IELTS Stands for “International English Language Testing System
It is a test of English Language proficiency. It is jointly managed by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Australia.
There are two versions of the IELTS: The Academic Version and the General Version.
The Academic Version is intended for those who want to enroll in universities and other institutions of higher education and for professionals such as medical professionals and nurses who want to study or practice.
The General Training Version is intended for those planning to undertake non-academic training or employment, for immigration purposes.
IELTS is accepted by almost all Australian, British, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand and more than 1800 US academic institutions. It is the only acceptable English test for immigration to Australian and also accepted by the UK and Canada.
The IELTS test comprises of four Modules – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Scores are reported in “bands” for the individual modules and the overall tests. 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.
The first three modules – Listening, Reading and Writing (always in that order) – are completed in one day with no break in between. The Speaking Module may be taken, at the discretion of the test center. It is generally administered on the day of the test or on the following day.
An IELTS result or Test Report Form (TRF) is valid for two years.
| Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
| 30 minutes | 60 minutes | 60 minutes | 11-14 minutes |
You deserve a fair chance to do your best.
That is why, unlike other tests, IELTS gives you a quiet room for an individual Speaking test with no distractions or interruptions.
IELTS also recognises that people have different approaches to answering questions.
For example, with IELTS you can answer questions within the Reading test or within the Writing test in the order that suits you.
You can also make changes to your Reading answers during the hour of the Reading test and adjust your Writing responses during the Writing test.
| 9 | Very Good User | Has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies. Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations. Handles complex detailed argumentation well. |
| 8 | Good User | Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriateness and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning. |
| 7 | Competent User | Has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriateness and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situation. |
| 6 | Modest User | Has a partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. The candidate should be able to handle communicate in his or her own filed. |
| 5 | Limited User | Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has frequent problems in using complex language. |
| 4 | Extremely Limited User | Conveys and understands only generally meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur. |
| 3 | Intermittent User | No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English. |
| 2 | Non User | Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words. |
| IELTS Academic Test | NPR. 27,100 |
| IELTS General Test | NPR. 27,100 |