If you plan to study in higher education or seek professional registration, you can take the IELTS Academic test. Or if you want to study in secondary education, work or migrate to an English-speaking country, IELTS General Training test might be right for you.
Where you want to study, work or migrate to will affect which test you need to take. If you want to go to the United Kingdom, you will need to specifically take the IELTS for UKVI test. This can either be the IELTS Academic for UKVI test, IELTS General Training for UKVI test, or the IELTS Life Skills A1, A2 or B1 test.
Make sure you visit the relevant government or institutional websites to confirm which test you need to take, as government agencies, institutions and other recognising organisations set their own IELTS entry requirements.
IELTS Academic and General Training are two wholly separate types of test, for two different purposes. While some individual organisations may accept an Academic result in the place of General Training, this decision is up to them. You will need to contact your specific organisation to learn more.
IELTS for UKVI, sometimes called SELT, is the same as any other IELTS test, but with additional security measures required by the UK Government.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an international standard for describing language ability. It describes language ability on a 6-point scale, from A1 for beginners, up to C2 for those who have mastered a language.
If you wish to migrate, study or work in the UK, you may be required to take the IELTS for UKVI test. Use the UK Government visa check list to find out whether you need to take an approved test and what level you need to achieve.
If you plan to study in higher education or seek professional registration in an English-speaking country, you might need to take an IELTS Academic.
The General Training test looks at your English-language capabilities in a work or social environment. If you plan to study in secondary education, enroll in vocational training, move abroad for work or migrate to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK or the USA, you might need to take an IELTS General Training.
IELTS and IELTS for UKVI are the exact same test in terms of format, content, scoring and level of difficulty. The only difference is an IELTS for UKVI test is approved by the UK Home Office for work, study and migration purposes.
If you take an IELTS for UKVI test, your test report form will be a little different to show you have taken an IELTS for UKVI test at an approved test centre.
The band score you need to study abroad is set by the institution to which you are applying and not by IELTS.
The score needed to apply to a course may vary based on the institution or course you want to apply for. If you are not sure what band score you need to apply for your desired course, check out our Who accepts IELTS page or double-check with the institution you wish to apply to.
The band score you need to migrate to a particular country varies. Check our Who accepts IELTS page to check what band score you need.
If you choose to take IELTS on computer, you will take the Listening, Reading and Writing test parts using a computer.
If you choose to take the IELTS on paper, you will complete the Listening, Reading and Writing test parts on paper.
The Speaking test for both paper and computer are face to face with an examiner. This is the best way to measure your speaking skills as it takes a more realistic approach: a life-like conversation with an examiner.
This depends on whether you take a paper-based or computer-delivered IELTS test. If you take IELTS on a computer, you type your writing, reading and listening answers using a keyboard. In a paper-based test, your answers are written in pencil.
In the IELTS Reading test for example, if the test is more difficult, the band score is adjusted. Also, it can depend on how familiar you are with the topics.
If you plan to study in higher education or seek professional registration in an English-speaking country, you might need to take the IELTS Academic test.
If you plan to move abroad for work or migrate to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK or the USA, you might need to take an IELTS General Training test.
If you want to study or apply for professional registration in the UK, you might need to take the IELTS Academic for UKVI test.
If you want to work, migrate, study or seek vocational training in the UK, you might need to take the IELTS for UKVI test.
