IELTS ( The International English Language Testing System ) is an English language exam that is required to be taken by international candidates considering studying or working in a country where English is the main language of communication. The most popular countries where IELTS is accepted for university admissions are the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Canada. The exam mainly measures the ability of test-takers to communicate in the four basic English language skills – listening, reading, speaking, and writing. The IELTS exam is jointly owned and conducted by IDP Education Australia, British Council, and Cambridge English Language Assessment. With the number of IELTS tests growing to a record of 3.5 million in the year 2018, it has become a leader in the area of international higher education. It is accepted in 100% of universities in the UK and Australia. Also, it is accepted in more than 3,400 institutions in the US and thousands of institutions in English-speaking countries.
ELTS 2020 exam is required for migration as well as academic purposes abroad in English-speaking countries like Australia, the UK, New Zealand, the USA, and Canada. It is the only English Language Test approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for visa applicants applying both outside and inside the UK. A lot of students get confused about why are the IELTS scores required. The simple answer to this is that foreign universities and visa-granting authorities need to be sure that you will not have communication issues while staying in the country. You need to show a good understanding and strong command of the English language and that is why your overall IELTS scores are so important. Another common doubt students have is whether IELTS is a compulsory exam or not. No, IELTS isn’t compulsory in all university admissions. Many universities might not even require IELTS scores for admission purposes. But remember that if you don’t give IELTS, your chances of getting the student visa might suffer as the visa officers may not be convinced about your English proficiency without IELTS scores. So it is safer to appear for IELTS and aim to score at least 6 bands overall.
You can take the IELTS exam with the British Council or IDP up to once a week (four times a month). The British Council and IDP global schedule for test dates is 48 days per year.
There are two types of IELTS exams: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Listening and speaking sections are the same for both these tests, however, the subject matter for the writing and reading sections are different depending on which test one takes. The Reading, Writing, and Listening sections of the IELTS tests are completed on the same day of the test with no breaks between them. However, the Speaking section can be completed either a week before or after the other test date. This information test can be taken from your test center. Read: Which exam to give for which course to study abroad
Often international students are confused between choosing IELTS or TOEFL, as universities abroad ask for either exam score. It is up to you as a test taker to decide which of the two exams to take, but remember that IELTS is preferred in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, while TOEFL is popular among applicants to universities in US and Canada.
IELTS can be taken by anyone irrespective of age, gender, race, nationality, or religion, however, the IELTS test is not recommended for those under 16 years of age.
a. What is the age limit to appear for the IELTS exam?
Minimum age requirement is lowered for language requirements for Canadian citizenship: Due to changes in the Citizenship Act in Canada, the minimum age that applicants have to prove their language proficiency for Canadian citizenship has been lowered. From June 2015, applicants between the ages of 14-64 who wish to move to Canada have to meet language requirements set by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).
b. How many attempts can be given for IELTS?
As such, there are no minimum eligibility criteria for IELTS set by the conducting bodies of IELTS. Anyone who wishes to pursue higher studies abroad or wants to work abroad can attempt the IELTS exam (both Academic and General Training). However, candidates should always check the eligibility criteria set by the educational institution or organization to which they are applying.
The IELTS test has been developed to assess the English language skills of an individual. The individuals are assessed on the bases of their Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking skills.
The IELTS test is jointly owned by:
Do candidates have this doubt about who is best for IELTS, British Council, or IDP? Where they should take the IELTS test? However, there is no difference between the agencies, whether you take IELTS from British Council or IDP. So, you can take the IELTS exam conducted by any of the agencies.
Make sure to keep your passport handy at the time of registration as you need your passport number at the time of registration. Apart from this, you also need to carry your passport on the test day. IELTS Registration can be done in easy steps:
Those below 18 years of age need their parent or guardian to book the test for them. Once the registration is complete, your test center will send a written confirmation to you informing you about the date and time of your IELTS test.
The registration fee for IELTS is Rs. 16,250.
Those who can produce a medical certificate within 5 days of the test date can receive the refund after deducting the local administrative cost.
If you want to change your test date, then you can request a test day transfer at least five weeks before your already booked test date after deducting your cancellation/postponement fee. Also, make sure the new test date must be within three months of the original test date. Candidates need to pay an administrative charge of INR 3,300 inclusive of all taxes for the transfer of the test date.
One of the biggest drawbacks of studying abroad is having to pay tuition fees in foreign currency clubbed with high living expenses. Due to such reasons, a lot of times, many sections of students are unavailable to go abroad and end up settling down for other alternatives. However, with the availability of various IELTS Scholarships and education loans, students can finally make their dream come true. Scholarships are available on the official website of every college along with other fellowships and grants that are awarded to deserving students regularly. Students can also opt for education loans from financial institutions for studying abroad.
British Council and IDP IELTS are the two official conducting bodies of the IELTS Exam. The IELTS test is available multiple times throughout the year. Candidates are advised to book an IELTS Test Date that is most convenient to them, keeping in mind the university admission timeline. Students looking to appear for the IELTS test are advised to choose an exam date 3-4 months before their application deadline, to avoid any last-minute errors. The IELTS test is available across various major cities in India.
It is important for candidates looking to score well in their IELTS Test to understand the IELTS Exam Pattern and Syllabus in detail. IELTS Syllabus includes four sections, Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. You get marked on these four sections and you get the IELTS total score as well. The total score is the sum of the scores in the four skill areas. The total test duration is 2 hours and 45 minutes. Read: How to approach each section of IELTS
You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to a series of questions.
The speaking section assesses your use of spoken English. Every test is recorded.
The Reading section consists of 40 questions, designed to test a wide range of reading skills. These include reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical argument, and recognizing writers' opinions, attitudes and purpose.
Topics are of general interest. There are two tasks:
The Reading section consists of 40 questions, designed to test a wide range of reading skills. These include reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical argument, and recognizing writers' opinions, attitudes and purpose.
Topics are of general interest to, and suitable for, test takers entering undergraduate and postgraduate studies or seeking professional registration. There are two tasks:
The PTE ( Pearson Test of English ) Academic exam is a computer-based English language test accepted by educational institutions around the world. Those students and aspirants who desire to go abroad for studying or immigrate to a major English-speaking country are required to take the PTE Academic exam to prove their English language competency.
The three-hour-long computer-based test focuses on day-to-day English rather than the high-level English language and tests a student on his/her ability to effectively understand the language as spoken daily. The multi-level grading system ensures a better understanding of the student’s proficiency in the English language. Many things distinguish PTE Academic from its close competitors – IELTS and TOEFL. The first and foremost distinguishing aspect of the same is the scoring pattern and the results. As the tests are completely computerized, the PTE results and scores are declared much quicker, typically in 5 business days. This makes it aptly suited for students who are in a bit of a rush.
PTE Academic is a computer-based English language test for non-native English speakers who wish to study abroad. It tests the Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking skills of the candidates. The test is designed in such a way that every question generally tests 2 skills together, like reading and speaking or listening and reading.
The PTE Academic exam is accepted by thousands of educational institutions across the world. Apart from this, PTE Academic is also accepted by the governments of Australia and New Zealand for visa purposes. Those who aspire to go abroad for studying in a major English-speaking country like the UK, Australia, USA, and Canada take the PTE Academic exam to prove their English language efficiency.
The Pearson Language Tests – a unit of Pearson PLC Group is responsible for conducting two formats of the English proficiency test to assess the English language skills of non-native speakers of the English language. The two tests are PTE Academic and PTE General.
As such, there are no specific criteria set by the Pearson PLC Group – the conducting body of the PTE Academic exam. However, according to the PTE Academic eligibility criteria, students must be at least 16 years of age at the time of appearing for the test. Also, candidates who are below 18 years of age need to give a parental consent form for appearing for the PTE Academic test.
The standard PTE Academic exam fee is Rs 13,300. In case the candidate is booking his PTE exam within 48 hours of the PTE test date, the candidate would be required to pay the PTE Late Booking Fee of Rs. 13,965.
If you don't want to appear for the PTE Academic test, then you can claim a refund 14 calendar days before the test date. Cancelling or rescheduling the PTE Academic exam can be done on the PTE official website. Candidates can reschedule the PTE exam 2020 to any other date by phone or online. You can read more about the Cancellation and Rescheduling PTE Academic fee below.
For booking PTE Academic online, you need a valid ID, generally a passport. Candidates are also required to show that ID on the day of the exam else they will not be allowed to enter the PTE Test center.
Other methods of registering for PTE :
Apart from the much preferred online method of registering for the PTE exam, candidates can also register for the PTE Exam via phone. Indian students wanting to register for the PTE Exam can contact the PTE Academic testing body by dialling: 00080 0440 2020. (Operating hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm local time; closed on local holidays.)
The Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) assesses the written and spoken, skills of the candidates to ensure that they are capable of studying in the international environment, with a good grasp of the universal language of English. By scoring well on this test, students can assure the admission committee as well as the visa officers that they are capable of understanding the globally accepted official language while studying in a foreign land.
The Reading section consists of 40 questions, designed to test a wide range of reading skills. These include reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical argument, and recognizing writers' opinions, attitudes and purpose.
This section tests the candidates based on their ability to understand the written instructions in the language. The section further divided into 5 segments is 32 to 41 minutes long. Check out the segment-wise pattern for the time distribution of this section:
The listening section of the PTE Academic is stretched over 45 to 57 minutes of duration. This one is designed to determine the ability to understand spoken English by the candidate. Here, the student needs to ascertain that they carefully hear the audio file played and retain what they heard. This section is divided into 8 segments and the time given to each segment is as follows.
