Last Updated on September 6, 2024
THE IELTS exam which stands for international English language testing system is a globally accepted English test which every student has to clear in order to study abroad for higher education. This test is designed in a unique manner with the objective to test the language ability of a person who wants to either work or study abroad where English is the main language of communication. Under this test, a student’s reading; writing, listening and speaking skills are tested. Please note that this test is mandatory to clear for students who are planning to go to the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand unless you can secure a waiver from the university concerned.
Eligibility of IELTS Exam
- Students must be minimum 16 years of age.
- Student must have a valid Passport
The IELTS exam is further classified into two categories which are-
- IELTS GENERAL
- IELTS ACADEMIC
IELTS GENERAL
IELTS General is appropriate for those who are planning of going for abroad work experience, training program or immigration purpose. Under this test, candidate’s general language skills are tested which they would be requiring in a work place where English will be the main language of communication. One should take IELTS General Test if-
- Emigrate to an English speaking country
- Abroad work experience and work related training.
IELTS ACADEMIC
IELTS academic Test is designed for those students who want to go abroad for higher education. This exam tests the English language ability of a student. Admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses is based on the results of the Academic test. One should IELTS Academic Test if-
- Planning to study abroad
- Join a professional organization in an English speaking country
DIFFERENCE BWTEEN IELTS ACADEMIC AND IELTS GENERAL
Though the basic aim of both the test is similar, the major difference lies in the format, purpose and content of the test.
Purpose
IELTS GENERAL For all those who are planning to gain some abroad work experience or immigrate in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zeeland, may apply for IELTS general exam.
IELTS ACADEMIC For all those who are intending to go abroad to complete their higher education may apply for this test. The scores of IELTS Academic are mandatory in order to get admission in the university where English is main language of communication.
Format
Although, listening and speaking test of IELTS exam are same in both the cases, the differences come in reading and writing section. In IELTS Reading test, IELTS ACADEMIC contains 3 long comprehensions with 40 questions. Each passage carries 12-14 questions. Student is allotted only 1 hour to read and answer all the passages. The questions are related to academic books allotted in the university.
IELTS GENERAL contains 3 sections and student gets only 1 hour to complete the reading module. Section 2 and 3 are smaller and easier than the IELTS academic reading module. Section 3 is a longer one like in IELTS academic module.
In writing test, IELTS Academic Test contains 2 questions and every individual gets 1 hour to complete each of these questions. In question 1, candidate has to write a paragraph of 150 words on an image given. In question 2, candidate has to write an essay of 250 words on the given topic. IELTS general Test also carries 2 questions in its writing section but 1st one is letter writing and 2nd question is essay writing.
Content
IELTS Academic Test contains text from journals, academic books, magazines and newspaper whereas; IELTS General Test contains text from guidebooks, notices advertisement, magazines or what working people might encounter in employee manuals.
UKVI IELTS Exam
UKVI IELTS or commonly known as Secure English Language Test (SELT) is a new test approved by the government of the UK. This test in particular is designed for those who want to either study or work in the United Kingdom. In addition to IELTS General and IELTS Academic, IELTS Life Skills are also introduced. Each And every candidate is required to apply for UK Visa and clear the required level of English by taking IELTS for UK. Please note-
- IELTS fee for UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) € Rs.18500
- IELTS fee for Life Skills- Rs.13850
If you are planning to apply for Tier 4 student in order to get admission in the university of your choice,
UKVI IELTS Test is mandatory. Places like Brazil, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia etc conduct this test. The test is been conducted on the computer.
IELTS Academic for UK visa and immigration (UKVI) € students who want to apply for higher education in the University of their Choice in order to peruse high professional registration in the U.K. IELTS General for UK visa and immigration (UKVI) € students who are planning to migrate or apply for secondary education in the U.K may apply for this test.
Admissify.com provides IELTS online coaching on their app itself for students planning to study abroad. It provides students an easy and convenient way to study at home, with personalised 1-to-1 tuition by British Council Certified Master Faculty. Admissify can make your visa process easy for any country one seeks to apply in. One can also search for scholarships or get expert and experienced advice from the alumni counsellors by downloading the admissify app for free and discover thousands of courses at universities across the world and apply directly without paying application fees.
Avinash Singh is a study abroad consultant with over 10 years of experience helping students achieve their academic goals. He is an expert in the US, Australian, German, and Canadian education systems and has helped hundreds of students secure admission to top universities around the world. In his spare time, Avinash enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with his family. He is also an avid reader and loves to learn new things.