Every time you tell people about your dream of studying abroad, you will get a question - “IELTS diya kya?”
For majority of the international students, countries like the US and the UK are their top destinations. And all these countries have English as their primary language. As a result, courses taught in universities of these countries have instruction language as English. So if you wish to study here, you have to prove to your dream university that you are more than capable of keeping up with their instructions in these courses. And how do you prove that? English Language Proficiency (ELP) tests. And the most opted of these standardised tests is IELTS.
Millions of international students attempt this IELTS exam, as a good IELTS result can determine a student’s application process. If you’re considering going abroad for further studies, you should get started with your IELTS preparation soon.
Most international students know the IELTS exam but fail to understand why IELTS is important or the IELTS registration process. And what about the best tips, tricks, and guidance to appear for the IELTS exam? With Yocket Premium you get that - AND A LOT MORE. With end-to-end counselling curated just for you, acing IELTS and the rest of your application becomes a cakewalk!
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Overview Of IELTS Exam
In a gist, this is what the IELTS exam is about β‘οΈ
|
International English Language Testing System |
|
|
Who Conducts This? |
IDP |
|
Registration fees |
INR 17,000 |
|
Exam Duration |
2 hrs 45 minutes |
|
Exam Pattern |
Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking |
|
Mode of Exam |
Paper-based and Computer-based |
|
Types of IELTS Exam |
Academic and General Training |
|
Score Scale |
Band-1 (lowest) to Band-9 (highest) |
|
IELTS Contact |
IDP Head Office +91-124-4445999/ 1800-102-4544 Email: ielts.india@idp.com British Council 0120-4569000 / 0120-6684353, Mon-Sat 09.00 to 18.00 Email: ExamsCustomerCare@britishcouncil.org |
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 based on this score, so ensure you deliver a good result.
Latest News π£
Over time, there have been multiple updates regarding the IELTS exam. One such being by March 2023, students who scored less in any section of the IELTS exam can undertake the latter instead of writing the whole exam again.
Types Of IELTS Exams
There are two types of IELTS exams, Academic and General Training. The IELTS is categorized on the basis of a candidate’s requirements and purpose while going abroad as an Academic test and General training. Also, there are IELTS test types on the basis of the mode of conduct of the test: Paper-based and Computer-delivered.
To find out which IELTS registration might be suitable for you, check out the comparative overview of each section presented as follows:
|
Particulars |
IELTS Academic |
IELTS General Training |
|---|---|---|
|
Main Differentiator |
IELTS Academic test is featured for students planning for higher studies, such as Undergraduate, Master’s, MBA, or PhD, where the English language is primarily used. It assesses whether the test taker is ready to begin his studies or professional work in a non-native environment. |
IELTS General Training primarily gauges test-takers’ English language proficiency in the everyday context. So, individuals planning for a vocational training program or to immigrate professionally prefer this test type. Also, if you’re planning on migrating to Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the UK, you need to take the IELTS General training test. |
|
Test Format |
For the Academic test, the questions assess a candidate’s ability to use the language to thrive in academic and professional scenarios. |
For General training, the questions are more in line to assess a candidate's practical use of language in various professional and social settings. |
|
Statistics |
80% of test-takers opt for the IELTS Academic test |
20% chose the IELTS General Training |
Suggested: IELTS Academic vs General
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:
1. IELTS Online Registration
- 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
2. IELTS Offline Registration
- Visit the IDP office in India
- Fill in the application form available at the office or download the form online
- Complete the details and pay the exam fees either via ICICI deposit slip, credit or debit card or even demand draft. Once done, you will receive the confirmation for the same.
Suggested: How to apply and register for IELTS?
Where are The IELTS Test Centres Located?
There are over 75 IELTS test centres in India, accounting for both British Council and IDP Education. The majority of these centres are in cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai, Pune, and Punjab. Candidates must select the test centre by considering the available slots, the preferred mode of exam, and the commute time to the centre.
What Is The IELTS Exam Fee for 2024?
As per the recent update, the IELTS exam fees have been updated. In India, the IELTS exam fee is INR βΉ16,500. This test fee is to be paid when conducting the IELTS registration either online or offline.
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.
|
Section |
Consists of |
Time+ Questions |
|
Multiple choice, Sentence completion, Summary completion, Flow-chart completion, Diagram labelling, Matching information, and more. |
40 questions in 30 minutes |
|
|
Short answers, Matching headings, Multiple choice, Sentence completion, Summary completion, Flow-chart completion, Diagram labelling, Identifying writer’s views/claims, and more. |
40 questions in 60 minutes |
|
|
2 writing tasks |
2 questions in 60 minutes |
|
|
3 part exercise |
11-14 minutes |
Suggested: IELTS exam pattern for beginners
How Much is The IELTS Cancellation Fees?
There are times when an aspirant might want to cancel or reschedule their IELTS exam. This could be because of getting cold feet or any other personal emergency. In such cases, it is possible to conduct this action.
If you want to cancel your IELTS exam, you must do so five weeks before the exam. You can get a full refund minus 25% of the administrative fees. But if you don’t meet this timeline or fail to appear for the test, you will receive no refund.
In case you wish to reschedule your IELTS exam, you can do so by paying INR 3,300 with all taxes. Ensure when you choose the next IELTS exam date, it should be within three months of the actual exam date.
What Are The IELTS Exam Dates?
The IELTS exam dates are available every month for the entire year. The IELTS exam preparation dates can be finalised based on your study preparation. With regards to the present dates, here are the next IELTS exam dates to consider:
IELTS Exam Dates for January 2024
|
IELTS Test Date January 2024 |
IELTS Test Type |
IELTS Test Fees |
|---|---|---|
|
Saturday, 6 January 2024 |
Academic and General Training |
INR 17,000 |
|
Saturday, 13 January 2024 |
Academic only |
|
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Thursday, 18 January 2024 |
Academic and General Training |
|
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Saturday, 27 January 2024 |
Academic only |
IELTS Exam Dates for February 2024
|
IELTS Test Date Februrary 2024 |
IELTS Test Type |
IELTS Test Fees |
|---|---|---|
|
Thursday, 29 February 2024 |
Academic only |
INR 17,000 |
IELTS Exam Dates for March 2024
|
IELTS Test Date March 2024 |
IELTS Test Type |
IELTS Test Fees |
|---|---|---|
|
Friday, 9 March 2024 |
Academic and General Training |
INR 17,000 |
|
Saturday, 16 March 2024 |
Academic only |
|
|
Saturday, 23 March 2024 |
Academic and General Training |
|
|
Saturday, 30 March 2024 |
Academic and General Training |
This was just an overview of 3 months. To access more IELTS exam dates, have a look at our IELTS exam dates guide for 2024.
Top 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:
β 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.
β 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.
β 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. π
β 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.
But remember, just the IELTS score is not a metric on which your application will be evaluated by the universities you apply to. If you wish to make your dream university’s admission turn into reality, you need end-to-end guidance - just like with Yocket Premium. Through unbiased counselling curated uniquely for you, your aspirations are kept first and your dream admission gets the best shoot at turning into reality - in a single click! π
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And if you want to know more about tricks to ace your IELTS exam, here are our top picks π
Also Read
What do the IELTS Scores Mean?
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.
Here is an overview of the score scale π
|
Band |
Skill Level |
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 |
Also Read
Top Sample Papers/Resources For IELTS Exam
There are tons of IELTS sample papers/resources that aspirants like you can use when preparing for the IELTS exams.
Here’s a curated list of books you can go through while preparing for IELTS: Books for IELTS preparation. π
Most of the resources are either available online or on the IELTS official website. You can even visit IELTS on the British Council website to access the same.
From the Desk of Yocket
Most of the courses taught abroad are in English, which is why universities wish to analyse the English proficiency skills of every student. Now that you have complete details related to what is IELTS exam and more, it’s time to get started. While the IELTS demonstrates a part of your abilities in English, it won't alone help you make the cut.
Your overall profile, SOPs, LORs, essays, and GRE score carry equal weightage to make it to a top-ranked university. And to give your dreams the best chance for success, you need a veteran on your side to guide you. And with Yocket Premium, you get a dedicated counsellor with decades worth of experience to help you fetch your dream!
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