Procedure

An IELTS application form, Two recent passport sized photographs, A copy of your passport or national ID card (original must also be presented) and A copy of your recent IELTS test score if you have taken the test before

You should apply for the test at least five weeks in advance. However, applications may be accepted after the deadline if the candidate list is not closed.

How to register?
→ Register online and pay the test fee by Credit Card (Master / VISA)
→ Register by Courier and pay test fee by Demand Draft

IELTS Syllabus

Retaking IELTS

There is no limitation on how frequently candidates can sit IELTS. It should be noted however that IELTS scores are not substantially improved merely by taking the test on multiple occasions. To significantly improve a score it is necessary to engage in further study of a serious nature.