Get started with IELTS (Academic) Preparation

It tests your proficiency in the English Language so that they can decide whether you are eligible to study or work in the country you are applying to.

The countries that usually accept IELTS scores are Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The two types of IELTS exams being offered at present are Academic and General. 

You can decide which one to give based on your intention to go abroad and the country you are going to. For example : If you are going to study in the United Kingdom, you most probably will have to take the IELTS UKVI Academic exam. However, it is imperative that you check on the website, call or email the institution you intend to apply to, to know a confirmed answer.

The IELTS exams are offered by an institution called IDP in India and they happen in two formats- Paper Based and Computer based.

The IELTS on paper exam happens 4 times in a month and the IELTS on computer exam happens 3 times in a day 7 days a week. It is necessary to register and book for the exam in advance.

The IELTS exam is an evaluation of your Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking skills. 

Your results are presented as band scores ranging from 1 to 9. Each  band reflects a different level of English language proficiency. Meaning- if you score a 9 band- it means that you are an expert user and if you score a 1 you a non-user of the language.

2 hours 45 minutes long in total.

Listening is for 30 mins, Reading and Writing are for 60 minutes each. These three happen on the same day and are conducted continuously without a break.

The speaking test is for 11-14 minutes and may happen before, after or on the same day of the exam. The speaking test happens in front of a live examiner.

Any person who is above 16 years of age is eligible to appear for the IELTS exam. You can be of any nationality, background or gender to appear for this exam. Also, there is no minimum qualification/percentage required to register.

You can decide which IELTS exam is suitable for you based on your intention to go abroad. For example : If you are going to study, you most probably will have to take the Academic exam. However, it is imperative that you check on the website, call or email the institution or country you intend to apply to, to know a confirmed answer.

The purpose of the academic exam is to secure admission in a college/university while the purpose of the general exam is for immigration or employment. Therefore the test evaluates candidates accordingly.

Listening and speaking are the same for both types of IELTS tests.

However Reading and writing sections have slight differences. 

Reading 

IELTS Academic: 

• understand author’s voice, purpose and key arguments
• Style of texts is academic 
• 3 long texts from books journals magazines and newspapers

IELTS General 

• Tests proficiency in social setting
• 4 passages- everyday situations from newspapers to ads

Writing

• IELTS Academic: 
• describe a table/chart/diagram/graph etc. (in 100 words) followed by the second task to write a short essay (250 words).
• 
  
• 
  
• IELTS General Training: you will have to write a letter (100 words) or an essay (250 words)

The IELTS exam is valid for 2 years

You will need to consider three aspects.

Your location: Computers based test are available only in major cities of India

Your comfort: Ask yourself- 

• Can you think better when you are writing or working on a computer?
• Do you write faster or type faster?

Your urgency to get the score: If you have a fast approaching deadline for an application and need your test scores sooner, you should apply for the computer based test.

If you are applying for a UK visa, you need to take an IELTS test approved for UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) purposes known as IELTS for UKVI. This applies to everyone coming from a non-English speaking country.

While there is no change in the content, format or level of difficulty and scoring, IELTS for UKVI simply follows certain extra security protocols to ensure the authenticity of the test taker. Also, your Test Report Form (TRF) may look slightly different from the one given for IELTS Academic or General Training.

Currently only IDP which stands for International Development Program conducts the IELTS exam in India. The Website link for registration is https://www.ieltsidpindia.com/

Computer delivered IELTS: INR 16250 

Pen Paper based IELTS: INR 16250 

IELTS UKVI (computer): INR 16500

(Last Checked on 30 May 2023)

Identity Proof- A valid Passport (preferred) or National ID card. You will need to carry this document along with you at the exam centre.

You can reschedule your exam date up to 15 days before the exam with a valid reason. 

For 34 days and above you can reschedule without providing any reason.

You can apply for cancellation only if the test date is at least 15 days from the date on which you are applying for cancellation. 

If the test date is between 15-34 days, cancellation will be done once the request is approved. After cancellation is done/approved, refund will be processed within 8-10 business days after deducting administrative charges.

No, you will have to go to a test centre irrespective of whether you want to give a paper based or computer based test. IDP offers 82 test locations across India.

In case you are late for the exam due to situations beyond your control, contact your exam centre and provide an explanation immediately. If your reason seems reasonable, your exam will be rescheduled on the next available test date. 

In case of a serious medical condition, you must provide a medical certificate within 5 days of your test date to receive a refund excluding the administrative costs.

Practice is the key to getting a good score in your IELTS exam. We recommend understanding the exam format properly once and then giving a mock exam to understand where you are. Once you do that, keep practising till you reach your goal in at least 2-3 mock exams.

Usually intermittent users of English require more time to practise than expert users.

The first step to start studying for IELTS is understanding the exam format and questions. Next, you should practise as much as possible before your exam date. Join us at CATKing to make this experience easy and fun.

We at CATKing offer personalised progress charts when you sign up for our IELTS coaching course. You can use these charts to identify your areas for improvement and work on them.

It depends on what reason you are applying. Usually every university or immigration office prescribes a minimum overall band score and minimum individual score in each module to be eligible. It is best to check on the university/migration website to know what score you require.

Your goal will be dependent on your current level of proficiency in the English Language and your minimum score requirement. However, we would recommend aiming for at least a 7-7.5 in each module to be eligible for more colleges, workplaces and countries.

There are a total of 4 modules. Each module has the following number of questions:

• Listening: 40 questions (30 mins)
• Reading: 40 questions (60 mins)
• Writing: 2 main tasks (60 mins)
• Speaking: 3 parts (11-14 minutes)

You will receive an individual band (range 1-9) score for each module on the test. 

Each question in the listening and reading session carries 1 mark. 

Your score will be calculated on a total of 40 marks for both these sections and then converted to band score. 

The writing and speaking tests have a predetermined rubric as well. 

Your overall score is calculated by averaging the four individual scores and rounding it off in half or whole bands .

You ca get your IELTS results for the

• Computer based test in 3-5 days
• Paper based in 13 days

You can apply for a review of your band scores (called an Enquiry on Results) at your test centre within 6 weeks of the test date. 

You must pay an enquiry fee, which is fully refunded if your band score changes. If your band score changes, you will be issued a new Test Report Form (TRF).

The request for a remark must be made within 6 weeks of the date shown on your Test Report Form (TRF). You can request a remark on the whole test or any part of it (Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking).