IELTS is accepted by more than 6000 organizations worldwide. These include universities, immigration departments, government agencies, professional bodies and multinational companies.
FAQ'S
Find a short list of our most frequently asked questions.
IELTS has two versions – Academic and General Training. The Academic test is for those who want to study at a tertiary level in an English-speaking country. The General Training test is for those who want to do work experience or training programs, secondary school or migrate to an English-speaking country. All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking tests but different Reading and Writing tests.
Read the explanation of the Academic and General Training tests, then contact the organization or institution to which you are applying to find out what it requires. Note that you must know which version to take when you complete the online application form.
IELTS has four parts – Listening (30 minutes), Reading (60 minutes), Writing (60 minutes) and Speaking (11–14 minutes). The total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes. The Listening, Reading and Writing tests are done in one sitting. The Speaking test may be on the same day or up to seven days before or after the other tests.
Test centres make every effort to cater for the special needs of disabled candidates. It is our aim for all candidates to be assessed fairly and objectively. If you have a special need, talk to your local test centre when registering. Centres may need three months to organise arrangements.
IELTS is available on 48 fixed dates a year – up to four times a month, depending on local demand.
IELTS has a set fee for its test. The Academic and General Training tests are the same cost. When you apply online, you will be told the fee.
If you postpone or cancel your application more than 5 weeks before the test date, you will receive a refund minus an administration charge. If you postpone or cancel within 5 weeks of the test date, you will be charged the full fee unless you have a medical reason. If you provide a medical certificate within 5 days of the test date, you will receive a refund minus the local administrative cost.
If you are away on the test day with no prior notice, you will lose your full fee. However, if you provide a medical certificate within 5 days of the test date, you will receive a refund minus the local administrative cost.
The Listening, Reading and Writing components of the test are always completed immediately after each other and with no break. Depending on the test centre, the Speaking test may be taken up to 7 days either before or after the test date.
No. The Reading test is one hour, and you must write all your answers on the answer sheet in this time
No. You must do it in pencil. The answer sheet is scanned by a computer which cannot read pen.
Yes. The IELTS Examiner will not see your question paper.
There is no pass or fail in IELTS. Scores are graded on the 9-band system. Each educational institution or organization sets its own level of IELTS scores to meet its individual requirements.
Only pens, pencils and erasers. You must bring the passport/national identity card you used on the IELTS Application Form to the test. You must leave everything else outside the examination room. Mobile phones and pagers must be switched off and placed with personal belongings in the area designated by the supervisor. If you do not switch off your phone/pager or keep it on you, you will be disqualified.
You do the Listening test first following by the Reading and Writing components of the test. Depending on the test centre, the Speaking test may be taken up to 7 days either before or after the test date.
As IELTS is an international test, a variety of English accents are used in both of these tests.
The TOEFL iBT test, delivered via the internet, measures reading, listening, speaking and writing skills. It is offered more than 50 times a year and is administered online at testing sites around the world.
The TOEFL PBT test, which has been discontinued, was a paper-and-pencil test that measured reading, listening, grammar and writing skills and was offered only in locations where testing via the internet is not available.
The revised TOEFL Paper-delivered Test, which replaced the TOEFL PBT test, measures reading, listening and writing. There is no speaking component because of the technical requirements of capturing spoken responses.
For more information, see:
TOEFL scores are accepted by more than 10,000 universities and other institutions worldwide, including universities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., the United States, and across Europe and Asia.
To learn more about why the TOEFL test is the right test to get you to your destination, visit Who Accepts TOEFL Scores.
Each institution sets its own score requirements. You can start your score requirement research with the TOEFL® Destination Search and then contact the institution for more specific requirements. If you’re applying for postgraduate studies, find out if your institution requires other tests, such as the GRE®(Graduate Record Examinations®) test. For more information about the GRE test, go to www.ets.org/gre.
No. PTE Academic is a test of your English ability. The test covers a range of subjects, but you are not being tested on these subjects.
You do not need any special computer skills. To familiarize yourself with the test we suggest you:
– Review the test preparation resources.
– We recommend taking one of our Scored Practice Tests to get used to the timing and moving through each type of question.
PTE Academic is taken using a QWERTY keyboard, where the letters on the top line spell out ‘QWERTY’. IF you are not used to this type of keyboard, it may help to practice with one before you take the test.
You must be at least 16 years old. If you are 16 or 17 years old, you must provide a signed parental consent form before taking the test.
Complete the form, then follow the instructions printed on it to send it to us. Download the form here.
No. PTE Academic has been designed to recognise speech from non-native speakers of English representing over 100 different native languages.