The prospective international students planning to study abroad specially in the English-speaking nations namely the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, etc. need to showcase their English speaking skills at the time of admission. The students belonging to non-native English-speaking countries need to give tests like the TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language, and IELTS, or International English Language Testing System while applying for a course. The IELTS exam score is a widely accepted exam worldwide proving proficiency in the English language. Almost the majority of the universities or graduate schools located in the countries like the US, UK, Australia, Canada, etc. consider the IELTS scores of the applicants.
IELTS is a task-based test that includes the four language skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) and is prepared to get a fair, accurate, and reliable assessment of the candidates’ English language proficiency. The IELTS exam pattern consists of four sections including Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening and the fee to take the exam is INR. 14,700. The fee is subject to change. Hence, applicants are advised to keep checking the fee amount before applying for the IELTS examination.
IELTS unlike other examination require dedication, discipline, good preparation, and your determination to excel in the examination. IELTS coaching is a better option where students have many advantages like flexible batch time, good study materials, online and offline classes, training by expert teachers, mock tests, practice tests, regular performance evaluation, personalized attention, and more.
Beneath we are discussing some of the key highlights of the IELTS exam that can help candidates know more about the highly demanding examination.
IELTS Highlights
| IELTS Complete Name | International English Language Testing System |
| Official Website of IELTS | https://www.ielts.org/ |
| Considered By | More than 10,000 universities |
| Conducted By | IDP and the British Council |
| Mode of IELTS | Paper-based & Online |
| IELTS Exam Fee | INR 14,700 |
| IELTS Score Range | 1-9 |
| IELTS Organizing Body | IDP Head Office – 01244445999
Email – [email protected] British Council Office – 01204569000 Email – [email protected] |
Why appear for the IELTS Exam?
- IELTS for Study: Choosing IELTS for study can offer numerous advantages to the candidates as this test is accepted by more than 10,000 education institutions across the world.
- IELTS for Work: There are many professional organizations and employers globally that accept the IELTS for shortlisting the right candidate since the candidates are expected to establish effective communication at work. Many industries accept the IELTS test for testing the language proficiency of the candidates.
- IELTS for immigration: Each country has its own set of guidelines for IELTS based on which they select the most eligible candidates. Australia accepts this test for offering permanent residency and for various visa categories.
Who all accepts IELTS?
Many times, the candidates planning to take the IELTS exam get confused regarding the kind of universities and top-tier MNCs that consider the IELTS band score.
The information below will help the candidates to know about the universities, colleges, etc. that accepts the IELTS exam:
- First of all, the IELTS test is recognized worldwide by the leading educational institutions, employers, governments, immigration authorities, and many professional bodies as well.
- The higher education institutions located abroad consider IELTS scores as proof of English language proficiency and candidates obtaining higher IELTS scores get the preference.
- Also, IELTS is the only English language test accepted by immigration authorities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom for a visa, and migration purposes.
- Some of the immigration departments that accept the IELTS scores include the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Immigration New Zealand, and the UK among others. Immigration authorities rely on the IELTS as a measure of English language proficiency.
IELTS Band Score
- IELTS Band score 9: Expert
- IELTS Band score 8: Very good
- IELTS Band score 7: Good
- IELTS Band score 6: Competent
- IELTS Band score 5: Modest
- IELTS Band score 4: Limited
- IELTS Band score 3: Extremely limited
- IELTS Band score 2: Intermittent
- IELTS Band score 1: Non-user
- IELTS Band score 0: No traceable information
IELTS test dates and centers
There are more than 1000 test centers, in over 140 countries that conduct the IELTS exam. All the IELTS tests are taken at accredited test centers globally. The candidates can take up to 48 test dates that are available each year and each center offers tests up to four times each month. The IELTS academic is available on all 48 dates each year and IELTS general training is available on 24 dates per year.
IELTS Test Centers in India
IELTS has its exam centres all over the country. The test can be taken at any of the locations across India. The candidates can select the location wisely considering the time required to travel. Make sure you select that IELTS center that is located near to your home.
Book the IELTS center in advance as per your preferred time. Register now for the IELTS exam today.
The candidates can give the IELTS exam with the IDP up to once a week (four times a month). The British Council and IDP global schedule for test dates are 48 days every year. The IELTS test is accepted by the majority of universities located in English-speaking countries. Also, the test is accepted in more than 11,000 organizations in more than 140 countries. We at Study Smart Overseas Education provide professional IELTS coaching to students and working professionals. Students can enroll with us anytime at our centres in Delhi, Pune, or Surat.
IELTS Exam Educational Eligibility
As such, there is no age limit prescribed by the IELTS administrators (IDP or British Council), however, the candidates must be more than 16 years. Anyone can plan to pursue higher studies abroad or who wants to work abroad can take the IELTS exam (both Academic and General Training).
However, make sure that you meet the minimum eligibility criteria prescribed by the universities or organization to which you plan to apply at.
Different formats of the IELTS Exam
The IELTS Exam is taken in two formats which include IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training Test.
The IELTS Academic is given by the ones planning to study in an international university; however, the IELTS General Training Test is given by those candidates who plan to migrate to major English-speaking nations including the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK.
Most of the renowned educational institutes and universities globally require a good IELTS score with a minimum of 7.0 bands with section scores of 6.5 bands as a prerequisite to offer admission to the candidates belonging to the non-native countries. Students are also eligible for scholarships. You can contact our career counselors at Study Smart to know more about the scholarships available for students with good IELTS score. The best IELTS coaching can help you win scholarships. Contact us today.
Apart from this, this test is also considered in case the individuals plan to shift to the major economies of the world like the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
IELTS Test Pattern
The IELTS Syllabus consists of four different sections which include Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking and the entire duration of the test is 2 hours and 45 minutes.
- Listening: The entire length of this section is 30 minutes and candidates are expected to answer 40 questions of different styles and types.
- Reading: The entire time for this section is 30 minutes and it includes almost 40 questions.
- Writing: The time limit given to complete this section is 60 minutes, two questions are asked from it. The candidates have to write a short essay of at least 250 words.
- Speaking: The entire duration of this section differs from 11 to 14 minutes and candidates have to give a face-to-face interview as well. Through this section, the candidates’ communication skills are judged.
Total attempts for the IELTS Exam
There is no limit set by the conducting bodies that permit the IELTS test takers to take the test. The candidates can take the IELTS exam as many times as they want until they achieve their target score.
However, the candidates need to pay the IELTS test fee each time they take the test.
An Ideal Score for IELTS
Generally, an IELTS score of 7 and higher is considered an ideal score for ensuring admission to the renowned universities in the UK, US, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada, and Australia, among other English-speaking nations. The IELTS cutoff is set differently for each of the four sections. Therefore, candidates must focus on all the sections to get a good IELTS score. IELTS coaching at Study Smart can help you achieve your dream. Register now for the IELTS coaching.
IELTS score validity is for 2 years. To check the IELTS score, candidates have to submit an identification document number and with it, they have to provide a registration number generated while filling the IELTS application.
Minimum IELTS score required by the Top Universities
There is no fixed requirement for eligibility for the IELTS exam as each university has a different set of requirements and its own set of guidelines that need to be followed by the candidates planning to take admission to the top-most universities. Additionally, the candidates must meet the eligibility requirements set by the university or the educational institute where they are planning to take admitted.
To offer a better understanding to the candidates regarding the different IELTS score requirements by the universities, beneath is a breakdown summary of a few of the top universities which consider the IELTS scores.
| Name of the institution | World Rank | IELTS Minimum requirement (UG) | IELTS Minimum Requirement (PG) | |||
| Oxford University | 1 | 7.0 | 7.5 | |||
| University of Cambridge | 2 | 7.0 | 7.0 | |||
| Imperial College London | 9 | 7.0 | 7.0 | |||
| Name of institution | World rank | IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programs) | ||||
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4 | 7.0 | ||||
| California Institute of Technology | 5 | 7.0 | ||||
| Harvard University | 6 | 7.0 | ||||
| Princeton University | 7 | 7.0 | ||||
| Yale University | 8 | 7.0 | ||||
| University of Chicago | 10 | 7.0 | ||||
| University of Pennsylvania | 12 | 7.0 | ||||
| University of California, Berkeley | 15 | 7.0 | ||||
IELTS Cutoff for Canadian Universities
| Name of Institution | IELTS Cutoff | Rankings (QS) |
| University of Toronto | 6.5-7.0 | 29 |
| University of British Columbia | 6.5 | 51 |
| McGill University | 6.5 | 35 |
| McMaster University | 6.5 | 140 |
| University of Alberta | 6.5 | 113 |
The requirement for the IELTS score varies from university to university, so the candidates must refer to the official website of the colleges or universities to check the minimum score required.
How is the IELTS Score Calculated?
There are two kinds of scores in the IELTS exam including the overall Band Scores and the Sectional Band Scores.
In the Sectional band scores, the candidates will get marks based on their performance in each section, while the Overall Band Score is the average score of all the sections. The candidates will be marked from 0 to 9 for both overall and sectional scores based on their performance. The Overall band scores will always be rounded off to the next half or whole band.
How to register for IELTS?
While doing the registration make sure that you have your passport handy. Apart from this, the candidates are expected to carry their passports to the center on the test day.
The registration for this test can be done in easy steps:
- First of all, the candidates need to visit the official British Council registration page.
- Create an account with the British Council and locate the nearest test center.
- Register for the IELTS test and pay the fees online.
Those who are less than 18 years of age need their parent’s or guardians’ assistance to book the test for them. Once the registration is complete, the test center will send a written confirmation confirming the date and time of the candidates’ IELTS test.
IELTS Preparation
The candidates can prepare for the IELTS exam either by self-studying or by taking IELTS coaching classes. Taking professional help in the form of IELTS coaching can help candidates enhance their language proficiency skills and comfort level. If you are already fluent in English, taking coaching classes will help you revise the concepts and know your level of preparation. By taking the assistance of expert mentors, candidates can study under professional supervision. Since regularly attending classes will be a part of your routine, so you can also improve your time management skills.
Benefits of taking IELTS coaching:
- The candidates will learn new words to improve their vocabulary
- They will get an opportunity to practice writing regularly.
- Under strict time scheduling, the candidates can enhance their writing speed
- To improve your English fluency, taking coaching is beneficial as classes are provided by the language experts.
- With coaching classes offered at Study Smart, the best IELTS coaching institute, the candidates can focus on their shortcomings and areas that need improvement.
Generally, 3-4 months training for the IELTS exam is required by the candidates to get a good score in the exam.
So start preparing for the IELTS exam which is accepted by English native countries. Getting a good score on this test might help you to get your desired job employment in an organization, or might help you to get admission into a particular institute, or can be considered for migration into a specific country.
No matter whatever the reason for taking the IELTS exam is, taking IELTS coaching help candidates get a good score. To know more about IELTS coaching, register now at Study Smart, the best institute for IELTS exam preparation.
Contact our team of counselors to register now for the IELTS coaching in Delhi, Pune, or Surat city.
