IELTS – International English Language Testing System

IELTS full form stands for the International English Language Testing System. It is an English language ability exam, which evaluates a candidate’s ability to converse in the English language across all four essential modules: speaking, writing, reading, and listening.

It is managed by three essential organizations: the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL), the British Council IELTS, and IDP IELTS Australia.

Numerous students who have prepared for or appeared for the TOEFL are surprised when they confront difficulties understanding accents and expressions used by British speakers in the IELTS. This is why a thorough IELTS Exam preparation, via self-study or a language school that covers the IELTS course, is required to succeed in the IELTS test.

There are Two Types of the IELTS Exam:

1. Academic
2. General Training

Test-takers must know beforehand, which module is required for their purposes, as the scores are not interchangeable. Each test has a duration of two hours and forty-five minutes. Test-takers are required to pay IELTS fees for the administration of the exam.

Broadly speaking, IELTS is taken by individuals who wish to study, live, or work in a country where English is the primary language of communication. In particular, the test is taken by three fundamental classifications of individuals:

• The individuals who need to study in an English-medium school, university, or college in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, or New Zealand
• The individuals who wish to apply for immigration to nations, for example, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand
• The individuals who need to prove their English capability to meet the prerequisites of professional associations or regulatory bodies in various countries

The IELTS has existed since 1989. Today, more than 3 million tests are taken in more than 140 countries every year.

Computer-Based IELTS:

The Computer-based IELTS, as the name suggests, is IELTS taken on the computer instead of the pen and paper test, which is traditionally associated with the IELTS. The structure, patterns, and questions remain the same as the pen and paper version. Even how you book for the IELTS test is unchanged.

IELTS used to conduct computer-based tests in 2016 for the students willing to study in the UK. However, both the British Council and IDP have introduced Computer-based tests for all the students. The most beneficial part of the Computer Delivered IELTS is, that the results are declared in 5 to 7 days. The students can choose the time that is convenient, and there are more test dates for the Computer Based IELTS tests. 

Many people have many questions linked with IELTS eligibility & IELTS Qualification Level, maybe this article will help you to clear all your doubts related to it. The following content will guide you from IELTS eligibility until you appear in the IELTS test. Specifically, there are no minimum IELTS eligibility criteria set by the operating bodies of IELTS. Anyone who wishes to pursue higher studies abroad or wants to work abroad can attempt the IELTS exam (both Academic and General Training)

Who sets the IELTS eligibility criteria?

The British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, and Cambridge Assessment English, cooperatively set the basic standard for IELTS eligibility.

Who needs to check their  IELTS eligibility?

You will  need to check the IELTS eligible if you fall into one of the following  categories:

• Planning to study in the UK(United Kingdom), Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the USA(United States of America).
• Being a Medical specialist, planning to work or for further study in the UK, Australia, or the USA
• People planning to migrate to Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.

What is IELTS eligibility regarding the candidate’s qualification?

Generally, a person who has passed in 10+2 level of education from any recognized Institution is an acceptable qualification for IELTS (International English Language Testing System).

Is there any IELTS eligibility regarding the age limit of the candidate?

IELTS eligibility is set and not recommended for people who are below the age of 16. IELTS exam can be given by anyone around the globe irrespective of race, age, nationality, gender, or religion.

What is the IELTS eligibility regarding the availability of the documents?

The applicant must hold a valid passport, which is non-expired. Driving licenses, student IDs, and other documents are not accepted as valid proof of identification in the IELTS eligibility.

These IELTS eligibility criteria make sure that the candidate is prepared to face an environment where English is the language of communication

Every university has a different set of requirements and its own set of guidelines for giving admissions. Also, all the universities have set different IELTS Eligibility Criteria that candidates need to fulfill for getting admitted. In addition to this, candidates should also match the other eligibility requirements set by the university or the educational institute where they are planning to enroll.

The medium of teaching in a majority of the colleges, universities, and educational institutions in the major English-speaking countries is the English language only. So, the candidates should have a basic understanding of the language in order to pursue their higher studies successfully.

How to get enroll for IELTS?

You can register for the IELTS test by following the steps given below by keeping in your mind the above mentioned IELTS eligibility:

• Visit the official British Council IELTS website.
• Click on the option “Register for IELTS now”.
• Fill in the required details like preferred test city, Test Type, and available Test Date in the city.
• After you read the Terms and Conditions statement carefully, check the box saying you have read and agreed to the T&C, and fill in your personal information on the next page.
• Upload your valid and non-expired passport pages one by one carefully.
• On the next page, you can mention any universities where you need to send IELTS results.
• Once review all your input details before making payment.
• Make the mentioned payment for appearing in the IELTS test.
• Take the printout of the acknowledgment receipt.

How to prepare for IELTS? IELTS Preparation Tips:

• Any exam needs 80% of the preparation to pass, and 20% of that preparation to clear it. Once you have understood the format for the kind of test you would want to take, start skimming through IELTS Exam practice tests papers and IELTS sample tests.
• You can take the IELTS practice test online by factoring in the time you will be given for taking the actual tests. You can find them on the website where sample questions and answers are given. Separately, you can also buy IELTS preparation books and related IELTS study material and IELTS listening practice tests that are available at British Council IELTS tests centers and selected bookstores across the globe.
• The British Council IELTS website has a list of IELTS Preparation books with a brief description that you could refer to while preparing for your IELTS test.
• Likewise, you can ask for some good book references from the people who have taken the exam before you. The Official Cambridge IELTS Guide is one top recommendations by many. It comes with a DVD and has questions for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Another is the Cambridge IELTS Practice Tests Series.
• Many IELTS Preparation books are available, but you should first stick to the source material for the preparation, i.e. IELTS vocabulary books, the British Council IELTS books, Cambridge IELTS books, and the like.

IELTS Preparation

These are some essential steps that you must follow while preparing for the IELTS test. Some also ask how to prepare for IELTS at Home. It may seem like a daunting task, but we are going to give you some helpful IELTS study tips to help you refine your study habits.

• You must concentrate on building your Core English Skills
• A major error some IELTS applicants make when preparing for the exam is concentrating only on IELTS mock tests. Many consider that the IELTS more mock tests they do, the better prepared they will be. This is a misconception.
• The test is talent-based, not knowledge-based. This means that every IELTS mock test you do will comprise diverse content that you cannot study for. It is about the excellence of your abilities, and not the number of your IELTS mock tests.
• Language is an ability. Therefore, you need to learn speaking skills, listening skills, writing skills, and reading skills. You can’t approach building your language abilities the same way when you do IELTS mock tests. Though understanding the exam format is half the battle, do not undervalue the necessity to develop your language skills.
• So, find a good English teacher, take an IELTS course and immerse yourself in the language through IELTS Preparation books and other novels, newspapers, music, and movies. Find some English-speaking friends and organize an English-only conversation club. The more normal the language becomes to you, the more calm you are going to feel in the exam.

Learn from your weaknesses

To achieve success anywhere, you will have to learn from your mistakes and be aware of the weaknesses and habits you repeat. Candidates often tend to repeat the same mistakes repeatedly even after they are given thorough feedback. Take your time to understand your errors thoroughly. Are they related to spelling? If so, follow IELTS writing tips, practice writing misspelled words correctly. Are your errors related to verb tense? Then focus on that, is it related to vocabulary? Then focus on that. Learn the rules and how to use them. The important thing is to not make those errors again.

IELTS Essay Writing Tips

Develop your writing skills by learning how to structure an essay paragraph by paragraph. Practice IELTS reading Practice test and understanding IELTS essay questions. It is easy to go off-topic or not directly answer the question. Additionally, read many different sample IELTS essay questions and write sample responses.
The more practice you get writing responses to different IELTS essay questions, the more comfortable you will feel with various topics. Be careful not to memorize sample IELTS essays. I have seen many candidates make this mistake. Even if you get a similar topic in the exam, the concentration of the question will be diverse and so the answer will have to exactly address the question.
IELTS examiners know how to spot learned essays and they will give zero no matter how well written it is. It is also significant to practice writing 250 words in timed situations. Your writing should be neat and legible. Therefore, if you do not feel comfortable with writing by hand, then practice more writing, until you feel comfortable doing that.

IELTS Speaking Practice

• The same goes for IELTS speaking Test. IELTS speaking practice can be done with a friend. Become comfortable talking about yourself and your experiences. You can have some common answers pre-prepared related to your basic information related to the first part of the test, but this should come out as impulsive and natural.
• Furthermore, remember to avoid memorizing presentations for part 2. The examiner will know if you are repeating memorized answers. Always keep in mind that you are talking about yourself. Therefore, develop a habit to do it on a daily basis. Even if it means speaking to yourself!

Read a diverse range of articles

• Read up on general topics such as news, current affairs, science, climate change, animals, history, economics, sociology, etc. The more you read, the more you will develop the habit of understanding the context of the sentences and new vocabulary.
• This will help you increase your knowledge of English and feel more comfortable with the reading paragraphs in the exam. If you are doing the IELTS academic, but have never read an academic paragraph until the day of the exam, you could be in trouble. So, use sites like National Geographic, the Economist, the New Internationalist, and Science Daily to become an academic reader.

Learn native-like fluency

You can listen to some podcasts and ted talks to understand different accents and pronunciations. Not only can this help you understand different accents, but is also a great way to expose yourself to new vocabulary and different interesting IELTS speaking topics. Remember, the broader your general language and general knowledge, the more comfortable you will be with the language and topics in the test.

Know the test tips and strategies

Finally, learn the exam tips and strategies and apply them to practice exams. This will help you learn how to manage your time and how to utilize it effectively to complete each section of the exam. Time management is one of the most important aspects when it comes down to tests. However, at the end of the day, it rests on your language skills the most.

Understand and analyze each module of the test thoroughly. For example, understand the IELTS reading Practice test – how many passages there are, how long they are, how many questions there are, the types of questions there are, etc. This will help you understand where you should be given more time, and where it should be less. When you have learned and answered every type of question, you will not be surprised on the test day with something new. Once you feel comfortable answering True, False, Not Given questions for example, then you will not be afraid of them when you see them on test day.

Students looking for top IELTS scores need to have a plan and adhere to the technique. Technion Academy has broken down and deconstructed the exam to make IELTS prep courses with a demonstrated reputation for progress. Our IELTS courses meet the adapting needs of each student in Nigeria. Simply pick the approach that works best for you, and we'll break down the IELTS for you. We know precisely what's expected from IELTS, and our syllabus will enable you to get ready proficiently and strategically for the test.

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