IELTS Exam: Registration, Eligibility, Fess, Tips, FAQs & More

The US and UK are top destinations for most international students. Each country speaks English as its main language. Thus, universities in these countries teach in English. If you want to study here, you must show your ideal university that you can keep up with their course requirements. How to prove that? English-language proficiency tests. The most popular standardized test is IELTS.

Millions of foreign students take the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam since a good score can affect their admission. If you want to study abroad, start IELTS preparation now.

Most overseas students know the IELTS exam but not its importance or registration process. What are the finest IELTS exam tips, tactics, and guidance? We got you covered.

• Registration fees: Varies per country. Could be from $200-$300. You have to go to a center and find out the exact fee.
• Exam Duration: 2 hrs 45 minutes
• Exam Pattern: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking
• Mode of Exam: Paper-based and Computer-delivered
• Types of IELTS Exam: Academic and General Training
• Score Scale: Band-1 (lowest) to Band-9 (highest)

Benefits Of Writing IELTS

Many aspirants think of IELTS as an exam to give to get into the top universities. While that stands true, there is another way to look at IELTS. So how can you benefit from writing IELTS?

Proof of Fluency in English

Most of the courses you will study abroad are in English. This is why multiple abroad universities wish to analyse a student’s skills and knowledge in English proficiency.

Better Job Opportunities

Good communication skills can land a high-paying job. Ensure you work to build your language skills well here.

Gateway to Top Global Universities

A good IELTS score can help you get accepted at top universities globally. Most worldwide universities also determine application processes on this score, so ensure you deliver a good result.

Types Of IELTS Exams

Academic and General Training IELTS examinations are available. The IELTS is divided into two categories based on a candidate’s needs and purpose for traveling abroad: Academic test and General training. There are two sorts of IELTS tests based on how they are administered: paper-based and computer-delivered.

To choose which IELTS registration is best for you, review the comparative overview of each section offered below:

1. Main Differentiator

IELTS Academic

• The IELTS Academic test is designed for students wishing to pursue higher education, such as Undergraduate, Master’s, MBA, or PhD programs, where English is the primary language. It determines if the test taker is prepared to begin studies or professional job in a non-native language/environment.

IELTS General Training

• IELTS General Training assesses test-takers’ English language proficiency in everyday situations. Individuals seeking to enroll in a vocational training program or immigrate professionally prefer this type of test. In addition, if you intend to go to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom, you must take the IELTS General Training test.

2. Test Format

IELTS Academic

• For the Academic test, the questions assess a candidate’s ability to use the language to thrive in academic and professional scenarios.

IELTS General Training

• For General training, the questions are more in line to assess a candidate’s practical use of language in various professional and social settings.

3. Statistics

IELTS Academic

• 80% of test-takers opt for the IELTS Academic test

IELTS General Training

• 20% chose the IELTS General Training

What are The IELTS Eligibility Criteria?

IELTS doesn’t have any strict or particular IELTS exam eligibility criteria. However, regardless of anything, students aged 16 and above are eligible.

What Is The Process of IELTS Exam Registration?

To appear for the IELTS exam, one needs to register for the same. There are two ways to register for the IELTS exam, online and offline. And how to register? 🤔

Online:

• Visit the IELTS official website.
• Click on ‘Register for IELTS’.
• Choose the date, test type and test city you’re undertaking from.
• After choosing the slot, fill in the complete details such as name, contact details, etc. Fill in all the required details thoroughly.
• Submit a copy of your first and last page of the passport.
• You then choose which universities you wish to send your IELTS score results to
• Check all the information details before paying the test fee.
• You will receive acknowledgement for the same either by email or phone

Offline:

You will have to visit an IELTS center and fill out an application.

What Is The IELTS Exam Pattern?

The IELTS exam has multiple sections. And knowing the pattern beforehand places you to become more comfortable and confident in taking the exam.

• Listening Section: Consists of Multiple choice, Sentence completion, Summary completion, Flow-chart completion, Diagram labelling, Matching information, and more.  It lasts for 40 questions in 30 minutes.
• Reading Section: Consists of Short answers, Matching headings, Multiple choice, Sentence completion, Summary completion, Flow-chart completion, Diagram labelling, Identifying writer’s views/claims, and more. It lasts for 40 questions in 60 minutes.
• Writing Section: Consists of 2 writing tasks and lasts for 2 questions in 60 minutes.
• Speaking Section: Consists of 3 part exercise and lasts for 11-14 minutes.

How Much Is The IELTS Cancellation Fees?

An candidate may wish to cancel or postpone their IELTS exam at times. This could be due to cold feet or some personal emergency. It is possible to carry out this activity in such instances.

If you want to cancel your IELTS exam, you must do so at least five weeks in advance. You can receive a complete refund minus 25% administrative expenses. However, if you do not fulfill this deadline or fail to present for the test, you will not be refunded.

Tips For IELTS Preparation

Discipline and practice can help you get the best IELTS score that will help your application shine. Ensure that you do the following things to stay on top of your preparation for the IELTS exam:

• Conduct more practice tests: The more you practice, the more you become familiar with the exam, its questions, and the pattern. This gives you a great edge in cracking the exam better when you are close to D-Day.
• Focus on your vocabulary: IELTS exam is notoriously famous for testing your vocabulary. So make sure to focus on your vocabulary and make sure to keep updating it whenever you come across a word you don’t know during your practice tests.
• Read more books: Another interesting way to enhance your vocabulary? Books! Reading can be fun and at the same time help you immensely with your vocabulary. Try and make your preparation fun.
• Engage to improve your English speaking skills, etc: When interacting with people around you, try and speak English more often. This small change in your day-to-day life can enhance your English speaking skills and the fluency with which you do so.

Scoring good IELTS marks will undoubtedly be on your list. Take a quick look at some valuable insights you should know when planning the IELTS score you wish to achieve:

• IELTS is scored on a 9-band scale, with each score band corresponding to a defined competency in the English language. Thus, the scores range from Band 1 (non-user) to Band 9 (expert user).
• There is no concept of ‘fail’ or ‘pass’ in IELTS. But each institute has a minimum score requirement that the candidate must fulfil to qualify.
• Test takers receive a score band for each section of the test – Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. And the Overall Band Score is produced as an average of the individual scores of each section.

The Overall Band Score, if it ends in a decimal, gets rounded up to the nearest half or whole band score. For example, if your average band score comes out to be 7.25, it would be rounded off to 7.5 as the Overall Band Score. Similarly, if the average score is 6.75, it would be rounded off as a 7.0 Overall Score.

Band, Skill Level and Description

• 9: Expert User: Has complete operational command of the language
• 8: Very Good User: Has total operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies
• 7: Good User: Can handle complex language well and understand detailed reasoning, though with occasional inaccuracies and misunderstandings
• 6: Competent User: Has an effective command to use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations
• 5: Modest User: Should be able to handle basic communication in their field but still prone to many mistakes
• 4: Limited User: Has basic competence limited to familiar situations but not able to use the complex language
• 3: Extremely Limited User: Can convey and understand only general meaning in very familiar situations
• 2: Intermittent User: Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English
• 1: Non-User: No ability to use the language except a few isolated words
• 0: Did not attempt the test: No information available to assess the skill

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FAQs

• Is the IELTS exam difficult?

No, the IELTS exam won’t be difficult for students who prepare well in advance. Regular practice makes it easier for students to build their confidence to ace this exam.

• What are the passing IELTS scores?

There is no such thing as a pass or fail score. Based on the IELTS exam syllabus, international students will receive an overall score. If you feel the scores are too less, you can always attempt this exam again.

• Can I pass IELTS on the first attempt?

Yes, if you have prepared a good study plan and focused on it, chances are you can score a higher band on your first IELTS exam attempt.

• Can I prepare for the IELTS exam without coaching?

It depends on you. Some students can study for IELTS by themselves. And once they understand the IELTS exam pattern, it becomes easier to align their study preparations accordingly. While others need guidance to bring out the best in them. We advise you to see what works best for you and take that ahead.

• Are 2 weeks enough to study for IELTS?

It is suggested to prepare for the IELTS exam 4-6 months in advance. This gives you time to prepare well to ace the exam.