IELTS Test
IELTS is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, British Council, and IDP: IELTS Australia.
Since 1989, IELTS has been proven and trusted worldwide to provide a secure, global, authentic and customer-focused test which measures true to life ability to communicate in English.
Recognition: This test is specified as fulfilling English language requirements for entry to academic courses by the majority of institutions of Further and Higher Education in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom and currently by over 380 universities and colleges in the USA. It is also used by a number of professional bodies world-wide, including the Ministry of Defense, and the General Medical Council in the UK, the Australian Medical Council and Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, the Medical Council of Ireland, the New Zealand Immigration Service and the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools in the USA.
If you were educated in a country that is classified as a non-English-speaking country ( Nepal falls in that category) then you must take TOEFL/IELTS.
What is IELTS ?
- IELTS means the International Education Language Testing System.
- It is designed to assess the language ability of candidates who need to study or work where English is used as the language of communication.
- IELTS is accepted by British, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and American education institutions for admissions.
- IELTS is used by many professional bodies and governments including the British, Canadian, New Zealand and Australian immigration services and the General Medical Council. It is used for Recruitment purposes by public and private organizations in many countries.
What kind of exam is it?
- IELTS covers all four languages skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.
- IELTS is offered in two test formats: i) Academic: Academic is suitable for candidates planning to undertake higher education study . ii) General: General training is suitable for candidates planning to undertake non-academic training, or for immigration purposes.
- Candidates are given a score which shows their ability in each of the four skills, and an overall score.
The test has different sections:
The Listening Section - Duration : 30 minutes
Academic reading/general training reading section - Duration : 60 minutes
Academic writing/general training writing section - Duration : 60 minutes
Speaking Section : Duration : 11 - 14 minutes
Total test time : 2 hours and 45 minutes
You will receive a separate Band Score. The four Band Scores, one for each section are added together and averaged for an Overall Band Score. Each Band has a statement giving a summary of the English at that level. There are nine Band levels, from one (non-user) to nine (expert user).
The minimum score accepted for a course ranges from 5.0 to 7.5, depending upon courses and institutes you are applying to. The most common requirement is a band score of 6 to 6.5.
Test Reports validity: For two years.
You can retake the test if you donot achieve the desired score but not before three months of the first test date.
The test is conducted by the British Council. You can contact your local British Council office to find out where your nearest test centre is located.
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