WHO ACCEPTS IELTS?

The IELTS test is developed by some of the world’s leading experts in language assessment. It has an excellent international reputation and is accepted by over 8,000 organizations worldwide, including schools, universities, employers, immigration authorities and professional bodies. IELTS is the most widely accepted English language test that uses a one-on-one speaking test to assess your English communication skills. This means that you are assessed by having a real-life conversation with a real person. This is the most effective and natural way of testing your English conversation skills. IELTS for UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI & LIFE SKILL) If the UK visa you are applying for asks you to prove your English language ability, IELTS is on the list of approved secure English Language Tests. The IELTS test for UK visa purposes is designed to meet certain administrative requirements that are specified only for individuals who wish to study, work or live in the United Kingdom. You can still choose between the IELTS Academic, General Training or IELTS Life Skills for UKVI tests, but you must ensure that you sit the exam at a center authorized by the British Home Office. While the IELTS Life Skills is a UK Government-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) version of the IELTS test. It is used to aid UK Visa and Immigration applications and is designed for international English speakers who need to meet specific immigration requirements. Candidates are required to demonstrate speaking and listening skills only. Your speaking and listening abilities will be assessed at levels A1 or B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The IELTS Life Skills test is available at two levels. If you are applying for a visa to move to or stay in the UK, you can choose one of the tests below: IELTS for UKVI Academic IELTS for UKVI Academic is for test takers wishing to study at undergraduate or postgraduate levels, and for those seeking professional registration in the UK. When applying for undergraduate and postgraduate courses at most UK universities and colleges, different arrangements may apply – you should contact the institution you wish to apply to for more information. Components: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking IELTS for UKVI General Training IELTS for UKVI General Training is for test takers wishing to migrate to the UK and for those wishing to train or study below degree level. Components: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking IELTS Life Skills A1 IELTS Life Skills A1 is for people who need to prove their English speaking and listening skills at Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) level A1 as part of their application to UKVI for Family, Spouse or Partner visa. Components: Speaking and Listening IELTS Life Skills A2* IELTS Life Skills A2 is for people who need to prove their English speaking and listening skills at the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) level A2 as part of their application to UKVI for extension to Family, Spouse or Partner visa. Components: Speaking and Listening IELTS Life Skills B1 IELTS life Skills B1 is for people who need to prove their English speaking and listening skills at Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) level B1 as part of their application to UKVI for citizenship/settlement. IELTS TEST FORMAT All candidates must complete four Modules - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking - to obtain a band score, which is shown on the IELTS Test Report Form (TRF). All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking Modules, while the Reading and Writing Modules differ depending on whether the candidate is taking the Academic or General Training Versions of the Test IELTS Listening – Duration 30Minutes IELTS listening test lasts for about 30 minutes. It consists of four recorded sections, played on cassette tape, in order of increasing difficulty. Each section might be a dialogue or a monologue. These include questions which test your ability to understand main ideas and detailed factual information, ability to understand the opinions and attitudes of speakers, ability to understand the purpose of an utterance and the ability to follow the development of ideas. A variety of voices and native-speaker accents are used and the test is played once only, and the questions for each section must be answered while listening, although time is given for students to check their answers. IELTS Reading – Duration 60Minutes Reading is the second part of the IELTS test, and takes 60 minutes. It consists of three or sometimes four reading passages of increasing difficulty, and there are a total of 40 questions to answer. A variety of question types is used in order to test a wide range of reading skills. These including reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical argument, recognizing writers' opinions, attitudes and purpose. Though you can mark and write on the Question Paper, you must enter your answers on the Reading Answer Sheet, and be aware that no extra time is given for transferring your answers from the test booklet to the Reading Answer Sheet. IELTS Writing – Duration 60Minutes IELTS Writing Test lasts for 60 minutes, and you will need to complete two writing tasks, each of which requires different text types (description, report, discussion, argument, opinion text). IELTS Writing Task 1 In the first part, you are given a task based on some graph, table, chart or diagram and asked to describe, summarize or explain the information in your own words. You may be asked to describe and explain data, describe the stages of a process, how something works or describe an object or event. You are expected to write a descriptive report of at least 150 words on the information provided. IELTS Writing Task 2 The second task is more demanding. You are expected to produce a written argument on a given topic and to organize your answer clearly, given some examples to support your points. You will have to write at least 250 words and, as Task 2 is longer than Task 1, you are advised to spend approximately 40 minutes on this task and 20 minutes on the first task. Responses to both tasks must be in a formal style. IELTS General Writing If you are planning to take the GT module, the Writing test is different. You are allowed one hour to complete two tasks, of 150 and 250 words, as in the Academic module. However, Task 1 is always a letter, while Task 2 is an essay based on a given topic IELTS Speaking – Duration: 11 to 14 Minutes IELTS Speaking is a one-to-one interaction between the candidate and an examiner. The Speaking section assesses your use of spoke English. The three parts give the candidate the opportunity to use a range of different speaking skills. IELTS Speaking is recorded. The Speaking section is delivered in such a way that it does not allow candidates to rehearse set responses beforehand. Timing 11 – 14 minutes Marks Candidates are assessed on their performance throughout the test.