Students who are residents of a non-native English speaking country and wish to study abroad, must undertake English Language Proficiency test. It is a mandatory requirement of all the universities across the world. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is accepted worldwide. This is applicable for Diploma, Advanced diploma, Graduate certificate, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate courses. As an international student, after clearing the IELTS exam, you must submit your scorecard to the university you intend to study in. Since you must take the test well in advance and might apply to several top universities, it must be within ielts score validity period. This blog will be your guide on validity of ielts score.
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Overview Of IELTS Exam
IELTS consists of four sections – Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. Each section holds 25% of the score. The band score ranges from 0-9 where a higher score indicates increased proficiency of the candidate. Band scores are given for each band and for the overall test.
Individual band scores evaluate proficiency in the particular section. Universities set the requirement of minimum band scores and overall score based on the course and other criteria. The level of skill in the ielts band score validity is explained in the table below.
|
Level of skill |
Band level |
Remarks |
|
Non-user |
1 |
No capacity to use English language |
|
intermittent |
2 |
Does not hold understanding of language in all bands. |
|
Extremely limited |
3 |
Has an understanding only of general terms. Unable to communicate continuously. |
|
Limited |
4 |
Repeated mistakes in understanding the language. |
|
Modest |
5 |
Holds partial command on the language |
|
Competent |
6 |
Holds fair understanding of the complex words and can understand practically |
|
Good |
7 |
Minimal mistakes and holds operational command on the language |
|
Very good |
8 |
Good command on the language in all bands with a few occasional mistakes |
|
Expert |
9 |
Accurate and appropriate command on the language |
|
Also Read |
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How long is the IELTS score valid for?
Your IELTS results are typically valid for 2 years. But, if you're applying for Skilled Migration, they stay valid for three years! IELTS exam score validity refers to the time period until which the scores can be submitted to a university. After the expiration of ielts exam score validity, the student will have to retake the exam and utilize the fresh scorecard to apply to universities.
IELTS Score Validity Country-wise
Validity of ielts score for international students is determined by the government of each country. We have detailed them in the table below for your reference.
|
Country |
IELTS Score Validity Period |
|---|---|
|
UK |
2 years |
|
U.S. |
2 years |
|
Australia |
2 years |
|
Germany |
2 years |
|
Canada |
2 years |
Suggested: IELTS results and scores
Validity Of IELTS Score Certificate
Ielts score validity is for a limited time period. Since the skills, expertise and proficiency of any language tends to depreciate over time if it is not used, there is validity of ielts. Ielts score validity is decided by the Immigration department of the central government of the countries to apply for student visa. The validity is determined by considering several factors and it tends to be revised over time periods as required.
The scorecard validity is considered from the date the results of the ielts is published. It is not from the date the test taken. As an international student, you might want to apply to multiple universities and in several countries to get into the best universities in the world to pursue your studies. You can apply for different intakes and various course specializations. Since validity of the ielts scores is in place, there is no maximum cap to the number of times you attempt or re-take the test. You can undertake ielts test any number of times in your lifetime for the purpose of studying abroad.
Suggested: IELTS Exam Dates 2024
Wrapping Up
Once you have decided on the course you want to study abroad, you can begin preparing for IELTS and undertake the test. Ielts tests are conducted four times in a month and can be taken either online or offline. You can book your test in advance by logging onto the official website of ielts or visiting the nearest center. However, the first step is by deciding on the course specialization and the universities you must apply to meet your educational goals. You can reach out to our Yocket counsellors at any time for guidance to make the right choice.
