All about the IELTS Exam

  • About IELTS Exam
  • IELTS Exam Types
  • IELTS Exam Pattern
  • IELTS Exam Syllabus
  • IELTS Exam Dates
  • IELTS Registration Process
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What is the IELTS Exam?

IELTS or the International Language Testing System exam is designed to test your ability to communicate in English in university, academic and professional settings. The IELTS exam score is recognised across educational institutions, offices, professional bodies and government in over 140 countries by more than 11,500 organisations. The total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes.

IELTS Exam Types

IELTS Academic

IELTS test designed for working professionals or students who want to pursue higher education at universities or institutes abroad.

IELTS Academic test gauges the test taker’s English proficiency for an academic setting such as a university or training institute and evaluates your readiness for the same. You may also take IELTS Academic for professional registration purposes.

The Reading and Writing sections of IELTS Academic differ from that of IELTS General in terms of both format (specifically the Writing section) and difficulty.

IELTS General

IELTS test designed for people applying for a visa to migrate for work experience, training programs, or secondary education.

IELTS General Training is for you if you wish to move to an English-speaking country for work and immigration or to study below degree level courses (including high school/ college/ vocational programs).

It tests your English language proficiency in a more hands-on and everyday context. It has four sections- Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, two of which (Listening and Speaking) are the same as IELTS Academic in terms of format and difficulty. The total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Not sure about which IELTS to take?

IELTS Exam Pattern

The IELTS Exam tests you in 4 key areas of the English language-

S. No. Section Name Duration No. of questions
1 Listening 30 minutes 40 MCQs
2 Reading 60 minutes 40 MCQs
3 Writing 60 minutes 40 MCQs
4 Speaking 11-14 minutes 3 parts

IELTS Exam Syllabus

The four section of the IELTS exam include:

Listening- 30 minutes

You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers and answer the questions based on those recordings.

Reading- 60 minutes

Reading skills including gist, main idea, details, logic, skimming and discerning the writer’s attitude and intentions are assessed.

Writing- 60 minutes

You are required to complete two IELTS writing tasks on topics of general interest based on the module you have chosen.

Speaking- 11 to 14 minutes

The IELTS Speaking section is recorded and conducted in three parts and is used to assess your spoken English skills.

Get the complete IELTS syllabus & test format

IELTS Exam Dates 2023

IELTS Exam Registration

  1. Go to IELTS India’s official website www.ieltsidpindia.com
  2. Select the test mode (computer or pen & paper-based) Select the test type (IELTS Academic or IELTS General)
  3. Choose your preferred test city and click on ‘Book Now’
  4. Pick a date for your IELTS exam and click on ‘Book Now’
  5. Read the IELTS terms & conditions and click on ‘Accept’
  6. Fill out your personal and registration details and submit
  7. Upload the first and last page of your passport copy
  8. Add up to 5 recognised organisations who’ll get your IELTS score
  9. Pay the IELTS registration fee (INR 16,500) and you’re all set

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IELTS Prep Kit

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Free IELTS Prep Resources

IELTS Syllabus
IELTS Syllabus

Download the IELTS Syllabus PDF to find out what’s inside the IELTS reading, writing, speaking and listening sections.

IELTS Study Plan
IELTS Study Plan

We’ve made a 6-week IELTS study plan so you don’t have to! Download and customise it for your target IELTS test date.

IELTS Practice Test
IELTS Mini Test

Take this mini IELTS practice test to find your strengths, weaknesses and areas you need to improve for your IELTS exam prep.

IELTS Exam Registration
IELTS Exam Registration

Download a step-by-step guide (with pictures) of IELTS exam registration to make your process error-free.

From IELTS Prep to University Steps

Anjali Rajgopal

Anjali Rajgopal IELTS 9

I enrolled with Jamboree‘s Adyar (Chennai) centre. The faculty was extremely patient in helping me address the elusive aspects of the IELTS, which were imperative to get a Band 9. Regardless of the volume of students in the session, the students always got personalised attention.

Jhanak Balhara

Jhanak Balhara IELTS 9

I attended IELTS classes at Jamboree Education Kingsway Camp. The faculty played an instrumental role in familiarizing me with the actual IELTS test format, which helped me gain confidence on D-day. The comprehensive study material and together with the classes, helped me score 8.5 in IELTS.

Niraj Mehta

Niraj Mehta IELTS 9

Jamboree‘s faculty has been incredibly supportive and flexible and accommodated us in the morning batches to suit our work schedules. During the last days approaching my IELTS Test date, the mentor even stretched beyond class timings to provide additional assistance and guidance. The ambiance at the centre was conducive to learning and growing.

Anjali Rajgopal

Anjali Rajgopal IELTS 9

I enrolled with Jamboree‘s Adyar (Chennai) centre. The faculty was extremely patient in helping me address the elusive aspects of the IELTS, which were imperative to get a Band 9. Regardless of the volume of students in the session, the students always got personalised attention.

Praveen Kannan

Praveen Kannan IELTS 8

I attended IELTS classes at Jamboree Education Kingsway Camp. The faculty played an instrumental role in familiarizing me with the actual IELTS test format, which helped me gain confidence on D-day. The comprehensive study material and together with the classes, helped me score 8.5 in IELTS.

Anup Aryal

Anup Aryal IELTS 8

Jamboree‘s faculty has been incredibly supportive and flexible and accommodated us in the morning batches to suit our work schedules. During the last days approaching my IELTS Test date, the mentor even stretched beyond class timings to provide additional assistance and guidance. The ambiance at the centre was conducive to learning and growing.

Maheema Aggarwal

Maheema Aggarwal IELTS 8

The teachers and staff at Jamboree gave me the attention and guidance needed to ace the IELTS and also planned out an effective study schedule for me. The study schedule was tailored for the less amount of time I had in hand. I am glad that I chose Jamboree for my IELTS preparation.

Nikhita Charles

Nikhita Charles IELTS 8

I enrolled with Jamboree‘s Adyar (Chennai) centre. The faculty was extremely patient in helping me address the elusive aspects of the IELTS, which were imperative to get a Band 9. Regardless of the volume of students in the session, the students always got personalised attention.

Anup Aryal

Anup Aryal IELTS 8

Jamboree‘s faculty has been incredibly supportive and flexible and accommodated us in the morning batches to suit our work schedules. During the last days approaching my IELTS Test date, the mentor even stretched beyond class timings to provide additional assistance and guidance. The ambiance at the centre was conducive to learning and growing.

Ritika Jain

Ritika Jain IELTS 8

After an 8-week preparatory course at Jamboree, I scored a band 8 on my IELTS exam. The format was explained, and the faculty demonstrated common pitfalls extensively. Moreover, the mock tests helped me identify my areas of improvement. Attending Jamboree was a fruitful experience on the whole!

Rishi Wadhwa

Rishi Wadhwa IELTS 8

The teachers and staff at Jamboree gave me the attention and guidance needed to ace the IELTS and also planned out an effective study schedule for me. The study schedule was tailored for the less amount of time I had in hand. I am glad that I chose Jamboree for my IELTS preparation.

Hari Prasadh

Hari Prasadh IELTS 8

After an 8-week preparatory course at Jamboree, I scored a band 8 on my IELTS exam. The format was explained, and the faculty demonstrated common pitfalls extensively. Moreover, the mock tests helped me identify my areas of improvement. Attending Jamboree was a fruitful experience on the whole!

Maheema Aggarwal

Maheema Aggarwal IELTS 8

The teachers and staff at Jamboree gave me the attention and guidance needed to ace the IELTS and also planned out an effective study schedule for me. The study schedule was tailored for the less amount of time I had in hand. I am glad that I chose Jamboree for my IELTS preparation.

IELTS FAQs

You can register online or in person at IDP. The detailed information about registering for the IELTS can be found at www.ieltsidpindia.com. You can also reach us at [email protected].
IELTS™ is offered on specific days of the year. One can access the whole schedule which can vary depending on the city by following the given link www.ielts.org
IELTS™ can be taken an unlimited number of times. However, it is highly advisable not to appear for IELTS too many times as it may affect the applicant’s candidature.
IELTS™ score is valid for 2 years from the date the test was taken.
The scores are available 13 days after the exam date.
You may request up to five Test Report Forms (TRF) to be sent to receiving institutions withing one month of taking the test. TRFs sent by courier will be sent through DHL and students will be charged accordingly. IDP IELTS office can arrange electronic submission of TRFs at no extra cost.  More than 5 TRFs are subject to an extra fee plus courier costs.
Almost all the universities take the best score.
Yes, you do need to have the IELTS™ score with you at the time of applying.

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