IELTS FAQs

01

It is easier to get a higher score by taking IELTS with IDP instead of British Council.

Definitely not. IELTS benefits from a unique partnership of three international organisations. Whilst British Council is one of the IELTS partners that manages the test delivery and other centre-related aspects, Cambridge Assessment English is involved in research, test development and paper despatch to all IELTS centres. Since the paper production and despatch are controlled by Cambridge Assessment English, the standard of the test is the same regardless of the location you choose to sit for your test. It also brings consistency in the approach we undertake in assessing test takers on their language skills.

02

IELTS test scores can only be used for study-abroad purposes.

IELTS test scores are not only used for overseas study. Many countries accept IELTS scores for work and migration purposes too. Employers, professional bodies and associations around the world accept IELTS. For example, if you wish to work in Australia, the Australian government’s Department of Immigration and Border Protection will require that you demonstrate your English abilities as part of your visa application and IELTS can be used for this purpose. The IELTS General Training test can satisfy the requirements of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) if you are applying for a work visa, professional registration or permanent residency in Canada.

03

Even if I do not sit all four sections, I will still receive a partial score.

Unless you are a special needs test taker and can provide medical proof that you are unable to sit for a particular section (for example, a mute test taker who is unable to take the speaking test), you will not receive a Test Report Form (TRF) listing your scores if you do not sit for all four sections.

04

All UK-bound test takers are required to sit the IELTS for UKVI test, which is much more expensive than ‘normal’ IELTS.

The type of IELTS test you take depends on the requirements of the institution where you will use the score. If you going to pursue an undergraduate or postgraduate degree and are applying to the schools listed as a Highly Trusted Sponsor, you will normally be required to take IELTS Academic. Only if you plan to study below degree level, foundational, pre-sessional or language courses in the UK would you normally need to take IELTS for UKVI. If you are in doubt, it is best to contact the institution you are applying to check their requirements.

01

IELTS scores can only be used for studying in the UK

IELTS, accepted by 11,000 organisations in 140 countries including the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc., is the world’s most recognised English language proficiency test. Not only is it accepted in the UK, it is also accepted in many other English-speaking countries and for purposes of study, work and migration. IELTS is the ideal choice for a multi-destination application.

02

Most US institutions only accept TOEFL scores.

This is not true. Over 3,400 US universities, including all Ivy League institutions, recognise IELTS. 95% and 99% of the top 200 US universities accept IELTS as part of their undergraduate and postgraduate programme application respectively.^ In fact, 83% of admissions officers in the US recommend IELTS as reliable evidence of English language proficiency.*
^Source: 2015 US News & World Report Top 200 ranking and individual universities' websites
*Source: 2016 US Admissions Officers Online Survey

03

Taking a computer-based test is better as I will lose marks for poor handwriting.

As long as your answer is legible, you won't lose marks for your handwriting. Different students have different preferences. Some students prefer to handwrite their answers as pen and paper is the familiar format they use in school exams. Some students who are used to doing work on a computer may prefer a computer-based test as they are more familiar with PC.

04

It is more difficult to get a higher score in IELTS than in TOEFL.

Although both are English proficiency tests, they are two different tests and cannot be compared side by side. IELTS is the world's most popular English test for good reasons. It is a communicative test that combines practical and academic use of English; the face-to-face speaking test provides an accurate assessment of the test taker’s English ability; and our quiet test environment helps test takers perform well.

05

Having flexibility over which sections to take first is better than sitting through the whole test in a fixed format.

In the IELTS test, all test takers proceed with the same section at the same time, which results in a quiet test environment. In tests where test takers have the flexibility to proceed with different sections at different times, the test environment will necessarily be noisier as some students might be doing a speaking test while others might start with the listening section.

06

IELTS is a UK test, therefore it uses British English while TOEFL uses American English and a mix of accents.

IELTS is an international test that accepts all standard English varieties – British, American, Australian, Canadian and more. A range of native-speaker English accents is used in the Listening and Speaking test.

If you prepare well for the Listening section, it will put you in a better position when you start your study or work abroad as you will be able to communicate with people from different parts of the world more easily.

In the Speaking test, test takers can speak in whatever accents they feel comfortable with. Examiners award a band score for each of the four criterion areas: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy and Pronunciation.

07

For the speaking test, I will perform worse facing an examiner than talking to a computer.

Past test takers would disagree. They think that it is more natural talking face to face with someone than talking to a computer. If you missed the question, you can clarify it with the examiner and your speech will flow more naturally when you are interacting with someone rather than speaking to a computer.

08

For the writing test, I will lose marks if I write more than the word limit.

This is not true. The reason why you are given a word limit is to help you better manage your time so you do not spend all your time on one task and end up having insufficient time to attempt the second task. You will not lose marks for going over the word limit. 

As long as the spelling is correct, both American spelling and UK spelling are accepted.

This comes down to your personal preference.

Some test takers prefer paper-based exams as this might feel similar to other exam situations from school, whereas others might feel more comfortable typing answers.

Information on both test formats is available here. Please contact your test centre if you would like to discuss either option.

No, it isn’t. The IELTS Speaking test is conducted by a certified Examiner, enabling real-life, two-way interaction.

The Speaking test will remain face-to-face, as we believe it is the most effective way of assessing speaking skills and encourages more realistic performance from test takers.

Initially there will be a maximum of one IELTS on computer session available per day in a limited number of test centres.

Please check with your local IELTS test centre or here  for more detailed information.

Please view the materials available here, which provides a clear overview of the IELTS on computer test and how it works.

There are also practice materials available here. As the questions and tasks on the IELTS on computer test are the same as the IELTS on paper, this material is suitable for all test takers.

With IELTS, test takers can feel confident they are sitting the world’s most popular high-stakes English language test for study, work and migration.

IELTS is trusted by 11,000 organisations worldwide for its fairness, reliability and high-quality standards. This remains the case for both IELTS on computer and on paper.